IF YOU RECEIVE THIS POST VIA EMAIL YOU WILL LIKELY HAVE TO GO TO THE SITE TO VIEW THE VIDEOS EMBEDDED BELOW.
Sometimes I feel like we are the only district or province talking about school system design, and it can be a lonely conversation. After all, why change? We already have an extremely successful system. Every now and then, however, the topic is front and centre as was the case following the release of B.C.’s Education Plan last week.
In addition, I have the opportunity from time to time to participate in projects which remind me that discussions about how to move our education system forward are taking places in all corners of the country, albeit often quietly. The following five-minute video, Learning to Change, Changing to Learn: A Canadian Perspective (recently released by the Pearson Foundation) in which I — along with my BC colleagues, Mike McKay of Surrey and Steve Cardwell of Vancouver, and colleagues from across the country — was asked to
share our thoughts about the changes that need to take place. In seeing the video, I realize that we are saying some very similar things right across the country.
Nor are Canadians the only ones asking questions. The video was modelled after one created by an international group of educators who offered their reflections on education:
Stephen Hempel’s statement at the end of that presentation is one that really sticks with me. “It’s the death of education and the dawn of learning,” he stated, “which makes me very
happy.”
These are exciting times to be part of this profession.
cultureofyes.ca 
Chris
Thank you for sharing this post with us. As I watched it, I found myself agreeing with many comments being made by the speakers. However, one part, a major part, bothers me, and should bother many folks in public education: the Pearson Foundation’s sponsorship / promotion of the video.
The Pearson Foundation is a multi-billion dollar corporation that, I’m worried, has less concern for the children of local school districts and more for its shareholders (as corporations must to survive). Pearson has signed huge contracts with US districts to create high stakes test and, as its corporate literature argues, ‘bad’ teachers are the main reason why students do not have success on these tests. Pearson, as a multi-billion corp, does not benefit from recognizing the complexities of a student’s high or low test scores. If Pearson can blame the teacher, then societial inequalities, politics, etc can be ignored.
Further, Pearson is a fundamental partner in the Florida Virtual School program which places students (typically those from the lowest income bracket) in front of a computer screeen, not in front of a living, breathing member of that child’s local community. Pearson benefits greatly from increased tech use, of course; it is still uncertain if students do (as recent New York Times/ Waldorf articles argue)
So, am I concerned that Pearson seems to be a major player in the 21st Century plan? As a father of two young children, I am quite worried about the changes.
I want the future to belong to our children, not to Pearson’s shareholders. I hope that policy makers will recognize the need to proceed with caution. Our public and, I’d argue, the indendent school system are clearly being targeted.
Thank you for letting people comment on this site.
Thanks for taking the time to respond to the blog, and also for raising an important issue – that of corporate involvement. It is one that I see raised in a number of circles, and one I reflect on, particularly after reading Joel Bakan’s book Childhood Under Siege (blog post here: https://cultureofyes.ca/2011/09/15/childhood-under-siege/). This book exposed the increased influence corporations are having on young people – and why we should care about this.
That said, I also want to share my personal experience that I have found it very helpful to have people from business in my learning network. I am lucky to have a diverse group who influence me – from teachers, to parents, to students, to those in the private school system, to those in the corporate world. My experiences with large companies like Apple, Pearson or Discovery, or small businesses in our community is that they are often very helpful at sharing what they are seeing outside of education, connecting practices in many jurisdictions, and helping push my thinking.
I am more optimistic about the future of our system in BC, and do believe it is an exciting time to be involved with education. I know my own kids are having an outstanding experience in the public system right now.
Thanks for adding your voice to this conversation.
Thank you for the response, Chris. I suppose I’m just struggling to figure out why BC is risking ‘messiness’ when our system is recognized world-wide as top notch. The US reformers are, in fact, using Canada, and its teachers, as a benchmark http://www.eduwonk.com/2011/10/lifting-student-achievement-by-weeding-out-harmful-teachers.html
Why is this essential point not being acknowledged by BC reformers? We should be proud of all the stakeholders in our system. Granted, there is not always–rarely– agreement, but that, I’d argue, keeps us strong. We want a ‘team of rivals’, so to speak, not an echo chamber. We want our students, our future leaders, to challenge groupthink. If everyone agrees, I personally worry that something must be wrong.
Further, why would reform, if sincere, be undertaken during a time of contract negotiations with BC’s teachers? How can anything but push-back be expected? Teachers, and any other group, would naturally reject anything presented by the government during tense contract negotiations. Why not present the education plan when tempers / rhetoric has cooled (at least a bit)? Don’t forget the BC College of Teachers has also been dismantled this week– another reason why teachers would be unreceptive to more change.
To be honest, Chris, I speak foremost as a parent of young children (twin girls!) who are just starting their schooling. I’m trusting public leaders to protect our great BC public eucation system from ‘friendly’ corporations–my step-father was a CEO of a pharmaceutical company, so I know how that works.
I don’t want this to be the future of BC’s education system:
http://www.pearsoned.com/pearson-and-florida-virtual-school-announce-agreement/#.TrDWnip5mSM
Again, thanks for providing a forum.
I appreciate the many diverse voices….let’s keep it that way.
Take care,
Tjames
–Could you explain why now? Why do you think the government implemented the changes now during such high tempers and stress? I’m not naive, so I have my own ideas why, but maybe I am missing something. Thanks
I am not sure of the why of timing, but know that although there was a “launch” last week, the conversations have been percolating for a number of years.
I agree with your point around the need to continue to emphasize the strength of our system – it is something I am always conscious to do when I speak about potential changes. We are starting from a position of great strength – as measured by a variety of International measures. BC has one of the highest performing systems in the world. Like Finland, and others in this group, it is important a good system is always looking at where it needs to go next.
My reference to “messiness” in part speaks to a post-standardized world. We can’t use the same measures as we always have used, and not all students can be measured using one set our assessments – it may be more challenging to say how well we are doing as we look to personalize learning.
Thanks for the discussion.
Chris,
I am surprised by this statement at the beginning of your blog:
“Sometimes I feel like we are the only district or province talking about school system design, and it can be a lonely conversation.”
Really? I am surprised you feel that.
I think that if you are looking around the world you will see that statement is not even close to being true. I really believe that if you (not you, but anyone) are looking to move any school or district forward, people would be looking at what other districts in the province, country, or world are doing. It is good that you acknowledge that is happening around the world, but I am surprised that you share that conclusion from watching the video as educators have been openly sharing for a considerable amount of time via social networking.
I am watching many BC educators connect and learn openly with educators all around the world (along with other provinces), and take some of those ideas to create better learning opportunities from schools, while others are learning from things that are happening in BC schools. On the other side, there are many educators that are learning from other schools in BC and the innovative reforms that are happening around that province. I am wondering if it wasn’t for the BC Ed Plan video (that you tweeted was similar to the New Brunswick video released a year earlier) if people would have even been talking about their new education plan? Great marketing but it obviously has to be backed up with system realignment if we want to get to the “learning” that Stephen Heppell is talking about.
Won’t disagree with your comments George, but I also find that it can be discouraging, the conversations beyond those who are reading and writing about it all the time. I have been to a number of places this fall, and think they haven’t had the “conversation” yet. I can recall a defining moment about seven years ago in Coquitlam, when Alan November came and spoke – and it was like the districts suddenly opened the conversation, – it embraced the ideas of Friedman and decided it was time to get on with it. I have felt similar conversations in West Vancouver – but at times, other ones where I have felt it might just be easier, if we repeated last year. Of course, I am then completely inspired by you and others who share ideas of Twitter, write on this and other blogs, and realize the movement is taking off.
I am hoping the timing in BC works – the conversations, without any formal leadership have been booming for a couple years, and now there is some central momentum. The next 18-24 months are going to be exciting times to be involved with education in BC.
That is great to here…I know these conversations are extremely important to make commonplace within our own division. Talking around in circles isn’t going to help; it is when the conversations lead to action which will make the biggest difference.
Thanks for your leadership in this area…Keep pushing 🙂
Always great to connect George – and appreciate your encouragement as we move all our systems forward. It will be great to see what happens in BC over the next two years.
I had the pleasure of participating in an iNet conference in Australia 5 years ago in which Young Zhao was the keynote speaker. It was a fantastic conference. Australia was grappling with these very same issues, we are back this year for 5 months and these ideas are still being sorted.
Now that we are travelling my eldest had returned to her love of reading, writing and learning…evidence of the death of her education and the full on re-emergence for her love of learning.
Thanks Sarah – an interesting perspective – and I think we need to be clear that this shift is not really an “implementation plan” with a clear start and end . . . but a more fundamental change.
No I am hoping that it is going to get really messy balanced with some clear leadership provincally (ministry, districts and parents) to move the system. We have been stuck in the consumption and testing of content, assessment practices that are not evidence based among many other challenges. Unless we get this right we will see students/parents do what they have done in Australia pick up and move to the private system to seek the type of learning experience that they want. We need an education system that is responsive enough to allow all kids (mine too) to maintain the passion they had for learning when they arrived in Kindergarten. Why change…if we don’t I believe that we will see a significant shift in the percentage of the population attending public education. Many learners know what type of learning experiences they want increasingly they are prepared to make it happen.
An interesting factor in West Vancouver, that I hadn’t seen in Coquitlam, is the strength of the private schools forces the public system to be more nimble. I think our practices, pedagogy and programs are very responsive to needs in West Vancouver – in part because if we aren’t the kids will stop coming. We have seen an increase in market-share of K students in our community choosing public education, and we know that in part, at least, it is because of what we have done to evolve and tell our story.
Chris,
I get what you’re saying about the ‘lonely conversation’. In the not too distant past I felt like the only people I was having the conversation with were people I had connected with through social media – not the people in my own building. But I think this video has in a sense nailed it. That conversation is being had all the time now between staff in all the buildings I enter. It’s easy to engage in lively and insightful dialogue about the next steps in education (or if we should even be taking a particular one).
Glad to see so many thoughtful Canadian educational leaders sharing their thoughts.
Thanks Joe for the comment – and glad to hear the conversations are getting to be a little less lonely. I appreciate how public (and respectful) people are being in a good debate of ideas on where we need to go with our system. Looking forward to connecting with you more as we move forward.
It was refreshing to see administrators past and present from across the country who understand that networked intelligence is perhaps the most significant reality we need to embrace in education today. Contrast this with so much of focus on only individual achievement as learning. When we move from a focus on individual tests as our measure for accountability, perhaps educators and a flock of supervisory staff will be more willing to join the voices highlighted in the Pearson video.
Thanks Rodd. I also need to apologize, you should have been cited, as it was on your blog I first saw the original video: http://thecleversheep.blogspot.com/2010/01/death-of-education-dawn-of-learning.html
Hope you are seeing the same energy in Ontario we are seeing in BC.
[…] and a leader in the educational transformation, wrote a great post on his blog. Titled, “Not Just Here,” it reminds us that even though the route to change may be lonely, and at times can feel […]
Chris,
Thank you so much for sharing and for the leadership you’ve shown on this real pressing shift in education.
I know how you feel. It is definitely a lonely conversation at the school, district, and even provincial level. But we’ve come so far. Five years ago when I nearly dropped out of high school, I first learnt about different models of education through research about initiatives in the States, New Zealand, Finland, England, and beyond. Five years ago, nobody here was talking about disengagement and the real macro changes that were being exerted on our status quo system.
Therefore, I was astonished at the beginning of this year to find your blog and learn that this conversation had finally come home. So yes, progress may seem slow at times, but it is happening every single day, and the work you’ve done to open up that dialogue is essential to making change.
I am fortunate to be able to actively champion these changes at the trustee level here in Surrey as we speak through the municipal elections. The message seems to be resonating with many, even though they haven’t necessarily thought about it before. I think these conversations will expand exponentially and real change is not far off.
Were it not for your willingness to begin this dialogue, a decision that truly does take much courage, I would likely not even have put my hat in the race, let alone dare to talk about some, at times, scary changes for those who resist change. Thank you Chris.
Thanks Paul for the comment, and being part of my network. It is exciting how much conversation there is right now about improving student engagement.
Let’s hope real change is coming soon – I love how public people are discussing possibilities for our great public school system.
Excellent post and videos Chris. My favourite lines from video #1 are:
1. It’s going to take courageous leadership
Somewhere, a school in BC needs to take a leap into a different way of doing things. They need to be supported when they fail, and feel that it is OK to fail forward. Then someone else needs to leap.
2. Change one classroom and change the world.
I have always felt that the best way to improve other teachers is to be excellent in my own practice and promote it to anyone who will listen. We need to start somewhere.
Thanks Kyle – I also like the notion of courageous leadership. I think we are seeing it in pockets right now, the challenge is how do we take this and systemize it – bringing the best to all students, in all schools throughout BC.
Hi Chris,
I think it’s a question of geography. Away from this space, system re-design can be a lonely conversation. School level conversations on a whole are pretty safe as we dance around the edges weary of causing offence or provoking a negative response. Unfortunately all of this serves the status quo.
Slowly, the dialogue is growing and your contributions have been important to move it ahead. Thanks.
Thanks Terry. It is introducing for us in West Vancouver to learn from the work you are part of in Delta and your visioning process. It is great that we have this networked leadership.
Hi Chris, today I posted my first blog, Three Gifts, at http//www.postdewey.ca. I think it is highly relevant to your post and some of the discussion it engendered.
In addition, I think Geoffrey Moore’s “Crossing the Chasm” provides an important insight into the properties of the change curve. The social media conversation about 21st Century Learning is almost exclusively happening amongst the early adopters (about 7-10% of the population). That means that a large part of the population (90%) has not yet accepted or agreed with the conversation. I think that can make the conversation feel very isolated when outside of the early majority.