The best path might be a path of diverse, dynamic teams that lead districts forward in specific areas.
The following multi-grade, diverse-discipline, student-teacher leadership teams might serve schools and systems well.
- Global Team: A team that studies and shares strategies, tools, projects and other vehicles for moving all students forward with regard to global interaction, responsibility, and knowledge.
- Project/Problem Base Learning Team (PBL): A team that looks at the relevant, meaningful ways that PBL can be embedded at all levels for student gain.
- Community Team: A team that looks at ways that schools can intersect with the local community for both student and community gain.
- Learning Design Team: A team that studies the latest research on cognition, tools, processes, and strategies that support optimal student and life-long learning.
- Environmental Team: A team that takes a close look at the system efforts towards environment-friendly learning and action. This team would also work to move the system towards earth-friendly action.
- Health/Sports Team: A team that focuses on the physical health of our learning community.
- Service Learning/Empathy: A team that looks at the social-emotional learning and service work.
How would these teams work? What would their communication to the greater learning community look and act like? How would these teams intersect with the traditional discipline focused teams? What teams would you add to the list?
I believe that the power in most reform lies in the structures that lead that reform. Old, traditional structures will make change difficult, while new structures that represent greater diversity will create potential for positive change? The single lens of one-dimension/discipline teams might possibly limit growth, while diverse, dynamic teams of multiple disciplines, grade levels, and perspectives hold the potential to elevate growth.
What new teams lead your school or system growth and change? What new teams lead change and leadership in your classrooms? How are students involved in those teams?
This might be one positive avenue towards greater relevance, meaning, and forward movement in schools today.
