EXPLO Elevate shares good ideas, practices, and wisdom to help schools and their communities flourish.
Dear Friend,
Summer is a time when we can step back from the reactive nature of the day to day in schools. We can follow our curiosity, wander, reflect, dream, and start plotting something different.
Inspiration Before Education: The Mantra of the Extraordinary Graeme Lawrie
There are people who inspire and think bigger than the rest of us. Graeme Lawrie, M.B.E. is one. Last week he was catching me up on his latest project: bringing 10,000 U.K. state school students from under-resourced schools to a STEM day held at an amusement park. Graeme has prepared pre and post STEM day projects for the students. Sandwiched between those projects, he and his team will bring students to the theme park where they will encounter people flying around in jet packs, extraordinary science demonstrations, and all manner of inspiring learning experiences for children who can earn badges that will get them access to a roller coaster and other rides. While students are engaged, their teachers will be immersed in a day of professional development, something that can be hard to schedule for entire faculties. What a brilliant combination. Graeme is the Director of Partnerships at ACS International School. This will be his second theme park extravaganza. While at Seven Oaks Schoolhe ran a science festival week for 15,000 state primary school students that included connecting with the international space station, moving two satellites, and landing a plane on campus. Graeme defines what is possible when private schools partner with public schools and corporations. Graeme has a superpower, if that wasn’t apparent. But it might not be what you think. He is autistic, as is his son, and amongst his many projects is helping people understand what it means to be neuroatypical. I hope you’ll spend a bit of time being inspired by Graeme, one of the most caring, generous, talented, and creative people I know, in this wide ranginginterviewwith Jenny Anderson. My hope is that we all channel a bit of Graeme.
The Power of Partnerships and Experiential Learning
On this side of the pond, my colleague, Greg Cooper is the architect of an experiential learning program that also taps into the power of partnerships. Working with a federal criminal investigator, Greg has designed a program for high school students that combines forensics, problem solving, law and justice, and career exploration. The curriculum includes a heavy dose of storytelling and simulation that will have students immersing themselves in the real work of crime solving. Students will join the San Jose Police Department bomb unit for a day of training that includes exploring the science of explosions, blowing up a car, and scouring the remains for evidence. Spending time with the scientists in the world class animal forensic lab at UC Davis grappling with how animals play a role in solving crimes. Other partners include attorneys from the Department of Justice and the Public Defender’s Office, as well as a Medical Examiner.
Imagine if school regularly included experiences like this? We’re thrilled that we’re working with a school out West planning a new January term full of experiential learning. It’s an ambitious goal with lots of moving parts. Organizational change management. Supporting the faculty. Changing the schedule. Experimenting with a different kind of curriculum design and pedagogy. Building systems that support the logistics of doing field work and best practices in partnering and stewarding those partnerships. Communicating with students and families. Assessment. It’s a lot to juggle, but worth it. When all the pieces come together, it’s incredibly powerful.
Often, the most important ingredient to moving in a new direction is getting colleagues to join you. The ever-wise Jeff Wetzler has some simple and highly practical advice in his new article, How To Get Your Colleagues On Board With Your Idea.
Our fall is getting full at EXPLO Elevate with strategy work, governance, scheduling, new program design, leadership PD, and audits, but we do have some limited space.Reach outif you have needs. We’re happy to chat about possibilities.
A School Should Have Many Faces
Not too long ago I was on a call with a Board member at a Southwestern day school. He was concerned about the Head of School. Parents take virtually all of their significant issues directly to the Head bypassing the other members of the leadership team. The result was that the Head was overburdened and the Board member feared the situation was becoming unsustainable. This Trustee told me the Head was fantastic and to illustrate the point, explained that each morning the Head was out at the car line greeting each parent and child. Day in. Day out. Sunshine or rain.
I wondered aloud with him:
If the Head is the only one out front every day making connections with families, he may be signaling to parents that he’s the person they should contact for anything significant. Perhaps it’s time for other leaders to take up their place in the sun. Or rain.
The Board member was silent for a moment, shook his head and laughed.
I never thought about it that way.
Parent Experience Audits
While on the subject of of car lines…. Has your school done a parent experience audit? You may want to consider doing so as it’s different than the typical parent satisfaction survey.
Significant changes often come with significant people challenges. We worked with Dr. Elizabeth McClintock and The Bridgeway Group and applied the stakeholder mapping process, the strategic trust tool, and the ladder of inference to a school grappling with whether to eliminate AP courses. These are practical and powerful tools that can help you manage many thorny problems. Imagine an entire faculty or school community trained up on them. It’s possible. Give us a call.
Some Confirmation That There Are Problems with Governance
Given the volatile and uncertain in which we live and the myriad challenges facing schools, it is no surprise that leading in these times is difficult. Last month, the International Council Advancing Independent School Accreditation (ICAISA) publishedResearch Insights on Governance. The study, drawn from 16 accrediting organizations, explores 450 individual governance recommendations from 207 schools with a range of types, sizes, levels, and locations. It’s worth a read. At Elevate we echo the study’s findings: “Governance challenges within schools are frequent, far-reaching, and deeply rooted.” After digging into the report, it strikes me that the number of schools with foundational governance issues is disturbing. Like Heads of School, summer is a key time for Board Chairs and Chairs of Trustee/Governance Committees to reset and plan for the upcoming year.
Summer is Not a Time Frame, But a Mindset
EXPLO Elevate Senior Consultant and Dean of Faculty at the Collegiate School, Tung Trinh, shares some thoughts on how to use the summer to energize and fortify yourself to take on the challenges of doing the next school year differently.
Big congratulations are in order for our friend, Dr. Nimisha Barton, on the publication of her new book, A Just Future: Getting From Diversity and Inclusion to Equity and Justice in Higher Education. Nimisha is an award-winning historian, equity practitioner, and educator who has worked not only in higher ed but also with secondary schools. The book is hot off the presses, and we recommend adding it to your summer reading list.
Also just out … the newest Stanford d. school book, Assembling Tomorrowby Scott Doorley and Carissa Carter, “a guide to why even the most well-intentioned innovations can go haywire and surprising ways we can change course to create a more positive future.” An added plus? There is an Educator's Guide to use with students.
I long ago gave up that I would ever – in any sustained way – be the owner of a pristine desk. Alas, it is not how I am wired. Therefore, I was pleased to learn that my messy desk is likely helping me be morecreative and stimulating new ideas.(OK, I admit, human nature looks for ways to justify behavior.)
Let us know what you think. If you know of good ideas, practices, or programs, give us a shout and we might feature them in an upcoming issue.
Wishing you all a lovely summer.
And as always, thanks for reading.
Moira
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