It feels both strange and premature to be posting my action plan. I feel like I’m still running off in all directions.
I haven’t achieved my vision but I’ve realized that if I’d held on to “my” vision of the plan I wouldn’t have come nearly as far. I’ve let go of my goals of creating fancy tracking programs, digital dashboards and badges to focus on stripping away barriers between students and engaged learning. I have many hopes…I crave watching students jump into learning with abandon, I urge them to recognize that the curiosity that intrudes their thoughts is not a distraction but rather an opportunity, I wish teachers could feel like they have permission to disregard their lesson plans to follow the lead of student interest.

But…I know that there have been so many years of training that have gone into the creation of teachers and students who feel obliged to get the grade and teach to the grade. In listening to middle school students, middle school teachers and administrators, there are so many barriers; time, ministry expectations, tradition and culture to name a few. From the outside it almost looks like changing the way that we teach, learn and recognize success is a foolish goal.

All it takes, however, is a short conversation with a student about music, sports, social media,  or injustice to feel emboldened, to be reminded that there is passion in there. The headmasters list was the first casualty in the work towards a more holistic, relevant and experiential middle school program. I’m going to venture and say that the best is yet to come!

Below is my attempt to explain what is was that I was working on and thinking about this year. It’s long…sorry!  I should also draw your attention to the title: Recording #4 HA! Yep, that is exactly how many attempts it took for me to figure out how to get the darn thing to work, I didn’t even attempt to name this baby.

Here’s to Cohort 21 for nudging me to shift my mindset, to try new technologies, and not only make some moves but also to consciously consider my movement forwards, backwards, sidewards and upwards. Thank you!