ten things
i believe An admi(edly quirky look at what I’ve come to believe about educa9onal organiza9ons, schooling, teaching, and (most of all) learning
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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personalization
& individualization of instruction THE TWO GROUPS OF EDUCATORS THAT HAVE BEEN MOST COMMONLY MARGINALIZED IN SCHOOLS WERE THE ONES WHO GOT IT RIGHT
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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WE KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW PEOPLE LEARN THAN WE EVER DID BEFORE Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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SOMEOFWHATWEKNOW PHASE CHANGE THEORY
Understanding and measuring growth in mul9ple domains, knowing that “phase change” growth doesn’t necessarily register on the thermometer
Gary Weisserman
BRAIN-‐BASED LEARNING
Learning and teaching based upon current understanding of the unique func9ons of the human brain
ten things i believe
NEUROSCULPTING AND LEARNING Pedagogy based on thoughXully using content and experience to inten9onally increase neuroplas9city and the growth of specific kinds of neural pathways
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AND We know MORE ABOUT what students are LIKELY TO NEED TO KNOW Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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Whatgotushere
won’t get our kids there. Making sense of 21st century literacies.
TOOLS AND ENGINEERING
KNOWLEDGE BUILDING
ARTISTIC EXPRESSION
Mastery of technical skills and the disposi9on to use them well
Ability and desire to make useful contribu9ons to a learning community
Not just aesthe9c apprecia9on and skill, but innova9on and design
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Skills and sense of authority to analyze and address real issues beyond ourselves
Tools and sense of self to engage in a life9me of personal and spiritual growth
Energe9cally and thoughXully tackle ambiguous problems with unclear solu9ons
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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“changingaschool can be like moving a cemetery� (John Gardener)
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
organizations (especially schools) naturally trend ... “When the rate of change inside an organization is slower than the rate of change outside it, that organization’s failure is imminent.” (Jack Welch)
... towards insane behavior Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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usethedata IT’S A BIG CONFUSING WORLD. EVIDENCE IS OUR BEST TOOL. 5.0 3.8 Comparison Variable Model
2.5 1.3 0 2008
2009
2010
Decision-‐making without using evidence is foolish. InstrucRon without using evidence is malpracRce.
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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...butbecarefulwhichdata remember to emphasize disruptive innovation at least as much as sustaining innovation
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
The org chart IS ALL WRONG
Students Teachers Counselors Administrators Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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A BIG WORLD NEEDS A BIG CLASSROOM CREATIVE DESIGN TIKKUN OLAM PLACE-‐BASED LEARNING IMAGINING THE FUTURE Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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RETHINKINGcurriculum scope and sequence? benchmarks and standards? content and knowledge base?
“Our goal should be to create environments-hothouses--that maximize the likelihood that students will learn something truly valuable.�
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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BRIDGETHEGAP BETWEEN K-12 AND HIGHER EDUCATION BETWEEN ACADEMIC AND POPULAR CULTURE BETWEEN YIDDISHKEIT AND MODERNITY
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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65
6.8
number of careers a graduating student is expected to have in his or her lifetime (tony Wagner)
percent of college professors reporting that what is taught in high schools doesn’t prepare students for college (tony Wagner)
millions of jobs added to the workforce from the creative class by 2018--roughly half of all projected employment growth (Richard Florida)
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
2/3 of jewish college students change their level of observance in college. almost twice as many decrease their observance as increase (AISH)
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INNOVATION IS best understood as a responsible form of risky behavior. the right kind of Risky behavior should be encouraged in schools.
Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
Neurologically speaking, the same environments that encourage risky behavior also encourage innovation.
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but risk management--how to avoid taking stupid risks-- is a skill we need to purposefully teach. Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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autonomy, purpose, and masteryare the three most important factors in motivating people to dream, grow, and thrive Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe
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HOW KIDS ARE LIKE GOLDFISH Gary Weisserman
ten things i believe