Architecture of Ideas

Nanjing, Chinese Education, and More Touring

On Tuesday evening after our tour in Yangzhou we departed for Nanjing, a city of about 5 million people and capital of the Jiangsu province.  We spent two evenings in Nanjing, with Wednesday (June 15th) dedicated to another school signing, a visit to the Ameson Nanjing office, and cultural tour of the city. Our hotel was located at the edge of the Confuscious Temple area, meaning the area was rather crowded with locals and tourists and vendors much like the temple area we visited in Shanghai. One evening we toured the area with our translator who helped us negoitate "bargains" on items such as pearls, hand-painted fans, scrolls, and inexpensive jade. I was curious about the temple, but it did not seem appropriate for us to enter. In particular, I wondered about the women who were brought to the very entrance on rickshaws, seeming to be celebrating some occasion together.

 

It was also this point in the trip that some of us were growing weary of Chinese food. Tom succumbed to temptation and relished each bite--not hard to do with a KFC, McDonalds or Pizza Hut on every corner.

I did not attend the school signing ceremony on Wednesday with the rest of the delegation. For some reason, I was escorted separately by taxi to the Ameson offices to meet with the program's educational director, Mr. Wang. Mr. Wang and I spoke at the very first school signing in Shanghai about China's interest in 21st century learning and more emphasis on critical-thinking, problem-solving, and project-based learning. In our discussions this morning we were joined by three "deputies" who are working with Mr. Wang to develop the AP program and the newly hired American (who has been living in China) who will help with teacher professional development.  It was a fascinating dialogue, with Mr. Wang exhibiting an understanding of progressive pedagogy and fluent English. His passion for learning and desire to change the system was infectious.

Some key remarks by Wang on the way the current system of education (outside the Ameson program) works:

(1) Students are going to school for their parents. "We need to do a lot more to stimulate our students (interest in learning)."

(2) Education is "mass-produced" in China." "We cannot afford a proper education for individual development." Noted that humanities have been really neglected with an emphasis on industry and science.

(3) Everything is based on test scores. All students are ranked based on the scores, and the Chinese understanding of "fairness" is that fairness equates to selecting students according to those rankings alone.

(4) Chinese parents want a university education for their students. 30 years ago only 30% went to university. Now the governement is targeting 60% to higher ed and 40% to some kind of vocational school.

(5) The Ameson program goal is first and foremost the teaching of English. Goal is to increase the English speaking and overall communication skills of Chinese students, not just scoring well on TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). And, with the teaching of English, Wang noted that language is a carrier or culture, thus improving Chinese students' ability to understand the American way and successfully matriculate to universities there.

During our 2 hour visit, we examined how students in our schools might interact both synchronously and asynchronously, and what tools could be used to support those learning experiences. We checked to see what web-based platforms were currently blocked, and we were excited to see that Elluminate (now Blackboard Collaborate) was open. We were also able to access the wiki sites where Lovett houses its curriculum and where  students collaboratively research.  We have made tentative plans to begin a joint project with a select, small group of students at Lovett and Yangzhou to explore an issue/problem of mutual interest and work towards a joint research presentation and call to action.

After a lunch with Lica Zhang, chief operating officer and the wife of Ameson's director, we traveled into a nearby wooded forest/low-level mountain area to visit the mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-zen who is considered the father of modern China. Although the mausoleum itself was closed for restoration, the drive and the walk up the mountain were spectacular.

To end the afternoon we took a quick tour of the Nanjing Museum. (It is said to be one of the largest in China, though in fact it seemed quite small.) The exhibits were breathtaking with treasures from ancient China, many of which were unearthed locally. Unfortunately the museum was closing for the day, so we got a quick glance and a couple of snapshots (including Scott hamming it up).

This day marked the end of our formal touring and school signing with Ameson. The next day, Thursday, was a travel day and our delegation flew on a Chinese airline from Nanjing to Shenzen- another massive city located on mainland China but 30 minutes from Hong Kong. It was here that Ameson had arranged for us to participate in the "First Nanshan International Dialogue." Ameson was a sponsor of this event organized by the Nanshan District, an area we were to discover is one of the country's most open zones for technology, business, and educational innovation.

Yangzhou: Our School and the Beautiful "Slender West Lake"

After a restful evening at the hotel (we typically arrive at the hotels around 5:30, change clothes and meet in the lobby at 6/6:15 to spend the evening as a delegation, comparing notes and reflecting on our days), we packed up yet again before heading over to Yangzhou High School. This school is the one being assigned to Lovett, which means we will work with their administration on the Chinese American High School curriculum currently being developed here. We are greeted by Amelia, Xiu ZongYong, who is their international exchange director. Amelia is a name she chose for herself (most Chinese pick an American first name), and she has been teaching for years. Her husband is a professor in the university here, and her daughter is an 8th grader with the highest marks on the high school entrance exams in the district. (Note: Amelia said that although her daughter could attend Yangzhou High School, they could not afford the private tuition for the American High School program. They are considering sending her to boarding school in Singapore, and her daughter will apply for the many scholarships offered to Chinese students to study there.)

The campus is very large, feeling like a university campus rather than a high school campus. There is a large open courtyard with trees and walkways that connect a number of tall classroom buildings and an adjacent administration building and outdoor track/athletic facility. We went first to the board room for a signing (this time set up with the signers and Chinese on one side, and my colleagues on the other). I was very pleased to meet the principal, who is a master teacher of mathematics and, although he does not speak English, very warm in his gestures and thoughtful in his remarks. The school is the #1 school in the district (they all seem to be, and this often makes us wonder what measures they use and what they mean by district), and has had significant achievement in math and science. The school website indicates they are also very committed to physical education, something you do not see in all the Chinese high schools.

After the signing, the principal gave us a tour accompanied by Amelia, the assistant principal, and and an English teacher who could help translate. (Note: Amelia's English is excellent, and I am very excited about working closely with her.) We were able to sit in on two American High School classes (quite noticeable in that these classes have only 25 versus the standard 50 students in a typical Chinese classroom). The first was a physics class followed by an ESL course. Both seemed to be very didactic, although both teachers were using video to engage the students and engage in some interactive dialog (guided/supported by a lesson plan from the video). Although the teachers could move back and forth from Chinese to English, the classes were being taught in English for the most part with a heavy emphasis on developing vocabulary.

 

Amelia and the assistant principal hosted us for another celebratory lunch within walking distance of the school. Often these lunches are held in special rooms within the restaurant, much like mini-banquet rooms. As we walked down the street I noticed students who appeared to be from the high school. Amelia said that their school allowed students to have lunch off-campus. She said many actually went home for lunch, which is possible because of the student schedule. Schools in China have an 8-11:30 morning class schedule, followed by a two+ hour lunch break. They return to begin classes again at 2 and conclude the formal class time around 6. From 6-8 or 8:30, students stay on campus for study sessions. These are overseen by teachers from each subject area. It sounds like it is mostly a homework time with the opportunity for additional help from the teachers. Amelia said students will likely spend another couple of hours (or more) when they return home. She said it is a long day for everyone, and she acknowledges that there is not enough time for sleep and relaxation. However, much like all the people we spoke with this week, she said the Chinese must work hard in order to gain a better quality of life for themselves...and they do not complain about it.

Amelia accompanied us for our afternoon cultural tour which I found to be a highlight of the trip to China. Just north west of Yangzhou City is beautiful scenic water garden dating back to the 600's. Expanded during the Qing dynasty, Slender West Lake is a long, narrow "river" with willow trees, fruit trees, beautiful foliage, bonsai, and signature bridges and structures such as the Five Pavilion Bridge. We walked the length of the lake/river that is contained in the park area, and it was truly breaktaking. We had a young tour guide, who spoke impeccable English and is heading off to Cornell as a freshman in the fall. It was a great opportunity to get to know Amelia, as a parent as well as administrator and I am very excited about our school partnership which we will begin working on in earnest when I return.

Suzhou: The "Garden" School

On Tuesday morning we were up early to check out of our hotel. This is going to be one of the challenges of this first trip to China. The schedule has us visiting 5 cities and four schools; signing with 5 different schools; meeting the Ameson team in the Nanjing office; and attending a two day international conference in the Nanshan Education District (where some of us will also be presenting). We are constantly "moving" and some nights in the hotel/city just for the evening.

Before checkout, Jeff Mitchell of Tuscaloosa Academy and I headed out onto the city streets for a morning run. We've been successful to date with having good workout facilities, and so venturing onto the busy streets has not been necessary. No such luck today, so we decided to give it running outside try. Much like any busy downtown area, the running on sidewalks has its limitations and certainly crossing the streets can break your pace. Our experience today was made more challenging by the busy intersections (bikes and cars and nearly no rhyme or reason of who can make what move when!) and the sight of two foreigners (one who is probably 6'4") running was a real curiosity for them. We were just glad to survive the crossings while marveling at the people sitting at small stalls for breakfast of hard-boiled egges or dumplings before work and a group of retail workers gathered in front of the store reciting some kind of company mission.

Our morning was dedicated to visiting a local school, one that Jackson Academy will be working with and accessible via a short walk from the hotel. The walk was about 1/4 mile and took us down the main street, turning off into a side street running between some lower rise apartment buildings. It was hard to believe a beautiful school was at the end of this short walk as the street/walkway was unimpressive and the smell coming from the "stream" running alongside it indicated raw sewage. Fortunately we quickly arrived at what we learned was only one of three entrances to the school. Peering into the gates it looked like we were entering a small college campus with handsome buildings surrounding a lush, garden with towering trees.

We were greeted by English teachers who walked us through the garden (and would later take us on a tour), and then up to the school's board room. This building in particular is lovely, with what looks like cherry wood moldings and railings, and a view looking out on the garden and koi pond.
Much like the other ceremonies we are around a very large table, this time arranged such that we are all on one side and the Chinese are on the other.  We were joined by Jeff Wang from the Ameson offices, a great young man with whom I have been exchanging emails in advance of a Lovett student coming over in July, and Mr. Liu, an Ameson executive. The principal arrived late, having been detained by a presentation to another independent school (from California) and its student/teacher delegation. (We did not get to see them as their schedule had them in classes on another part of campus.) Once again, the formal signing included brief introductions to each school and pronouncements of support for the cooperation. This school in particular has a history of international exchanges with schools worldwide, and their student accomplishments are also impressive.

In what has become a daily routine, we are taken after the signing to a local restaurant for a celebratory lunch. We are usually taken to a reserved room with a large round table with a "lazy susan" in the middle. Dishes to share are placed on the lazy susan in stages, coming sometimes two or three at a time, and other times one at a time. Nothing is removed until it is finished. As we have two vegetarians in our group, we have a combination of meats, seafood, and tofu-all prepared in ways that do not resemble what we Americans think of as Chinese. We'll have duck (sometimes slow-cooked, sometimes just the skin basted with a sweet sauce and fried); slivers of beef with broccoli rabe or green beans in a barbecue-like sauce; a whole steamed fish; shrimp with hot peppers (which are unpeeled and you have to suck out the shrimp much like eating crawfish); scallops; tofu and noodles, tofu soup; hot pot soup (like hot and sour soup but often with a whole boiled eggs and sometimes mysterious objects); a bowl of eel (looks like a bowl of worms and apparently tastes like it looks); and often watermelon for dessert. Beverages typically include water (though sometimes unbottled which we cannot drink); cokes; or, Chinese beer. The later, TsingTao being one example, is similar to a very, very light beer in the United States and has relatively low alcohol content.

After lunch we had a little time to wander the main street (other than a candy shop we did not find anything of much interest), we piled into our van to drive a couple hours over to Yangzhou to spend the night and where I will sign with a school tomorrow. The drive was not particularly scenic, although as we got close to Yangzhou we crossed over a section of the Yangtze River. Tankers and other boats could barely be identified in the pollution haze, but one would imagine this is a beautiful area on a day when the conditions are better. The pollution, combined with the rain and fog of the "rainy season" seems to be following us on our trip. (Even the photos I tried to take crossing the river would not show anything but "fog.")

 

The "Reality" of China and Suzhou Tour

On Sunday we met in the lobby at 9 a.m. with another day planned for "touring." We were met by Mandy, an Ameson representative who basically serves as an advisor/college counselor for the American High School students at Ghezhou. The plan was to head to Tongli, an ancient "watertown" about an hour and half away, and en route to our next city (and school signing) in Suzhou. We never made it to Tongli, and I share the link to the post I wrote that day for the 3six5 blog. (Note: I applied to write for 3six5 earlier this year, and it just so happened that I was assigned this day.)

3six5: June 12, 2011

And, some additional photos from the excursion:

This next picture is from one of our iPhones. The bus driver was using old maps, and Mark was having a little fun seeing what Google might do for us...;-)

We gave up on making it to Tongli, and headed on to Suzhou to check in at the hotel and get a late lunch. Suzhou is still in the Jiangsu Province, but it is a "destination spot" known for its Japanese gardens. We toured one of those gardens after lunch. It was quite similar in style to the garden in Shanghai, and Mandy said many of these gardens were at one time private gardens. Also she said it is very common for wealthy families in Suzhou to have such gardens incorporated into their own homes.

 Although Suzhou is still a large city by American standards (nearly 6 million people), the overall feel is much different than Shanghai. It seems more relaxed, and the streets are filled with many more bicylcles and mopeds than cars and buses. However, moreso than Shanghai, this traveling delegation of 9w hite Americans (one female and 8 men) got more than its fair share of "stares." In fact, I think they found Jeff Mitchell and me running at 7 in the morning past street vendors and across the crazy intersections quite perplexing!  (Note: We have yet to see anyone out running, and the exercise rooms at the hotels are filled with foreign travelers, rarely anyone Chinese.)

One final photo from the day shows one of the real treats of our trip. The food here, although very well prepared and really quite good, gets a little tiresome after awhile. There are only so many times you can have a bowl full of eel (looks like worms), hot pots with unknown stewed objects, and seaweed. (OK, we've had beef, duck, pork, and broccoli too...) Today's treat was somewhat akin to "kettlecorn," and seemed to be something like fried corn dipped in sugar. It definitely drew rave reviews from our crowd:

"Cultural Tour" in Shanghai

After the long day on Friday, we looked forward to a weekend of "cultural tours" in Shanghai and Suzhou. Before heading back to the hotel on Friday night, one of the teachers escorting us at school ("Jane") took us over to the Shanghai Bund and the Huangpu River. This area was formerly home to British and Russian consultates, and Western trading houses and banks. The architecutre is very European, and when it is lighted at night, a quite spectacular sight.

The wide lanes for traffic and the pedestrian walkway along the embankment (built by the Chinese after destruction by typhoons) make it a lovely and popular evening stroll alongside the river.

Across the river another kind of "specatacular" cannot be missed. This area is called Pudong, and it is a testament to China's rapid economic development. The Oriental Pearl Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center are the tallest buildings in what is now Shanghai's commercial and financial hub.

On Saturday morning, we were greeted by two guides for the day, Jane and Jessica. We met both women the day before at the school; they are teachers in the Ameson American High School program. They are both in their 20s and from China, but they have  studied and/or lived abroad. Their English was very good, and their personalities simply delightful. We could not have asked for better guides!

Our schedule today was to head over to  ChengHuangMiao, or Shangahi City Temple, for some sight-seeing and shopping. This is an expansive area and big tourist attraction with souvenir shops lining the endless corridors accompanied by tea gardens, Starbucks (and KFC), and the famous NanXiang Steamed Buns. Steamed buns are dumpling pockets filled with pork, vegetables, or beef. The line for the steamed buns was like that of a Disney World theme park ride. In spite of its appeal we were not willing to spend the day in line to sample them.

Everyone wanted to do a little shopping (we do not have shopping time or much free time in the itinerary presented to us), so we split up and spent the next couple of hours on our own. I wandered the corridors for awhile, but I do not love that kind of shopping and was thrilled when I stumbled upon a Japanese garden. It was admission-only, so I paid 40 RMB (about $8 in the Chinese currency, the Yuan) and entered. This garden, the Yuyuan Garden, was built in the 1500s as a private garden by a son to honor his father (a high ranking official in the Ming Dynasty). It is  considered one of the finest in China and has all the traditional elements including rock formations, pagodas, tea houses, a variety of plantings, and a koi pond.

In spite of this being a tourist attraction, it was refreshing to see people sitting in the pagodas or tea rooms just relaxing and enjoying one another's company. For a city that seems so incredibly busy, this was a bit of a surprise.

The best part of the day was spending time with Jane and Jessica. They joined us for lunch at a local restaurant where they selected an incredible array of dishes for us to share, and later we walked together around the Bund for a "daylight" view. It was fascinating to listen to them talk about the "one child production" policy (they are both only children as has been mandated by the government); discuss working life (one of the girls is studying for her CFA in hopes of being a financial anaylst--which means an 80 hour work week should she get that job!); and hear of Jessica's upcoming marriage and the customs(and hard work!)  associated with planning, finances, and the event itself.

By late afternoon we were exhausted, and we returned to the hotel for the evening. Dinner in the hotel could not begin to compare with our great lunch, and my poor choice of drinking supposedly "filtered" water was not such a good choice. Lesson learned quickly!

After Classes: Lunch, Shopping, and First School Signing

First, an apology:  My intent was to write daily while here, and unfortunately our schedule and slow internet connections have made that impossible. So, the next few posts will hopefully provide a good catch up on what our delegation experience has been os far.

So, back to day one:

Lunch at School
After visiting classes and having a tour of the school's museum (many schools have an archives room where they show the history of the school and the accomplishments of their graduates), we had lunch in the student cafeteria. We were curious about what it was like to eat in the school's "canteen." This is a boarding school, so all the students share all their meals here. Much like in our cafeterias, you go through a line and then are seated at tables in a common room.

Below you'll see the choice I made, one of two offerred. The fruit is a mango (which was delicious and very juicy). The salad was a shredding of various green vegetables (celery, some sort of greens, and maybe some sprouts) tossed in a light vinegar base. And, then instead of meatballs I opted for something like a beef stew with a side of rice. It was all pretty good.

The only challenge we had with lunch was the lack of any beverage. We looked around us and no one had a drink with their food. I never heard an answer on why this was, and in subsequent meals we have not had that issue. Fortunately, the young teachers hosting us for the visit brought back bottled water and cokes from the vending machines down the hall.

Shopping on Nanjing Road

Although it was raining, several of us welcomed a walk after lunch to a neighboring shopping district. Since arriving we had not had an opportunity to see the city by foot, so this was a good chance to get a feel for Shanghai.

Nanshing Road, according to our young guides, is a popular shopping area with a wide plaza (for walkers, bikes, and a mini train). I could not really make sense of the shopping other than to say it was a hodge-podge of everything. At one corner you would find an upscale shop (typically an American or European boutique--often makeup, handbags, and jewelry) and then you would have a whole block of stores that seemed to be part of one building with stores wide open to each other on the interior. The clothes looked similar to those in the states, and the department stores are set up similarly to ours with multi-floors, escalators, and arrangement by type of goods and sometimes by label/brand.

The street and the stores were packed with people, some fighting over sale items, others just window-shopping with friends. Street vendors were ever-present, walking up to sell you light-up wheels to attach to your shoes or bribing you to come down the alley to see the knock-off Gucci and Prada handbags.

First School Signings

Returning to school we were a wet, sloggy group. The rain was one thing (we did have some umbrellas), but the humidity is another thing all together. All of our delegation are from the Southeast, and we agreed that the level of humidity was unlike any we had ever experienced. It just "hangs" and you begin sweating the minute you walk out the door. Schools do not have air-conditioning, except in certain spaces, so we were challenged to find a way to cool off before the afternoon signing ceremonies.  Fortunately, the room for the signing had it's own a/c system, and once we got there we went from wet, hot and humid to near freezer-like conditions before it was over.

Now that I have witnessed a signing ceremony, I have a better sense of what we've been working on for weeks. Although our document negotiations are not complete (we have verbal agreement), these ceremonies are very important to the schools and Ameson. Each school in our delegation is being partnered with one of Ameson's elite American high school programs in select schools. To acknowledge the formal commitment to work together, signing ceremonies are customary. These ceremonies are very well orchestrated by staff. Each time they've been set up in a board room with rose bouquets on the tables, and placecards for all the Americans on one side (if possible) and the Chinese on the other. The principal of the school, and headmaster and/or administrator from the American school, each give a presentation on their school (along with very kind remarks about the interest in working togther) and then move to one side of the table to sit alongside one another and sign a general agreement between the schools. It is not a legal document, as it is mostly ceremonial but signifies to the Chinese government (who must approve the partnership) that they have an agreement.

We had two signing ceremonies today, and we'll have another three in the days ahead as we move out from Shanghai to three other cities. However, today was "extra special" in that Sean Zhang, deputy chairman of Ameson, was with us and then hosted us for dinner afterwards. I'd met Sean earlier this year, and we have emailed back and forth some as well. The discussion he encouraged around the table after the signing signified to me his great passion to see our partnership raise the quality of teaching and learning in China. Clearly his focus is on improving Chinese students' ability to navigate a global world, and student/teacher exchanges and collaborations will advance that mission. I certainly see an opportunity for our students and teachers, and our community at large, to understand a part of the world and a people who will have a great impact on the future. It is mind-boggling to be here and witness the growth and energy.

 

The next two days are "off" in the sense that we will be sight-seeing (a "cultural tour") in and around Shanghai. After today's intensity, and a lot of jet lag, I know we are all looking forward to a different pace.

 

Ameson China June 2011: Off to School

After about 4 hours of sleep on the 14 hour plane ride (yeseterday) and three hours last night in our Shanghai hotel, it was time to get up for school. Our driver picked us up (we are a 9 member "delegation"), and we joined the masses on the four layer interstate. Traffic is much more intense this morning than our early evening trip from the airport last night. But, you need only look to your right and left to understand that this is a city with a population over 2x that of New York City. Everywhere you look is skyscraper after skyscraper, apartments after apartments--often filled with people hanging out the windows as I noticed this morning.

As we got closer into downtown Shanghai, the architecture got more interesting (some very futuristic-looking). Turning into the Gezhi High School, however, you enter a courtyard with architecture more reminiscent of British colonialism. (The British co-founded the school around 1876).

   

We spent the morning in four classrooms (English, Calculus, US History, and Chemistry). This high school is considered the finest in Shanghai, having received numerous recoginitions for performances on the national exam, admittances to some of the finest universities in the world, and reknowned alumni. The principal and the students are quite proud of this achievement.

Our visit is sponsored by the Ameson Educational and Cultural Exchange Foundation. This is one of 14 high schools in China with a small "elite"  American High School Program (AP+) operated by Ameson. Our delegation is here as the guest of Dr. Sean Zhang and the foundation to observe these programs and toidentify how to begin our work as consulting, educational, and cultural exchange partners. Note: The programs are small, 120 students per school, and instead of preparing for the national exam these students are preparing to attend the top universities outside of China. They are taking the traditional AP (or IB) curriculum alongside mandatory Chinese high school course, all taught either bilingually or as full immersion English.

The classroom design and teaching styles were very traditional, not to be unexpected in a country and schooling system that prides itself on individual achievement and mastery on tests. Interestingly, the students were exceptionally engaged, which I was later told is because of the high-stakes testing and great personal drive to compete for limited slots in the universities. Although the competition is a cultural reality, the attitude among the students was very congenial and I did not sense person-to-person competition. It seemed to be more a collective commitment to hard work and achieving one's own best performance. Competing against yourself.

 

 

 

I asked about the use of technology, and although it is not permitted in the classrooms, they do have computer labs and internet access. Talking with the Professor Zhang later in our afternoon "dialogue", we learned that they have access to video conferencing tools and, although what we saw in the classroom today was very traditional, Zhang is ready to take steps in partnership with us to explore project-based, collaborative learning. We set some goals to get started on that together in September.

 

We ended the morning in a young teacher's US History classroom. Y is from Tennessee, graduated from Tufts and has been teaching here for two years. She's introduced the students to language and culture in some fun, and interesting ways. When I get back to the states, and have access to YouTube, I'll share a video of her Chinese students learning some new songs...you won't want to miss Bob Marley's Buffalo Solider!

More later on the afternoon and evening tour, signing ceremony, dinner celebration, and night tour of "The Bund."

 

 

 

 

 

Masterful Learning. Failure Required. #Prototype Camp

Note: The following piece will appear this April in the Spring 2011 Issue of The Lovett School Magazine.

Design Thinking:
A rigorous process that requires failure, encourages creative thinking, and develops passionate problem-solvers.

“When I arrived at the convention center I was faced with a bright green wall with a quote by
Samuel Beckett, ‘Fail. Fail Again. Fail Better.’ At that moment I knew that I was going to fall in
love with Prototype design.” –Lovett junior Lauren Formica

In late January Lovett juniors Lauren Formica and Peter Diaz joined me for an immersive
three-day design-thinking and problem-solving experience in Columbus, Ohio. The event,
Prototype Design Camp, was held in the middle of the Ohio Educational Technology
Conference in partnership with Christian Long, consultant and educator, and his
team from Be Playful/Design Studio. Launched as the pilot for a national model, Prototype
engages hand-selected students with mentors and experts from a variety of disciplines and
careers from around the world. Students are immersed in how to creatively attack problems
using a design-thinking model that challenges them to collaboratively discover, define,
massively prototype, and deliver solutions to a jury panel-within a 2 ½ day time constraint.

Focused on the question “What is the future of learning?” and working side-by-side
with students from all over Ohio, Lauren and Peter interacted with a wide variety of
professionals, many of whom are leaders in their fields: educational thought leaders such
as Ewan McIntosh (Scotland) and Stephen Heppell (England;) professor David Staley, an
expert on “future think” at Ohio State University; Ming-Li Chai, a strategic design researcher
for Microsoft; founders of non-profits; and design mentors from across the country. Many
were able to work with the students on site, or were Skyped in to inspire student thinking
and answer questions. The value of that engagement was not lost on the students. As Peter
explains:

            "What I liked was that we were constantly surrounded by innovative thinkers
            who ponder the same kind of questions as myself. Education is something that
            is important to me and Prototype provided me with an outlet to express what I
            had been thinking about and collaborate with other students to create something
            innovative."

 

 

However, both students found that the process of identifying problems and collaboratively
constructing solutions a challenge. Lauren writes about her team’s experience:

        "My group had no trouble identifying problems, but when it came to solutions we had
        so many ideas we did not know how to get them all out and make a comprehensive
        solution to a problem. Although this was a dilemma, it was a fantastic dilemma! We
        were all teeming with ideas and solutions that made this experience incredible."

It was fascinating to observe the students each day, and then debrief and talk further about
education issues with Lauren and Peter each evening. The night before presentations
to the jury, the anxiety level was high but I could tell our students were totally invested
in a unique and powerful learning experience. They were being challenged to move
fluidly between convergent and divergent thinking,; exercise collaboration skills at a
very high level; prepare to present ideas to experts in the field; and manage to each day’s
intense “hard stop” deadlines. Not unlike the real world!

 

 

Proof of concept came on Wednesday as we watched the teams present their
final “prototypes” to the jury panel. From the development of “apps” for a Youth News
Network to an “out of the box” learning environment, we heard and saw students
demonstrate their passion for learning—learning that asks them to think deeply, self-
organize, connect to the real world, encourages failure as process, and is about “them.” It
was exciting and inspiring for everyone involved, and I was delighted to see the energy and
interest in helping students take their prototypes on to the next steps of development and
testing.

Lauren and Peter are both working with their teams to continue their idea development,
and we are examining opportunities to provide a Prototype Design Camp in Atlanta for area
schools. Also, Christian Long and his design-thinking team will be working with Lovett’s
head librarian Robyn Martin and me next fall as we launch a national “prototyping” event to
address the future of libraries.

“Coming away from the experience,” Lauren said, “I am inspired and invigorated! I came
home with ideas, solutions, and thoughts that I cannot wait to share with anyone who will
listen!”



Photos courtesy of Jeremy Slagle and Meredith Melragon

EduCon 2.3: A Shifting Experience, a Call to Participation

My annual trek to EduCon began in January 2008-the middle of my first year formally engaged in “education.” At that time, the conversation-oriented, principle-driven experience at Science Leadership Academy was just beginning, and I was captivated by its intimacy (100 people) and connectedness. It was that weekend  Twitter crystallized for me as a networking tool; I saw my personal learning evolve within a learning community; and my commitment to educational change became nonnegotiable.

Over the next two years, local colleagues joined me in Philadelphia. I loved the opportunity to share the experience, even though it was not always the Mecca for them it was for me. Some came away with nuggets, but the value really depended on the investment we each made to connect outside our group with others.  As I look back it was during this time that I grew more comfortable participating in conversations and sessions, and I came away with a greater sense of myself as part of this community. However, I was absolutely sure I would never find a strong enough voice to lead a conversation.

This year, four years “in,” my personal experience of EduCon has deepened, hopefully reflecting some personal growth but most importantly honoring a process and the people who have encouraged me. As incredibly overwhelmed as I was to take on the Encienda format (20 slides auto-advancing every 15 seconds), the experience was exhilarating and challenged me to focus deeply on something that really matters to me: constructivism and learning through the design process. I don’t know if the Encienda sessions were recorded, but I’ve posted my slides here. For those interested in following our work with digital fabrication, I hope you’ll add our blog (with resource links) to your reader.

EduCon 2.3: Why Making Stuff Matters

View more presentations from lauradeisley.

The conversation around literacy and new media literacies “Why Johnny Can’t Read: A Conversation About What It Means to be Literate... Today” with my good friend David Jakes was not only immensely satisfying but a humbling opportunity to learn from him and the many smart and seasoned voices in the room. I believe the question “what is literacy today” must be an integral and fundamental part of any conversation about how and why schools need to change. In fact, it is so important I have encouraged schools who are thinking hard about 21st century learning and 1:1 programs to engage their faculty in the question. We’ve posted our presentation and various resources that continue to inform our work on Jakes’ site here.

Why Johnny Can't Read

View more presentations from David Jakes.

A number of EduCon presenters and attendees have shared their reflections on the sessions they attended, their own presentations and the overall “feel” of EduCon this year. Although I think there were some really good sessions, and some new conversations started here and here, I believe the heart of EduCon continues to be the relationships, the SLA community, and informal conversations throughout the days and evenings. The spontaneous unconferences on a wintry Friday (school was technically closed, so students and visitors joined in some great informal sessions), the discussions of gender diversity after Sheryl’s sessions, “war table” brainstorming with school librarians, working with Jakes, pushing the envelope by presenting, and just hanging out with new and old friends are what made EduCon special this time around for me.

Looking forward to next year. And, encouraging everyone to join the conversation. I do agree that we are better together than alone.

 

In the Age of the Unthinkable: A Call to Ban Fiction?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Image credit: hanging by a thread accessed on Flickr January 6, 2010)

 Grant Wiggins must be living in a different world than me if his post for ASCD's blog "Ban Fiction From the Curriculum" is any indication. Although Wiggins has removed the post because of all the nasty comments on the piece that he now claims was satire, his primary arguments still stand:

(1) Boys don't like fiction, and therefore we need to toss most of it since the classroom favors girls.

(2) Most fiction should be shelved because it doesn't serve our "future needs."

And then there is this statement:

"No, I am not kidding. I think it is absurd that the bulk of reading making up the ELA curriculum involves fiction. There are few good reasons for retaining so much literature and many good reasons for dumping most of it."

Since when does our understanding of the 21st century call for a utilitarian approach to education? Not anywhere that I've read or seen. Quite the opposite. At what point are boys exempt from developing thier imagination and creativity--something the reading and writing of fiction powerfully exercise? Sounds pretty sexist to me. Do we need more choice? Probably. But less fiction? No way.

Certainly at Lovett we hold a liberal education, one that fosters mind, body and soul, in high value. We would never adopt a "fictionless" curriculum. And, as we work passionately to find the best means to educate our students for  the conceptual age, we strive to develop our students' creative and innovative mindsets-minds that are flexible and adaptable with an ability to see and think differently. More than ever we know that the narrative form-be it fiction or non-fiction-has an extraordinary power for deep learning and an understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

The magical wand that makes an English classroom relevant and engaging for all students (and I would argue this is true for any classroom) is the teacher. A masterful teacher may or may not have the latitude to select the texts he teaches (althoughwe offer a great deal of freedom to our teachers, and in the single-gender classrooms of our middle school more choice is evident); however, a masterful teacher can bring seemingly irrelevant texts to life with and for all of their students. Deep-reading is a challenge in a world where the text message beats the Hamlet soliloquy every time; and yet, when students have opportunities to perform, to contextualize the text to the modern day, to have choice in their demonstrations of learning, then the reading matters and their creativity and humanity are honored.

I do agree with Wiggins about the need for more non-fiction reading, of all types, in our English classrooms. In particular, I love the notion of a humanities approach and the opportunities to transform an English classroom to something that looks more interdisciplinary without the scheduling headache. Lovett's signature course, the junior year American Studies, is a true interdisciplinary model combining an English class and a History class to examine six themes across American history with the lenses of literature, art, music, etc. It's a powerful and demanding learning experience for our students.

I suppose it is for this very reason, the opportunity to look at the world through different lenses and make these connections using a variety of texts and resources, that I am particularly excited about Bennett Spann's new Senior English elective. An American Studies teacher, but with an eye towards building our students' global perspectives, Bennett will be teaching "Moments Of Crisis: An Exploration of Good and Evil, Civilization and Dystopia." He describes the course (still in formation) as follows:

In this course, students will read fiction from various cultures that are deeply rooted in tragic and often shocking realities. In addition to several short novels, students will supplement their readings with non-fiction in order to understand more fully how the fictional realities of the authors relate to their respective cultures. The goal of this course is to increase global and cultural literacy as well as to examine commonalities between seemingly disconnected countries, cultures, and ethnicities. The course will also encourage students to reflect upon the simultaneous idealism and tragedy of the human experience. Students will write interdisciplinary essays that emphasize social commentary and explore the relationship between fact and fiction. We will primarily focus on Africa, South America, China, Russia, and Italy with some excerpts illuminating other areas as well.

List of Texts:

The Life and Times of Michael K, J. M. Coetzee

Death in the Andes, Mario Vargas Llosa

The True Story of Ah Q, Cheng Ah

A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Alexander Solzhenitsy

Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Dario Fo

 

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Masterful teachers. Variety of texts and learning resources. Nimble minds. Creativity and imagination. These are the things we must foster in the 21st century. Ban fiction? Never.

(To read more excerpts from Wiggins' original post (and a thoughtful response) see Matthew's post at Online School's Education Debate as well as Angela Maiers and Chris Lehmann's blog responses.)