Goal 23: Where There’s a Will…
Part of the 30 Goals Challenge Series
Many ideas exist for how the educaton system can be improved. In #Edchat, educators have ofered
real solutons. However, many teachers wonder how these solutons can really take place when
educatonal policy does not support them. I am an idealist. Ofen, I take the Don Quixote approach
and “see life as it should be.” Eventually people have to go from having ideas to actualizing these
ideas. This is my long-term goal. A way to do this is to stop seeing the obstacles and “what ifs” that
could get in my way. Instead, I implore us as an educatonal community to fnd successful examples of
what we have envisioned. We can learn from these examples and begin to take the steps towards
these goals.
The Will
I refuse to believe I have to accept the system we have lived in for decades. I worked with at risk
students and in low-income districts. I grew up in schools that were lef behind. I was part of the
generaton in my family who was the frst to graduate from college. I have seen too many of my
friends and family members be part of the end of that gap that did not achieve. I have seen their
children also become part of that cycle.
The Way
Therefore, in February I plan on postng interviews with educators who have accomplished amazing
feats in schools. My goal is to conduct more interviews with educators who work in successful
educatonal systems that do not try to standardize students. In asking them how they are successful,
perhaps we can fnd ways to make these ideas work in our schools.
The Connecton
With these thoughts brewing, I was excited to run into Kate Lambrino, @klambrino, on Twiter today.
She will be one of the people I interview. These are bits of our conversaton:
ShellTerrell: RT @bwillhoit: Great Post by @AndrewBWat- Digital Textbooks? No.
htp://bit.ly/902vKg – No need for textbooks in project-based learning
Klambrino: @ShellTerrell Great post. Our school does not have any textbooks. It’s all hands-on
learning and I love it!
Klambrino: @ShellTerrell no textbooks, no report cards (portolios instead) and 30 min P/T
conferences each quarter, guest speakers and feld trips!
ShellTerrell: @klambrino That’s amazing! Do you have to worry about standardized testng at all?
Klambrino: @ShellTerrell yep, we have to follow the testng guidelines just like any other school.
100% of kids are either advanced or profcient
Rather than focusing on why it can’t be accomplished, shouldn’t we be seeking ways it can be
accomplished?
Challenge:
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