What are the ingredients to deep, rich learning?
How can we lead students through a large number of learning/teaching endeavors during their early years so that we build confidence, skill, knowledge, and passion?
What projects, resources, pedagogy, and environments matter in this regard?
If we audit our schools, what would we keep, what would we discard, and what would we revise?
What do our students think about this? What matters to them in this age of ready information and resources, but possibly less time for depth and relationship?
What cultures do we want to build in our schools, classrooms, and greater community, and how do those cultures affect student learning for the world of their future, not ours?
How do our structures support meaningful culture and community building? Whose voices are heard? What process sets the stage for this architecture?
What is the long range vision? What do we hope and dream for our young students? How do we make that happen? Do we share similar vision and mission?
In many ways, I think of the school day as a play--the intersection of multiple people, activities, and goals to best inspire, inform, and engage students as they build their repertoire of knowledge, skill, concept, confidence, and affect to develop themselves, their communities, and their world.
I think about my young learners. I think about what they like, what they need, and where they want to go. I blend that with the standards, structure, time, and available resources to craft a day that appeals to them and achieves the multiple goals set forth. I work with my team to do this well, and I don't always achieve the vision that leads me--it's a continual process. Every teacher knows that.
How do you choreograph your day, week, year? Who and what impacts that choreography? When is the choreography just right, and when does it fail?
There are many, many questions that arise when one thinks of choreographing a school day for best learning for all children. Questions that are important to consider as you travel this teaching/learning path you're on.
