The Coalition of Lighthouse Schools

These are just some ideas…

I love to think different

Its all about perspective - (The Phantom Tollbooth - example)

Perspective - a time of wonder, awe amazement, surprise and exploration. Connecting new experiences that create our understanding.

When we stopped growing physically did we stop also growing in our experiences.

Talking about great-grandparents, etc. - went back to hometown Pritchard, AL, was not ready for the amount of change that has taken place since childhood. Devastation. Pop. has been in decline for 40+ years… What happened?

Asia - steel import is cheaper, advances in technology & chemistry.

More children in China than people in America

Asia has more honor students than we have people

completecase.com - $50.00 online
Stanford has entire degree program online

Ubiquitous computing and pervasive connectivity - Thomas Friedman

Will these concepts drive international economies into a “Pritchard, AL”?

The new bad word… ROUTINE

Anything that is routine can be automated. Don’t want our student to prepare for careers that will become routines that get automated and outsourced.

Bob Metcalfe - inventor of Ethernet - world needs to substitute comm. for transportation.

Online video will replace face to face

Daniel H. Pink - author - schools are focused on preparing students for a workplace that doesn’t exist today and wont when they enter the work force
1/3 of americas workforce works as independent contractors. But we keep training people in the Industrial model.

School 1.0 - emphasis on routines and rituals, right answers - its not enough.

John Dewey - direct experience, engaged in authentic tasks, social process…

The Big Question for Every Teacher: Who owns the learning?

The future is already here: it’s just not evenly distributed. - William Gibbson

Our students world is a very collaborative, social experience.

The # of text messages that are sent each day is greater than the pop. of the earth.

Amount of new tech info doubles every 2 yrs.

What does it all mean?

The way we work, play comm. build and maintain rel. travel, entertain ourselves, conduct business, etc. has been utterly changed by technology.

But school is pretty much the same.

This is a message of new beginnings, transformation…

School 2.0

• Engaged learner
• self-directed learning
• project-driven instruction
• Independent problem-solver
• empowered by technology innovation
• collaborative learning community
• relvant

Its about connectedness, contribution…

Global distribution

Adds tons of validation that your work has a global reach. Authentic assessment. Children take ownership in a whole new way.

The concept of childhood has not been around very long. In the past children had to make meaningful contribution to the family to keep the family going.
Children’s contribution is ignored/not valued very much.

When does meaningfulness start?

We act like its always off in tomorrow. Meaningfulness is about this moment.

What do you (11, 12, 13) have to say that is so important that everyone on the planet needs to hear it?

What is on their minds? (projects for Marbury film festival)

• Human embryonic stem cell research
• commercialization of our drinking water
• children’s slave labor on the ivory coast
• caring for our mentally handicapped
• captivity of elephants
• Horor of child abuse
• Religious intolerance
• Immigration in the US

Children want project driven experiences.

They have the untapped capacity to make the world a better place.