Speed Dating an Idea

Written by Erin Quinn Speed Dating is a concept that came from our professor, Robert Kelly. He wrote about the process in his book, Educating for Creativity: A Global Conversation. I highly recommend this book, by the way. Speed dating isn't for romance, it's for ideas. Its purpose is to grow ideas and collaborate with others to increase the amount of ideas everyone has. Step...

Design Challenge: How might we redesign the first day of school?

by Stephanie Bartlett  Think back to your first day of school. What were some of the actions, emotions and experiences that you remember as a student? Fifty teachers met in late August with CBE Learning Services for a three-day institute on Design Thinking. Participants were given an initial design challenge of “How might we redesign the first day of school?” The dominant themes that emerged...

Project Engage: Living our LIves for a Sustainable Future Starts Right Here in our Community

By Stephanie Bartlett When five year olds become social activists, what are the skills they need? How can they turn a passion or curiosity into a positive action that can influence society? My students’ most recent interest is climate change. Rather than be overwhelmed by the magnitude of this task, we are working to redefine the notion of community. This work starts with compassion. We live meaningfully...

Project Engage: The Story of How Kindergarten Students Are Creating Change

by Stephanie Bartlett Kindergarten students are powerful, yet unlikely activists. As their teachers, we are teaching them the skills that will cause our community to wake up and take notice. With their enthusiasm, children may be the right ones to give us the nudge necessary to shift societal values. Our students are leading our school in serious learning work set up establish deeper relationships...

If You're Lucky

If you’re lucky, you’ll be one good example. – Wendell Berry  Darlene St. Georges, Branch II, 2011 We must tell the stories. We must tell an account of ourselves, tell what needs to be heard. There is so much noise in education. “Mrs. Nelson, please call the office.”  “Guaranteed to improve math levels by one full grade level in one year or your money back.”  “You must...

Lessons in the Field...of Sustainability

by Stephanie Bartlett We are creating. We are prototyping. We are learning. We are teaching. One spark builds upon the other as we take direction from our students.  The mission of the Chinook Park School Sustainability Project is to increase environmental sustainability and stewardship within the community through authentic task design. What does that look like? The work is two-fold. We...

Life Writing: Making Sense of My Teaching Practice

By Stephanie Bartlett I very much believe in connections... keeping my eyes open for possibilities leads to an enjoyment of both the micro and the macro moments of gratitude and realization, both in my personal and professional life. These quotes jumped off the page at me in Wanda Hurren’s essay Kissing Lessons: Currere: to run the course...the method of currere is a strategy devised to disclose...