Comments on: Raw Thoughts For A School Vision http://gwegner.edublogs.org/2006/09/02/raw-thoughts-for-a-school-vision/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:39:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Graham Wegner http://gwegner.edublogs.org/2006/09/02/raw-thoughts-for-a-school-vision/comment-page-1/#comment-2967 Graham Wegner Mon, 04 Sep 2006 23:11:37 +0000 http://gwegner.edublogs.org/2006/09/02/raw-thoughts-for-a-school-vision/#comment-2967 Alex, I agree - my disclaimer is that this vision statement predates me at this school. However the points you raise are really important as I develop just our ICT part in greater detail to guide our future budget - your point about students who have only experienced exponential change is an important one to grapple with. If we don't seek to address that, then we risk being more and more out of step with the "real world" and spend more and more time focussing on irrelevant skills (like how to use specific software packages) instead of relevant ones like publishing to a potential world audience. Thanks for keeping my thoughts honest. Alex, I agree – my disclaimer is that this vision statement predates me at this school. However the points you raise are really important as I develop just our ICT part in greater detail to guide our future budget – your point about students who have only experienced exponential change is an important one to grapple with. If we don’t seek to address that, then we risk being more and more out of step with the “real world” and spend more and more time focussing on irrelevant skills (like how to use specific software packages) instead of relevant ones like publishing to a potential world audience. Thanks for keeping my thoughts honest.

]]> By: Alexander Hayes http://gwegner.edublogs.org/2006/09/02/raw-thoughts-for-a-school-vision/comment-page-1/#comment-2966 Alexander Hayes Mon, 04 Sep 2006 13:01:45 +0000 http://gwegner.edublogs.org/2006/09/02/raw-thoughts-for-a-school-vision/#comment-2966 The great thing about one liners ( mission statements - mottos etc. ) is that they've usually resulted from numerous butcher paper sessions and sticky notes and overheads punctuated with finger food and instant coffee fights. What isnt so great is that they nearly always instill the negative as the aforemost - ie. they state what they will / seek avert. Instead, could we not consider a strength based statement ?...... such as; We [will] have a strong learning culture supported by [a harassment-free] an environment [and] filled with [up-to-date] technology[.] that benefits Students [will be] instilling confiden[t]ce and honouring the fact that they enjoy their learning. So often I see educators battered by years of round table moderation sessions, bitching bitterley as to how hard done by they are whilst sitting on their hands and collecting 12 weeks worth of holidays a year. It's either time to dig some more ditches or back to the blackboard. > How do we cater effectively for these students whose life has only known exponential change? The great thing about one liners ( mission statements – mottos etc. ) is that they’ve usually resulted from numerous butcher paper sessions and sticky notes and overheads punctuated with finger food and instant coffee fights.

What isnt so great is that they nearly always instill the negative as the aforemost – ie. they state what they will / seek avert.

Instead, could we not consider a strength based statement ?…… such as;

We [will] have a strong learning culture supported by [a harassment-free] an environment [and] filled with [up-to-date] technology[.] that benefits Students [will be] instilling confiden[t]ce and honouring the fact that they enjoy their learning.

So often I see educators battered by years of round table moderation sessions, bitching bitterley as to how hard done by they are whilst sitting on their hands and collecting 12 weeks worth of holidays a year.

It’s either time to dig some more ditches or back to the blackboard.

> How do we cater effectively for these students whose life has only known exponential change?

]]> By: Judy O'Connell http://gwegner.edublogs.org/2006/09/02/raw-thoughts-for-a-school-vision/comment-page-1/#comment-2965 Judy O'Connell Mon, 04 Sep 2006 11:42:43 +0000 http://gwegner.edublogs.org/2006/09/02/raw-thoughts-for-a-school-vision/#comment-2965 Graham, you've chosen two terrific quotes from David Warlick - they are sooo good I will have to collect them as well! And Google notebook is working for you? Then I will have to give it a go too...it is really vital to use new tech tools to keep up with the fantastic pace of learning that blogging allows. Thanks for giving me a mention - I'm honoured - you know, there are some real greats in the blogosphere without whose inspiration I wouldn't be writing. You're among them Graham, so thank you to you ;-) Graham, you’ve chosen two terrific quotes from David Warlick – they are sooo good I will have to collect them as well! And Google notebook is working for you? Then I will have to give it a go too…it is really vital to use new tech tools to keep up with the fantastic pace of learning that blogging allows. Thanks for giving me a mention – I’m honoured – you know, there are some real greats in the blogosphere without whose inspiration I wouldn’t be writing. You’re among them Graham, so thank you to you ;-)

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