#PSP2012 | Chris Thinnes, "Our World Has Changed. Our Minds Have Changed. Our System Has Not"
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Slides via @CurtisCFEE #PSP2012: Teaching and Learning at Home and at School November 10th, 2012 http://cfee.me/PSP2012
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#PSP2012 | Chris Thinnes, "Our World Has Changed. Our Minds Have Changed. Our System Has Not"
- 1. please take your seats THE EVENT IS ABOUT TO BEGIN
Editor's Notes
- Backstage Passes to Foo Fighters at WembleyBy way of introduction to Sir Ken Robinson and to tonight’s program, I wanted to say a few words about their origins. For it was Sir Ken Robinson who inspired the work that the Center for the Future of Elementary Education hopes to do in the coming years, and when it came time for our first event, we knew there was no more perfectly inspiring figure to set the tone than Sir Ken Robinson. But first, I want to thank . . .[THANKS FOR SPREADING, THANKS TO SPONSORS, and FACILITY REMINDERS]
- While I'd like to let this day speak for itself, I'm not gonna. First I want to say a few words about the collaboration that made this day possible and that is reflected in its design. First and foremost, we have nine leading voices in education and psychology who have each had a voice in the design of this event. They didn't just fly in to give a talk: they have each had an active role in helping to create this experience.Second, there are a great number of colleagues here at Curtis School who have worked tirelessly to make this possible. I owe them, we all owe them, our thanks.
- Third, to all of you who have chosen to join us. There are well more than 600 educators, parents, and guardians representing 125 schools and districts. We couldn't be more thrilled that you're here with us. Many of you have already shared your input in response to the prompts we put to you, which you'll see us return to in an exciting session this afternoon.
- Fourth, I should remind you, that the proceedings here in L.A. are being livestreamed to the Jackson Theater at Sonoma Country Day School, so our colleagues and friends in Northern California can share this experience as well. We actually want to say a quick hello to Brad Weaver and his guests . . . Brad, are you there?Okay, so they are watching. So behave yourselves.
- And finally, I want to acknowledge that none of us would be sitting here if it weren't for the generous financial support of these outstanding schools. The commitments to professional learning, outreach, and partnership each of these schools and these leaders have demonstrated is truly extraordinary. We know that you know that we were committed to making this event free for all to attend – that is a commitment we could only offer because of their generosity and service. Thank you.
- A few words about social networking:First of all, you should be able to access our open Network, 'Curtis Open,' on your wireless devices. Second, we invite you to offer your thoughts through the event on our live text wall, either by text message or by tweetAnd finally, if you're a tweeter, please add the hashtag "PSP2012" to your tweets so we can search and archive them later.Okay. A few comments about what we're up to here today.
- OUR WORLD HAS CHANGED. We will look back on these first decades of the 21st century as the most turbulent and transformative period in the history of education.
- OUR MINDS HAVE CHANGED In the first decade of the 21st century we began to ask crucial questions about the purposes and the practices of our schools– what learning really means, and how we support it at home and at school; in the second decade we have started to find answers to those questions. These answers have come, in some cases, from the design of innovative solutions to challenges we've never had to face; in others, from a return to a rich tradition of student-centered principles long obscured by what James Nehring refers to as "outdated policy changes that have calcified into conventions."
- THOUGH OUR WORLD HAS CHANGED, AND OUR MINDS HAVE CHANGED, OUR SYSTEM HAS NOT. And somehow, we find ourselves limited by outdated and distorted preoccupations with 'accountability,' 'excellence', and 'rigor' that threaten our ability to support healthier practices in our schools and in our homes. We sometimes find ourselves, even though we know better at some level, reduced to a myopic preoccupation with grades and test scores, and competition and achievement, that has diminished children's authentic engagement with learning. We tell ourselves it's 'practical.' We tell ourselves our children had better get used to it. We call it 'the real world.' But it's not. And what we believe about children's learning is not always reflected in our practices. What we know is not always reflected in what we do.And, thus, we lose sight of the world that children experience, and that children will inherit – the changed world for which we are meant to be preparing them,
- What do I mean when I say our minds have changed? Well, we've asked you.Here at Curtis we asked . . .WHAT TEACHERS SAYWhat they want students to become:compassionate, cooperative, courageous, creative, critically thinking, curious, empathetic, expressive, flexible, happy, kind, resilient, self-aware, self-reliant, and tolerant.
- WHAT PARENTS & GUARDIANS SAY And families to identify the words they'd use to define the ‘success’ of their children: self-confident, engaged in learning, independent, curious, life-long learner, challenging themselves, risk-taker, compassionate, creative, open-minded, self-motivated, passionate, persistent, inquisitive, driven, happy, positive self-esteem, resilient, kind, and engaged.
- WHAT CHILDREN SAYChildren describe their vision of the best they can become: intelligent, creative, kind, open-minded, curious, balanced, flexible, inspiring, enthusiastic, optimistic, humble, modest, honest, cooperative, and determined
- And when we asked you to provide input, and many of you shared with us what you'd like to see schools provide for every child, you said many of the same things.WHAT NOBODY SAYSNobody used language phrases like:Distinguished, Exceptional, Competitive, or CutthroatWe seem to have a shared set of beliefs about what kind of learning we want to see in our schools, and what kind of learning we want to support in our homes, but we still have questions about what we can do intentionally and explicitly to support that, and what we can do to ensure our children's success in a system that has changed at a much slower pace than our ideas.
- We are only trying to catalyze this conversation. We have no presumptions to have discovered any more effective solutions than you.
- Our purpose is to acknowledge that all of us are asking essentially the same questions, but have been doing so in isolation. And thus we are committed to help bridging a common conversation – between educators and parents, between private schools and public schools – to help discover solutions together. So that what we all do in our schools and our homes can honor what we've come to discover, to know, and to believe. And it is through that common conversation that we believe the system itself will change.
- So like any learning experience, I'd like you to consider some goals. If you need a 'note catcher,' I'd invite you to consider these prompts.This is a day to identifywhat we believe most deeply about the education of our students and the future of our childrenThis is a day to examine the value of collaboration -- between teachers and parents, between schools and homes,between private and public learning communities -- in support of our common goalsAnd finally, and most importantly, this is a day to ask ourselves essential questions about the differences between our beliefs and our practices, at home and at school, in order to honor our common commitments to the learning and the lives of our children.THANK YOU.