Sharing learning is a core value of my professional practice.
This space – this blog – is my rough work. It’s a place to put out the raw thinking and learning and invite comments and challenges so that I might continue to learn and to rethink how we do education.
In a nutshell, here is what I learned in 2015.
January: Create Value
Before people will believe your message, they have to see value in what you have to offer.
February: Enough with the conceptual – move into the concrete.
What does learning look like in this time of exponential change? We need a clear idea of what our goals for our education system actually look like, sound like, feel like – not just buzzwords like “21st Century Skills”.
March: Teach Less, Learn More
Let students own their learning. Teachers think their role is to spend hours planning learning for their students, yet the one doing the work is doing the learning. Pak Tee Ng’s explanation is here.
April: #makeschooldifferent
Worldwide, educators know we need change. In April, we named it and shared it. What do you think we need to stop pretending?
May: Learning is Sought, Not Provided
When you see a catalyst, a desire, a realization of the need for change, take action to support it. We need to design the environments that encourage curiosity at all levels of the system.
June: Beware of “Enthusiastic Amateurs”
In the same way that a physician with enthusiasm but no skill is dangerous, not everything that is self-promoted in social media is good practice. Leaders need to be skilled in the use of technology so they promote good practice, not just any practice that uses a device.
July: Support all learners in reaching full potential
Our students arrive in school as creative, curious learners, and that’s what we want our graduates to be many years later.
August: Digital Fluency Matters
How are we ensuring all of our students are digitally fluent?
September: Education is a HUMAN System
Change only happens at the speed at which each individual changes personal professional practice.
October: We are in an age of Exponential Change
Can leaders really say, “I’m not ready”, or is this now malpractice?
November: Status Quo is a Loser (Michael Fullan, YRDSB Quest)
How do we challenge the status quo safely? Are educators integrative thinkers?
December: Challenge Everything
Dip into the data pool constantly. Shift thinking based on evidence. Unlearn.
Summary
Learning will only be sought if there is perceived value. We learn what is relevant and interesting when we are curious.
No conclusion is final – you have to keep “dipping in” for new evidence. It’s growth mindset, it’s integrative thinking, it’s removing labels on people and practices.
We are in times of exponential change, and we need to challenge our thinking about everything.
Remove the roadblocks that keep others from reaching their full potential.
In one Tweet, here is my learning from 2015.
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Exponential change pushes us to challenge our assumptions & beliefs about people & systems, while nurturing potential in everyone we serve.
— Donna Miller Fry (@fryed) December 31, 2015
