The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don’t Teach The New Survival Skills

Our Children Need – And What We Can Do About It-Tony Wagner

Closing the Gap: Schools that Work

Ben JohnsonIowa State UniversityAssistant Principal – Curriculum & Professional DevelopmentFort Dodge Senior High – Fort Dodge, Iowa

High Tech High• 100% of graduates accepted to college• 80% accepted to 4-year colleges• 50%+ HTH grads are 1st Generation college

students• $6,200 –per-student operating budget• Partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates

Foundation

“Bucking the System”

• No Tracking• No Advanced

Placement Courses• No Test-Prep• No Textbooks• Interdisciplinary Projects• Project-based Learning• Digital Portfolios• 10-week Internship

Common CharacteristicsTech Integration

Interdisciplinary StudiesEngaging

FUNCommunity Impact

Formative AssessmentNo High-stakes Tests

Digital PortfoliosPresentation of Learning

Group ProjectsBehaving like Professionals

Respect

Integrating Students across SESIntegrate Head and Hand

Learn in the World/Crumble the Walls

Integration of Post-Secondary Opportunities

Technology Integration in Methodology

Teaming of the TeachersSystemic Professional

DevelopmentEquality

Design Principles

1.Personalization2.Real-world Connections3.Common Intellectual Mission• Foundation rooted in

Excellent Teaching

RIGOR: in the Age of Google

• Not Memorization and Regurgitation– Discerning among the avalanche of content

• Not jus about more Complex Content– Deepening the quality of analysis

• Expert Learner– Thoughtful, Passionate, Reflective Adult– Conversation– Pursuit of Inquiry

• Hands-on Leanring

Business and School Connections

• Regional Economic Development• Soft Skills– Presentation Skills– Group Work Skills– Problem-solving Skills

Habits of Mind

• To think about significance – why is it important

• Perspective – what is the point of view• Evidence – how do you know• Connection – how does it apply• Supposition – what if it were different

Communication Skillls

• Inquiry – where do you get your information• Voice – Descriptive, persuasive• Audience – Who are you talking to, what are

you trying to convince them of• Empathize- with others and understand

another perspective

Purposeful Buzz

• Professional Atmosphere• Respectful Environment• Student Murals

Expert Learner

• “My job is to question, to prod, and provoke them to think and to come to their own conclusions – not to give them the answers.”– HTH Teacher

• Facilitator of others Learning• Individualized direction

“We judge teachers by the quality of their student’s work.”

Teacher Collaboration• Intentional and Systemic• Grow their own• Thoughtful Professional Growth and Development• Mentoring of Veteran and New Teachers• Interdisciplinary Projects – Teacher Prep• Monthly Full Day Professional Development

Project-based Learning: Soft Skills and Generalizing to Employability

• Figure things out• Thinking• Planning• Organizing• Working in a Team

Teach All students

• Laser-like focus on the results that matter• Personalizing Instruction• Advisory Organization• Student Ownership of the School

R & D: Spreading the Gospel

• Systemic Seeding of New Schools• Smaller Learning Communities• Variation among HTH School Themes• Smaller Learning Communities• Rethinking how to best prepare new

teachers for a different kind of instruction

The Met• Big Picture Company• Create Personalized Education Programs– “one student at a time”

Met’s Five Learning Goals1. Communication2. Empirical Reasoning3. Personal Qualities4. Quantitative Reasoning5. Social Reasoning

Portfolios: Performance “Standards of Excellence”

• Reading• Writing• Listening• Oral Presentation• Research• Artistic Expression• Scientific Investigation• Mathematical Problem Solving

and Communication• Systems Thinking • Technology• Wellness• Spanish

Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School

• Inquiry• Expression• Critical Thinking• Collaboration• Organization• Attentiveness• Involvement• Reflection

“Imagination is more important than knowledge – making things, innovating, creating, and building. It creates elasticity in thinking … and the ability to take responsible risks.”

–Einstein

Emerging Economies

1. Can someone overseas do it cheaper?

2. Can a computer do it faster?

3. Is what I’m offering in demand in an age of abundance?

EDUCATION should use this time to REGROUP and RESTRUCTURE

-Mark Roberti (RFID Journal)

What was Your Most Memorable Learning Experience?

• Project?• Community?• Fear of Failure/Recognition of Success?• Mentor?• Public Display of Work?

YES, WE CAN• I created something• I learned something• I got to share what I learned with the community

YES, WE MUST