Nocking the Arrow

"In the abundant world in which we now find ourselves, transformation in schools must be about empowering learners to organize their own learning and about delving deeply into the subjects that interest them, to live on a “perpetual learning curve.” Those are the skills they need to be successful learners in their adult lives. The emphasis shifts from knowing to learning." -  From Master Teacher to Master Learner , Will Richardson Here is my visual interpretation of what Will Richardson calls  the perpetual learning curve of the modern learner.  I have no scientific basis for this graphic other than the influence of co-learners ( PLN contributors ) like Will Richardson , Jackie Gerstein , Jon Andrews , Aaron Davis , George Siemens , Yong Zhao , Stewart Hase ,  Alan November , and many others. Observations and Experiences - Stewart Hase states, "Learning is intrinsic to the learner. Every brain is different as a result of experience. People are nat...

"I have also been learning by experiencing the world. Through interacting with people from many different places I am beginning to understand about cultures different than mine as well as how they see themselves and me in their worldview. " - Caleb Silverman This is our fifth trip back to Secrets St. James . My wife and I use these yearly trips to disconnect from the daily grind while creating opportunities for face-to-face, high-quality connecting. Walks on the beach, quiet dinners, and sitting by the pool are the backdrops for sharing stories, reflecting on our previous year, and making plans for future adventures. Natalie said, "These palm trees are new. They're so green and beautiful. Are those orange or mango trees?" I pointed out new roofing and fresh paint, she noted the new patio furniture and the pineapples at the fresh fruit stand. It was then she noticed the white panels installed on the roofs of the main buildings, as well as, the tops ...

Following a successful pilot, we are heading into our third year of having a student advisory (homeroom) section built into our daily high school class schedule. Our principal and our school leadership team have clarified student and staff rationale for having a homeroom at our school. The key objectives include;  Initiate and foster long-term collegial relationships between students and staff Promote a culture of learning and academic achievement Increase attendance rates and participation rates for school activities Preservation of face-to-face instructional time Scheduled support of PBIS messages and activities Two years of commitment from students and staff have yielded positive results from our homeroom initiative. Participation in extracurricular activities has increased, discipline referrals have decreased, and academic achievements are being celebrated with greater frequency. Despite these successes, some of our students and teachers are asking, " Couldn't we b...