Nocking the Arrow

What are the assumptions can we make about a school from the moment we pass through the main entrance? Are those assumptions reinforced or refuted when we converse with members of the school community? Traveling south on I-55 heading towards Springfield, host of IETC-2017 , I'm taking in the last few bites of an Egg McMuffin, listening to sports talk radio, and enjoying the freedom of the open road at seventy-four miles per hour. ChangeSchool  comrade, Eric Bohm , had mentioned the tremendous response students were receiving for their "month of giving" charity program. I needed to stop by Pontiac Township High School to say hello and make a donation. First impressions, PTHS was clean, accommodating, and safe. I was welcomed by friendly staff who were eager to help me with my questions. I intended to drop off some treats, make a donation, take a selfie with the principal, and get back on the road. Mr. Bohm, being the proud principal that he is, had other i

"In learning, you will teach, and in teaching, you will learn." - Phil Collins What comes to mind when you hear the word, teacher? Do you picture Albert Einstein at the chalkboard feverishly writing equations for a room full of glassy-eyed students? Systems thinker, Russell Ackoff , challenges our traditional cognitions by asking, " who in the classroom learns the most? " In the spirit of trying to do the wrong things right, Ackoff explains, " Schools are upside down. The way students should learn is by teaching others, not by being taught. " Referencing one of Will Richardson 's recent Change.School provocations, "does your school or classroom apprise a culture of teaching or a culture of learning? " Many organizations are pursuing objectives contrary to their intention. It's not a matter of efficiency, it's a matter of effectiveness. ", concludes Ackoff. During last week's Change.School exploration we disc