[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
okay so very briefly where are the
freshmen out
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
okay so we’re going to start our talk
with some brief and easy audience
participation I want to say a word and
you’re going to raise your hand if you
associate that word with good things all
right
good word raise your hand the first word
is renew raise your hand if you
associate that word with good things
okay innovates raise your hand if you
associate that words with positive
connotations change raise your hand the
word change is always a good thing the
word innovate comes from Latin and it
means to change or renew and while words
like renew and innovate are generally
perceived as positive change is a tricky
word because we can associate it with
good things like progress which is why
you are often featured during political
campaigns but we can also associate the
word change with the ancient feelings of
experience what’s basically change like
if our parents tell us we’re going to
move halfway across the
during our senior year so because change
the tricky word innovation is a tricky
word but we can’t have innovation
without change the suggested pathway is
inaugural class graduating this student
and for the last three years Aaron and I
have been the English and history
teachers in the pathway the social
justice pathway is an alternative
educational model what that means is by
launching the pathway we’ve experienced
a lot of what the challenges of change
come with innovation and today they are
going to fly
today we’re going to try to share some
of the insights and the solutions that
we found so innovation does not exist in
a vacuum it is change within something
more from one thing to another concern
the educational system for example in
the United States it’s very popular to
imagine the education system as being
like machine it is both Future Shop out
of torpor refers to this machinist or
cause this bohemian genius machine
constructed by industrialism to produce
the
it needed a world in which time was to
be regulated not by the cycle of the
size of the moon but by the factory
whistle and the clock so the modern
educational system is designed to
produce factory ready workers and like
any machine it can be very difficult to
make it create something it was not
designed to create and this is what Eric
and I refer to as institutional rigidity
this is when the institution itself
posed not the people in it pose unique
challenges to innovation now the easiest
way to see this challenge at a
comprehensive high school like McCauley
is to look at the master schedule now
the master schedule is a giant
organizational puzzle in which all of
the classes are organized to give you an
idea about how complicated this is the
current master schedule at tally has to
accommodate over 500 classes across
seven period yes now inevitably
conflicts arise what I mean by conflicts
in this instance is when two classes are
scheduled to run in the same period and
pose a problem
now what I mean by problem well if your
student who wants to take both those
classes you can’t because you can’t be
in two places at once and that is a
problem and that problem is produced by
institutional legitimate it is a
predicament that we found ourselves in
with the social justice pathway we’re
we’re designed to run even block
period fourth period and sixth period
it’s designed to do this so that our
students don’t have to miss their other
classes when we’re on field trips or we
have guest speakers we also get
continuity of learning when we’re doing
interdisciplinary things and more
options for dynamic moving so anytime
there is a class outside on top of a
schedule seventh degree fourth period
and sixth period that our pathway
students want to take they’re faced with
a very difficult decision and this
dilemma arises from institutional
rigidity because the institution itself
resists innovation since it was not
designed to accommodate it so what is
the solution to institutional virginity
we’ve found that you can use the
personal to vend
the institutional that is you can use
social capital in order to design a
patch
well you can’t overhaul the machine in
the short term you can hack it in order
to be able to achieve your goals this
social capital is something that Erika
I’ve discovered has been very helpful in
resolving these conflicts when
journalism was scared
the same period as our pathway our
students went to their teachers in the
end it was not the master schedule that
provided a solution it was the teamwork
between these teachers and students out
of that emerged the independent / a
period work around admission isn’t just
about coming up with new ideas it’s also
figuring out how to make existing things
work and in this way it sounds corny but
mindset goes a long way
it sounds weird but the current
educational machine at one time was
considered incredibly innovative knowing
that the machine hasn’t always looked
this way nor must it always look this
way it is an important first step in
addressing an institutional rigidity my
high school had a great teacher mr.
smart and mr. smart had a saying
I even think it was written on his wall
there’s almost a mom if it ain’t broke
don’t fix it drama shot that worked out
really well enabled students my friends
to to take on projects they could
complete bring that cars back together
at least a little bit better
it did however enable my friends to
create the hot rods that they were
looking to so some of these innovators
managed to break some things now the
little cars the cars that I drove to
high school and my friends drove
we’ll have a lot of body and but by all
means is taking corners fast you lose
control now one solution for this
problem is to slow down another solution
is not to slow down and to figure out a
way to build a better machine now that
solution for us even though we didn’t
invent it is called the anti-sway bar
and what it does is just help keep both
wheels on the ground it makes it easier
for the cars letting those fast minutes
now I’m not saying that we should never
slow down
sometimes slowing down this is exactly
what you need to do to focus on is this
what we want to be doing
are we getting what we intended from
this and another time we need to spin
out we need to lose control so that we
can then look at what it is that we’re
trying to do and build a better machine
I mentioned
this machine that Aaron spoke of but
actually is not real it’s doing exactly
what it was designed to do and if you
look at the comprehensive high school
like we have very loudly
it’s amazing that we’re able to get
through so much stuff we’re eating to to
achieve such high levels just look at
our test scores and our college
admissions our habits of learning enable
us to do this and those are the same
habits also bring about results that
maybe are not optimal meaning that we’re
not if you look at the research about
cramming you know that that’s not the
optimal that you’re not going to
remember what’s going on habits are hard
to change they’re ingrained they’re
almost automatic but do not despair our
habits can change must change it’s just
not easy
there is innovation in education it’s
about changing your habits of learning
how can we foster learning how can we
foster innovation in education first
recognize that it’s not for everyone
the comprehensive high school works well
and it non-traditional makes you feel a
little queasy
then don’t choose a path with school
ain’t broke for you second thing is an
addiction won’t happen in isolation yes
chinky starts with a few nuts
but even jobs have Wozniak
change to not happen without support and
love always and third get ready to fail
to stop and the ego those loyal
followers are really humbled with that
problem yeah we have to watch out for
some pitfalls
I caught the overemphasis of measured
dimensions schools love data sometimes
the data starts to drive towards any
means necessary
Denis public calls it doing school Aaron
and I call it point money another focus
on how much is this word before I
actually try to
what is up dude and what do we miss with
this focus on that magic dimension
well first we often overlook what’s
called a marginal improvement some of
that moves from doing nothing to doing
poor work has made a huge improvement
and it needs to be encouraged and what
about that stop mention that bosses
group leader that you helped become less
fluffy and a better leader being kind
being open to new ideas and perspectives
[Music]
yeah I just said it
helicopter now this also it is that
traditional helicoptering parent that
we’ve heard so much about some of them
constantly looking and updating and how
you’re doing but it also includes that
student perspective that starts a
discussion with is this going to be good
enough for a name what we need to do is
sort of let go a little bit create a
little space for trying failing
reiterate and finally form that’s the
fear of missing out I also call it the
buff phase syndrome you know when you go
to the buff and it’s like although
there’s so many good things on the
have some and nothing I have some and
I’m gonna ask what we end up doing is
choosing everything and doing many
things actually not that well so let’s
leave a few entrees off it off the plate
and see how we do in the tenth grade in
the social justice pathway we’ve noticed
a bump it’s time when students start to
question whether or not this was a good
idea it’s too hard it’s too easy I
thought we were going to learn what it
is is the unwillingness to just engage a
hesitancy now it’s not a big deal
because we’re asking students to change
habits of learning and it’s hard so I
just need to keep going
luckily the solution is simple get
comfortable with a little bit of
ambiguity leave a few things on the
table keep
[Applause]
ultimately a solution for innovation
roblox is a human solution it’s
communication humanization exposure when
entering uncharted waters designing the
human being into the process goes a long
way to resolving conflict and avoiding
roadblocks in the first place
thank you
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
okay so very briefly where are the
freshmen out
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
okay so we’re going to start our talk
with some brief and easy audience
participation I want to say a word and
you’re going to raise your hand if you
associate that word with good things all
right
good word raise your hand the first word
is renew raise your hand if you
associate that word with good things
okay innovates raise your hand if you
associate that words with positive
connotations change raise your hand the
word change is always a good thing the
word innovate comes from Latin and it
means to change or renew and while words
like renew and innovate are generally
perceived as positive change is a tricky
word because we can associate it with
good things like progress which is why
you are often featured during political
campaigns but we can also associate the
word change with the ancient feelings of
experience what’s basically change like
if our parents tell us we’re going to
move halfway across the
during our senior year so because change
the tricky word innovation is a tricky
word but we can’t have innovation
without change the suggested pathway is
inaugural class graduating this student
and for the last three years Aaron and I
have been the English and history
teachers in the pathway the social
justice pathway is an alternative
educational model what that means is by
launching the pathway we’ve experienced
a lot of what the challenges of change
come with innovation and today they are
going to fly
today we’re going to try to share some
of the insights and the solutions that
we found so innovation does not exist in
a vacuum it is change within something
more from one thing to another concern
the educational system for example in
the United States it’s very popular to
imagine the education system as being
like machine it is both Future Shop out
of torpor refers to this machinist or
cause this bohemian genius machine
constructed by industrialism to produce
the
it needed a world in which time was to
be regulated not by the cycle of the
size of the moon but by the factory
whistle and the clock so the modern
educational system is designed to
produce factory ready workers and like
any machine it can be very difficult to
make it create something it was not
designed to create and this is what Eric
and I refer to as institutional rigidity
this is when the institution itself
posed not the people in it pose unique
challenges to innovation now the easiest
way to see this challenge at a
comprehensive high school like McCauley
is to look at the master schedule now
the master schedule is a giant
organizational puzzle in which all of
the classes are organized to give you an
idea about how complicated this is the
current master schedule at tally has to
accommodate over 500 classes across
seven period yes now inevitably
conflicts arise what I mean by conflicts
in this instance is when two classes are
scheduled to run in the same period and
pose a problem
now what I mean by problem well if your
student who wants to take both those
classes you can’t because you can’t be
in two places at once and that is a
problem and that problem is produced by
institutional legitimate it is a
predicament that we found ourselves in
with the social justice pathway we’re
we’re designed to run even block
period fourth period and sixth period
it’s designed to do this so that our
students don’t have to miss their other
classes when we’re on field trips or we
have guest speakers we also get
continuity of learning when we’re doing
interdisciplinary things and more
options for dynamic moving so anytime
there is a class outside on top of a
schedule seventh degree fourth period
and sixth period that our pathway
students want to take they’re faced with
a very difficult decision and this
dilemma arises from institutional
rigidity because the institution itself
resists innovation since it was not
designed to accommodate it so what is
the solution to institutional virginity
we’ve found that you can use the
personal to vend
the institutional that is you can use
social capital in order to design a
patch
well you can’t overhaul the machine in
the short term you can hack it in order
to be able to achieve your goals this
social capital is something that Erika
I’ve discovered has been very helpful in
resolving these conflicts when
journalism was scared
the same period as our pathway our
students went to their teachers in the
end it was not the master schedule that
provided a solution it was the teamwork
between these teachers and students out
of that emerged the independent / a
period work around admission isn’t just
about coming up with new ideas it’s also
figuring out how to make existing things
work and in this way it sounds corny but
mindset goes a long way
it sounds weird but the current
educational machine at one time was
considered incredibly innovative knowing
that the machine hasn’t always looked
this way nor must it always look this
way it is an important first step in
addressing an institutional rigidity my
high school had a great teacher mr.
smart and mr. smart had a saying
I even think it was written on his wall
there’s almost a mom if it ain’t broke
don’t fix it drama shot that worked out
really well enabled students my friends
to to take on projects they could
complete bring that cars back together
at least a little bit better
it did however enable my friends to
create the hot rods that they were
looking to so some of these innovators
managed to break some things now the
little cars the cars that I drove to
high school and my friends drove
we’ll have a lot of body and but by all
means is taking corners fast you lose
control now one solution for this
problem is to slow down another solution
is not to slow down and to figure out a
way to build a better machine now that
solution for us even though we didn’t
invent it is called the anti-sway bar
and what it does is just help keep both
wheels on the ground it makes it easier
for the cars letting those fast minutes
now I’m not saying that we should never
slow down
sometimes slowing down this is exactly
what you need to do to focus on is this
what we want to be doing
are we getting what we intended from
this and another time we need to spin
out we need to lose control so that we
can then look at what it is that we’re
trying to do and build a better machine
I mentioned
this machine that Aaron spoke of but
actually is not real it’s doing exactly
what it was designed to do and if you
look at the comprehensive high school
like we have very loudly
it’s amazing that we’re able to get
through so much stuff we’re eating to to
achieve such high levels just look at
our test scores and our college
admissions our habits of learning enable
us to do this and those are the same
habits also bring about results that
maybe are not optimal meaning that we’re
not if you look at the research about
cramming you know that that’s not the
optimal that you’re not going to
remember what’s going on habits are hard
to change they’re ingrained they’re
almost automatic but do not despair our
habits can change must change it’s just
not easy
there is innovation in education it’s
about changing your habits of learning
how can we foster learning how can we
foster innovation in education first
recognize that it’s not for everyone
the comprehensive high school works well
and it non-traditional makes you feel a
little queasy
then don’t choose a path with school
ain’t broke for you second thing is an
addiction won’t happen in isolation yes
chinky starts with a few nuts
but even jobs have Wozniak
change to not happen without support and
love always and third get ready to fail
to stop and the ego those loyal
followers are really humbled with that
problem yeah we have to watch out for
some pitfalls
I caught the overemphasis of measured
dimensions schools love data sometimes
the data starts to drive towards any
means necessary
Denis public calls it doing school Aaron
and I call it point money another focus
on how much is this word before I
actually try to
what is up dude and what do we miss with
this focus on that magic dimension
well first we often overlook what’s
called a marginal improvement some of
that moves from doing nothing to doing
poor work has made a huge improvement
and it needs to be encouraged and what
about that stop mention that bosses
group leader that you helped become less
fluffy and a better leader being kind
being open to new ideas and perspectives
[Music]
yeah I just said it
helicopter now this also it is that
traditional helicoptering parent that
we’ve heard so much about some of them
constantly looking and updating and how
you’re doing but it also includes that
student perspective that starts a
discussion with is this going to be good
enough for a name what we need to do is
sort of let go a little bit create a
little space for trying failing
reiterate and finally form that’s the
fear of missing out I also call it the
buff phase syndrome you know when you go
to the buff and it’s like although
there’s so many good things on the
have some and nothing I have some and
I’m gonna ask what we end up doing is
choosing everything and doing many
things actually not that well so let’s
leave a few entrees off it off the plate
and see how we do in the tenth grade in
the social justice pathway we’ve noticed
a bump it’s time when students start to
question whether or not this was a good
idea it’s too hard it’s too easy I
thought we were going to learn what it
is is the unwillingness to just engage a
hesitancy now it’s not a big deal
because we’re asking students to change
habits of learning and it’s hard so I
just need to keep going
luckily the solution is simple get
comfortable with a little bit of
ambiguity leave a few things on the
table keep
[Applause]
ultimately a solution for innovation
roblox is a human solution it’s
communication humanization exposure when
entering uncharted waters designing the
human being into the process goes a long
way to resolving conflict and avoiding
roadblocks in the first place
thank you
[Applause]
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