So, yesterday I tried to articulate what I think might be a new story to tell around education, one that acknowledges that schools will soon no longer be seen as the only path to learning though they can and should still play a crucial role in our children’s learning lives despite the “unbundling” of what schools have pretty much held a monopoly on for 125 years. Obviously, it’s a story that has yet to gain any traction in terms of the national or local conversations going on about schools. Everyone is yelling and screaming about doing what we currently do better, not fundamentally changing what we do. Current “reformists” don’t want real change because it would upset the business of schools in some fundamental ways. And those like Jeb Bush who are now engaging in reform talk around access to technology no doubt are driven by the $$$ that many businesses are seeing right now in the “personalized learning” space. (If you haven’t guessed, it’s going to be huge.)
But for me, the question comes back to how do we expand the conversation about the new roles that schools will play in this interaction. And it seems to me that one place to start is with parents. If we can get parents to advocate for change, then maybe we can move the needle a bit, so to speak. And if we can get lots of parents and give them a different story from the one that most are telling, then, who knows?
That’s what my Educon conversation is about on Sunday. Actually it’s a question:
Can we leverage the networks that we currently have to bring 10,000 (or more) parents together across the country next fall to hold a real conversation about education and change?
Obviously, that’s a lofty goal:
- Are there 500 people/schools out there in the network who could get 20 people to a “meet up”? (Or some other combination?)
- Can we agree on a coherent message?
- Can we market that message?
- Can we create a compelling presentation that will spark this conversation?
- Can we build a movement around it?
- Can we create a core group of organizers to take this idea and run with it?
I may be nuts, but I’d like to find out. I’m thinking it’s time we see whether or not all of these “weak ties” can coalesce into something that actually can make some noise. In some ways, I offer this as a challenge or a test to see if all of this Web and network and community goodness can lead to something tangible at scale. What do you think?
Anyway, since my session is the last block of the conference and I’m thinking there may only be a few interested souls that will stick around for it, maybe we can get the conversation going online first. I’ve started a sort of “Brain Dump” Google Doc for anyone who wants to put some thinking to this idea. Also, I’ve created a form for those who might like to tentatively sign up to host such an event.
If you’re at all into this idea, spread the word. Use #pbtsn11 as the tag for Tweets and posts.
On many levels, I think this could be a pretty interesting effort for our communities to create some collective action around change. Or not. Fun to dream at any rate…
Will…funny….I came to your site to look for your contact info so I could send you a TEDx talk I just watched …and then I see this post. I love your idea. I will share with the grad students I’m teaching. Anyway, here’s the link:
The World Becomes What We Teach
TEDx talk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5HEV96dIuY
🙂
Susannah
Blogging is very useful tool if it is utilize correctly. There have been many platforms that are very educational and there are some I would not give the time of day. One can always find webblog that can help one with any subject area.
Sounds like a great starter. My reservation about building “coherence” is that the central point I’d like to communicate is that when these “school services” are unbundled, there’s far less need for uniformity or consistency in what any one child/parent/school chooses to partake of or deliver.
I’ll be cheering you on from my presentation across the hall. I’ll try to wrap up quickly so we can gather all energetic educon die-hards in one space.
–andrew
Will, I wholeheartedly concur and although after reading your post yesterday I expected something more profoundly complex this simple idea is certainly powerful. I wrote about this same issue last July and even drafted a form letter for teachers to send to parents. Share it with folks at Educon if you like. I am profoundly disapointed and jealous that I won’t be able to attend.
An Invitation Letter to Parents
While on the one hand such a parenting conference would be a great help. On the other, it is tough to get a sufficiently large number of parents simulatneously excited about this.
Hi
With a broad social network, I believe we have the ability to leverage the networks that we currently have to bring 10,000 (or more) parents together across the country next fall to hold a real conversation about eduaction and change.
Will,
I think that there are many engaged parents who would welcome the opportunity to participate in a conversation. As a parent, however, I can tell you that I feel that any “conversations” I’ve ever had at my children’s schools have been more of like a firing squad with a stacked deck–let’s face it, these occasions are usually precipitated by some academic or behavioral “problem”.
Through my relationships with teachers at a variety of schools, I have come to understand that the basic structure for a school’s staff is to avoid taking any responsibility or blame for anything that could “incriminate” them, and that the administrator’s role, in these situations, is to defend her staff. At least to me, these encounters have always seemed very one-sided and steeped in the condescending, tip-toe-around-the-issue edu-jargon that is used to quickly and quietly get the parents out of the building.
Funny, I popped over to your blog today after the announcement that there is going to be a superintendent’s blog at the HCRHS web site. Dr. Brady is doing a lot of progressive things for the school, however, I was disappointed to see that her “blog” doesn’t even have the option for an unmoderated response. Not exactly the “conversation” between parents and school staff that I’d hoped it would be, but a first step. I emailed her and mentioned how effectively I thought your own forum/conversation had become and how it was really exemplary of the way that people’s views can evolve through truly open dialogue. Then I saw your post and had to put in my two cents.
Thanks for your voice, as always.
Cheers,
Dar
Dar and Will,
Based on the feedback from Dar, I have insisted that the comments be turned on for the blog on the district webpage. I originally wanted them on but was convinced to try the email response route first. I have decided against this now based on Dar’s response which was my first inclination anyway. I also have another blog that you can access at http://wiredsuperintendent.blogspot.com
I am hoping to write about issues that I see as bigger than just what is happening at Hunterdon Central. We need to engage our parents in this ongoing dialogue. I think that the almost 1000 parents who came to the Race to Nowhere screening are a great resource.
Lisa
Wish I could be at EduCon to join the conversation “live.” I believe Cheryl C from IU 13 (which serves my district) is there; hopefully she will attend your session. Cheryl is working in her capacity to move things forward. I had contacted her about looking at starting a ‘school of choice’ type of public school as a joint effort w/i our IU area. My thinking is that trying to create different types of schools within the current structure and within certain districts is an uphill battle and will take too long; getting enough parents/kids interested from several districts may be possible taking advantage of the current state/federal push to ‘reform’ public education. Otherwise, I see us trying to chip away very slowly and make incremental changes which I am running out of patience and energy trying to do.
yay.
grazie.
Will, count me in. Sorry I missed your session, but we can do this. And we need to.
I’d like your POV on http://bit.ly/h20bpr -an alternative perspective on the “Ed reform” movement, and currently gathering steam at #EduKare.
Seems we may be thinking some similar thoughts.
Sean
In our schools, we have found that involving parents in a change movement is a very effective way to build momentum, provide direction, and enforce accountability for action. Administrators are not likely to pursue fads if they are not able to articulate clear, research-based reasons to defend their decisions to parents. Teachers are not likely to cling to status quo in the face of parents asking for significant change.
However, I see two difficulties standing in the way of an effective gathering. I will describe them here, and give a possible solution.
First, it is difficult to form a critical mass of parents when many parents value schools primarily because they serve as day care for their children. “Change” sounds good until it means they will have to pay more for daycare, or have to take personal responsibility for their own child’s learning. (It’s much easier to blame the schools than to take responsibility.) Any real, significantreform cannot have a prerequisite that students will still sit in classrooms from 8-3. I’m not saying that traditional attendance needs to go away in order to achieve reform, but assuming it to be the future is a box that we need to exit before we can really change things. This will significantly reduce the number of parents who are willing to push for significant change.
I really don’t know how to address this- I think people actually need to get so desperate that they are willing to give up their gas-guzzling cars, daily Starbucks, and Wii games in order to have enough money to “work” less and invest in their children. As Seth Godin would say, people think they are unable to give gifts because it costs time and effort, and they are short on both because they have bought into the consumerist idea that they need to keep buying stuff to be happy. We’re either going to snap out of it, or all end up like the movie Idiocracy.
Secondly, there needs to be a clear demand from the crowd. In Egypt, the underlying problems are many, varied, complex, and historical (just like the problems of the US education system). But the thousands protesting in Cairo are making one simple demand: that Hosni Mubarak step down. Will that solve the problems? No, but it’s a start, and it’s a great SMART goal.
What is the corresponding demand by the crowd of American parents? That Arne Duncan step down? One laptop per child? The end of NCLB?
I actually think that the model for this might be (ahem) the Tea Party movement. The thousands at Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck rallies don’t have a single demand. They have a vague sense that something is fundamentally wrong with the country, and they rally around a variety of topics that resonate with them. The leaders harness that dissatisfaction and direct their followers to action. The action isn’t really a solution to the problems, it’s more like “vote these people out of office,” but it’s actionable and is probably feels like the most effective way to eventually fix the problems, or at least provide a sense of security.
We could possibly to the same with this movement- identify a variety of issues which dissatisfy parents, form an umbrella under which anybody who is dissatisfied can organize, and then give them some specific action items.
I really didn’t anticipate this, but it sounds like creating a PAC, or a political campaign, might make sense.
How does the title “Secretary of Education Richardson” sound?
Scary. 😉
Comment to Jon Tanner;
I see that one of the difficulties that stands in the way of an effective gathering is the intergenerational differences and tight schedules because of the type of lifestyles American parents lead.
Also, I like to add that statistical evidence shows that close to 80% of parents advocate for One Laptop Per Child Policy. This can be attributed to the increasing importance of technological advancements. A similar percentage are advocating for the dissolution of NCLB in order to replace it with a policy that is reflective of current trends.
So, what is the status on leveraging the networks to bring parents together?
Michelle J….
“Generation Gap” ???
Digital Immigrant—Digital Native is a myth. It’s all about attitude toward learning and evolving, in any context. Old dogs are only as old as they think they are…http://bit.ly/bkd4ee
Michelle J….
“Generation Gap†???
Digital Immigrant—Digital Native is a myth. It’s all about attitude toward learning and evolving, in any context. Old dogs are only as old as they think they are… http://bit.ly/bkd4ee
just a comment to Geeky Mom;
I think women should be given an equal chance to develop their competencies in technology. There is a great need to encourage female teachers to be more closely to technology especially in classes with their students.
As a female technology teacher, I think it doesn’t matter who you are, anyone is capable and should be willing to teach technology in the classroom. I believe it is more of a generation gap rather than gender then separates the teacher and student and the willingness to move along to the current times.
An inquiry to Michelle:
Frst , I agree with what you wrote and clarified. As you are a female teacher, can you tell me or support me with evidence to proove that Technology in the learning environment is fundamental for enhancement of the quality of education.
Does this happen in your class with your students?