Vision becoming reality I am energized when a dream or vision for the future, one that I have been working on for some time, finally becomes reality. In less than two weeks we embark on the next big adventure About 1 year ago I was traveling with my colleagues from SCIL/NBCS on the study tour,ContinueContinue reading “Lifting Vision | Leaders Learning – SCIL Study Tour 2011”
Category Archives: Education
6 ways to ensure that the world outside the school gate is relevant to the world inside the school gate
The school gate is more than a physical barrier between the outside school world and the inside school world. It also represents a cultural barrier where many students walk out of their real world and into the world of school. How do we ensure a seamless transition, where the world inside the school gate better reflectsContinueContinue reading “6 ways to ensure that the world outside the school gate is relevant to the world inside the school gate”
The principles of Making Change Stick: Its more ‘mud map’ than ‘blueprint’
One of the things I love to do is work with groups, speak about change and present ways of navigating a path that will transform schools and engage this generation. Because my role at Sydney Centre for Innovation in Learning (SCIL) is embedded in Northern Beaches Christian School (NBCS), I use the school’s experience asContinueContinue reading “The principles of Making Change Stick: Its more ‘mud map’ than ‘blueprint’”
Back to basics? Time to redefine ‘basics’ for the 21st century
The headline in the newspaper cries: ‘Tests show NSW [Australia] students behind in everything except spelling’ …followed by: the state’s new education chief promised she will order schools to get “back to basics” – as tests showed NSW is behind other states in everything except spelling This is the reaction in my state and myContinueContinue reading “Back to basics? Time to redefine ‘basics’ for the 21st century”
Why do we continue to use 20th Century spaces for 21st Century learning/working?
The classroom is a relic, left over from the Industrial Revolution, which required a large workforce with very basic skills. Classroom-based education lags far behind when measured against its ability to deliver the creative and agile workforce that the 21st century demands. This quote is from Prakash Nair in a commentary in Education Week*. InContinueContinue reading “Why do we continue to use 20th Century spaces for 21st Century learning/working?”
Making change stick: Is your school a learning community?
The question almost sounds ridiculous. Is your school a learning community? Students may be learning, but is it a community learning? This is significant for schools in a couple of ways: 1. Students are immersed in an environment where learning is modelled as a key value at every level. There are numerous lists of skillsContinueContinue reading “Making change stick: Is your school a learning community?”
Making Change Stick: The Power of Language
Can you impact culture through adopting new terminology and ditching the old? Does the language of your school point to the future of school education or the reinforce times past? What do these words have in common? Headmaster/Headmistress, Teachers/Masters, Period, Subject Head/Master, Classroom, Timetable, Homework, Year/Grade, Bells, Detention. These are the highly recognisable words ofContinueContinue reading “Making Change Stick: The Power of Language”
My top 10: Building a Culture of Teams
I presented a workshop today about building a culture of teams at a workshop at the CSA National Leaders Conference. We put the ‘work’ into workshop. We talk about the 21stC skills that our students need to navigate the future, yet who are they going to learn them from? If schools expect to prepareContinueContinue reading “My top 10: Building a Culture of Teams”
Making Change Stick: Five priorities of an effective team
Build a Culture of Teams The team is always going to be greater than the sum of its parts. We all benefit from PD in action all day every day. (Teacher at NBCS) Creative and innovative organisations value strong team culture. Quality key relationships reinforce a culture of teams throughout the entire school – when a school’sContinueContinue reading “Making Change Stick: Five priorities of an effective team”
My Top 10: Making change stick
Implementing and then maintaining lasting change in your school occurs by design, not by default. We want to transform our education system into one that can effectively prepare young people for the many opportunities that await them. To do this change and innovation must become an integral part of the corporate DNA. Transforming schools isContinueContinue reading “My Top 10: Making change stick”
culture | learning | design 