The Smartest Kids in the World: Let's Make it Happen

Many of you know that I was working with an amazing group of teachers last year who were passionate about changing how we DO school.  They are champions around the ideas that Kristin just wrote about: getting kids to THINK,  They are committed to connecting thinking; not 7 hours of classes that have no connection, but rather HOW CAN WE CHANGE this. These people are STILL committed to this way of thinking, and we STILL have dreams of how to make this happen. 

While this book, The Smartest Kids in the World, may have it's flaws, this book truly inspired me--and many others who read it with me.  There ARE people out there who are WILLING to make this leap, who are EXCITED to change the way things are done. We just have to make it happen!!

Here is from Amanda Ripley's website:

The Smartest Kids in the World

A New York Times bestseller, The Smartest Kids was selected by The Economist, The Washington Post, The New York Times and Amazon.com as one of the most notable books of 2013.

In a handful of nations, virtually all children are learning to make complex arguments and solve problems they’ve never seen before. They are learning to think, in other words. What is it like to be a child in these new education superpowers?

In a global quest to find answers for our own children, author and Time journalist Amanda Ripley follows three Americans embedded in these countries for one year. Kim, 15, raises $10,000 so she can move from Oklahoma to Finland; Eric, 18, exchanges an upscale Minnesota suburb for a booming South Korean city; and Tom, 17, leaves a historic Pennsylvania village for a gritty city in Poland.

Their stories, along with groundbreaking research into what works worldwide, reveal a pattern of startling transformation: none of these places had many “smart” kids a few decades ago. They had changed. Teaching had become more serious; parents had focused on what mattered; and children had bought into the promise of education. A reporting tour de force, The Smartest Kids is a book about building resilience in a new world—as told by the young Americans with the most at stake.

We should...

I was listening to an interview yesterday on CNN with Joel Klein, the former Chancellor of New York City Schools. His vision for educational reform not only helped me get through my cardio workout faster;), but really had me thinking more deeply about the impact that his ideas have had on New York schools, but COULD HAVE on the Nation as a whole.

In his interview he spoke to the importance of having highly qualified professionals in teaching.  This means, instead of pulling from the bottom percentage of undergrad classes, we follow the model of other countries and recruit our teachers from the top percentage of graduating classes. This means that we have to start to consider restructuring our system to make this profession more highly marketable to a different audience.  Having highly qualified, innovative,  passionate professionals with a growth mindset in our classrooms has been a source of discussion for years and years, however I beleive the reason we don't tend to pull from the top percentage of graduates, and furthermore we don't retain teachers is because that mindset finds the current "boxed" educational system frustrating.  I don't think it's that we can't recruit, and retain highly qualified educational professionals, it's that our system speaks of growth mindset, but is set up under a fixed mindset system.

According to Klein, we should be able to have the freedom to look at educational systems and structures under a growth mindset, and we need to! This country currently has about 35% of it's graduates college and career ready...35%! There's no excuse for that. Yes, we have college and career ready standards in the common core, but at some point if we really want to put actions behind the language in those standards, we have to have a larger discussion about the systems and structures we currently have in place. If the nation's average is 35% graduating college and career ready, we have an issue...a large issue, and we must begin to have courageous conversations around the WHY?

We need to look at what other countries are doing that are graduating higher percentage of college and career ready students, we have to do some deeper analysis of our current system, and we have to have enough people passionate about changing it to actually advocate for change.

It's time. Students are growing up in a fast-paced, technology driven, very competitve society and yet we remain steady across the board in terms of systems and structures.

It's time for courageous dialogue, and discussion, and more importantly CHANGE!  As educators, we need to have a louder voice in this.  This is our future we are talking about, and yes we can say that and get warm, fuzzy feelings, but this is a very serious issue that we need to attend to in this Nation. It is our duty as citizens, educators, parents etc. to take a step and be a voice for change. 

Big wins?YES!

My posts recently have been focused on mindset, and change, and how to work through that process through difficulties in order to achieve a dream. I wrote about how we all attend to opportunities and difficulties in different ways, with different mindsets, and how it is in our human nature to revert to fight or flight when we sense change is coming. 

In my past work, we spoke of how people don't fear change, people feel loss. There is so much truth to that statement, and in fact it tends to be why when we feel challenged by change we have to make "in the moment" decisions as to whether we will take a risk, take on the change and move towards fulfilling the vision or dream that we have for future,or revert back to what is safe and comfortable and status quo.

We know that in order to awaken a sustainable impact, we must first have vision, from that vision we must then focus on what our mindset is around that vision, and then we must decide if we are willing to fight through the fear of loss to gain the reward of the change, or take flight and run back to what is comfortable and status quo.

The saying, "With risk comes great reward" has been around for hundreds of years, however I don't believe that many people actually believe that. I believe if we were to look into the research around change agency we would find that it is actually a small number of people who lead lives that act on their belief of that statement, but yet we throw it around as if it's common understanding, belief and action.

My post yesterday mentioned the frustration that comes when we have made the decision to fight through the fear of loss that comes with change, and then reach the point where not a lot of change is actually happening. I spoke of the reality during this time in which we feel isolated in the work that we are doing, but yet we know it is only for a short time.  This to me is always the most critical period, because it is in the slow part, before things move fast, that we have time to consider giving up and returning to the comfort and familiar and safe places that we are used to.  It is in this time that we have to make a conscious choice to stay the course, to invest in building the stakeholders around us so that we are no longer alone, and be willing to sit through the discomfort of that process knowing that in the end we will have a sustainable team to navigate the implementation process from beginning to end.

So today, I made the decision to step out of my place of comfort, present a vision to new stakeholders and see what happens. With wonderful, yet courageous conversations our outcome was a new team, a more refined purpose, and a deeper vision for implementation.  At the end of the meeting a colleague said to me, "Kristin, yesterday I was ready to give up and look for another job.  Today, I am excited, and I have hope and I see future in this."  My response was simply, "Me too!...to all of it!"

See, anytime we have a vision, we have something that we want to risk and try and do, we must work through this process. Nothing comes without the bumps, and hurdles, and moments of feeling overwhelmed, and wanting to give up, but we must stop, take a moment to reflect and process how we will proceed, and if we choose to stay the course we must pick ourselves up, gather our courage, take risks, and celebrate every little win along the way knowing that we are now one step closer to the intended outcome. Not only are we closer, but hopefully we are closer with a team of partners in the process.


So I hope this post today encourages you. It's okay to fear change, to fear loss, but it's what we do with it that determines our course. If we allow the fear of loss to bring us back to what is comfortable then we lose out on the opportunities to run, not walk, but run into awakening impact in education, and across all areas of our lives. Don't let fear hold you back, take a step at a time, build partners in the process, and together build sustainable capacity around a new vision, innovation, and change!:)

What Science Says About People Who Read Fiction

I saw this link on facebook shared with my hero, Kylene Beers. Thought I'd pass it along, as it's quite interesting.

What Science Says About People Who Read Fiction

Balancing the Difficulties with the Dream

No dream becomes reality without walking through difficulties. In fact, I believe it is often times the scope of the difficulties that lie ahead that keep us from fulfilling our dreams. Often times, we don't realize that we have a dream for something until a situation, or a circumstance is handed to us and we look at it and think, "How will I ever bring this situation around...the scope is so big, and the journey to get there seems trecherous." Then it happens, you start to see the end, but the steps to take to get there may seem a bit blurry still.

 Everytime I am given a new assignment in a school, district, or larger work, I first look at the whole of the situation, at where it is, and where I think it can be.  Then I begin to lay out a plan of breaking the whole into pieces, where each piece is looked at, and analyzed, and I begin to take the broken pieces and develop a plan to implement sustainable change piece by piece building a sustainable wholistic picture building to the final outcome...the vision...the dream.  In education, as well as in many businesses, this is the process of implementation science. It is the Plan, Do, Study, Act cycle of continuous improvement.

Having gone through this cycle in many schools, with varying situations and level of needs, I see how important it is to walk through this slowly, thoughtfully, and alongside a team in an effort to build capacity and sustainability.  In my work in schools, it never ceases to amaze me how slow this initial process is, BUT I always have to remind myself to hold on tight, and hang in there, because along the way something happens. As these highly critical leadership teams sit together and lay out a vision for their work, coureagous conversations begin to happen, mindsets begin to change, and pathways to success begin to unfold in a very organic and meaningful way.  It is in those moments that I sit back and take in the capacity and creativity and voice, and meaningful engagement of a team that months ago never existed.  This is the team that ultimately does the work...they are the ones that birth the dream. 

So as I sit in a newly created position, with high stakes, lots of eyes watching to see what will  unfold, and as I feel overwhelmed by the balance of the difficulties and the dream, I am reminded that I only go this alone for a short time...not much longer...it's isolating now, but teams are being built, green lights to go are being given, plans are unfolding,supports are coming, and it's okay to take a step back from the wholistic picture, and just focus on the piece in front of me. I am in the early relationship stages...we are far from the honeymoon, but I can see it. The vision is there, the seeds are being planted, and I need to remind myself that this is often the most difficult part. It's the slow start to build to the faster pace.  I'm like a race horse often times. I just want the gate to open, and let me run already!, but that is not the best way...slowing down, letting the seed fall into the soil, taking the time to water it, and nuture it, and let it sink in and begin to take root is the way...the only way that the dream will come into reality.

So today I tell myself...it's okay. It's okay to not be the race horse today. It's okay to slow down, take it all in, process it, and let the seed just lay for a time while everything starts to come together. Deep breaths...this is the moment when I always want to just throw in the towel, but I know better. I know that it will come...in time, in the right way, with the right process of Plan, Do, Study, Act. it will come.  I want to fix it, and fix it now, but the team and the collaboration, and the thoughtful planning will in the end bring a more refined and successful outcome for all students.  This is not my work, this is our work...right now in my day to day it feels like mine, and it feels overwhelming,  but not for long...:) I loved Kari's post yesterday that spoke to meeting people where they are at, and taking them on the journey together, what a wonderful reminder of our role working as partners in education, not soloists...partners.

I guess that is the seed I plant in your mind today...when you feel isolated in your work, in your endevours, remember that it's always only for a time. It's a piece, it's not the whole. Don't give up on what you want to create because it seems overwhelming, or too difficult, or too lofty. Nothing is too lofty...it's our mindset that has to be in growth mode to make things happens. Isn't is Ghandi that said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." :)

Obstacles and Opportunities

Obstacles and opportunities...they face each and every one of us every day, in every area of our lives. They are the good, the bad and the beautiful. They are the risks, the rewards, the fear, the pain, the hope...I could go on and on. Obstsacles and opportunties are faced from two different perspectives. A person with a fixed mindset says, "I see an opportunity...to take a risk with the potential for great reward, to try something new, to invest in something that seems worth it, BUT....the obstacles are big...too big, too risky, too painful, and so it's not worth it. I will stay in status quo, where it is safe and sound, and predictable, and where there are no waves,and no rocking boats. Everyone is happy with me here...safe and sound, am I happy here? Maybe, maybe not, but it's not worth the risk."  A growth mindset says, "I see an opportunity...to take a risk with the potential for great reward, to try something new, to invest in something that seems worth it, AND I know there are obstacles that I will face, and will have to overcome. It may be risky, it may be painful in the process, BUT IT'S WORTH IT! If I don't try, I will never know.  I don't want to stay in the status quo.  It's safe and sound here, but is it where I will reach my greatest potential in this life? Everyone else may be happy with me here, but am I happy here? I see an opportunity, I know the risks, but the vision of the potential reward ahead is worth it...let's do it!

Obstacles and opportunities face us each and every day. They are the variables that swirl around us, that almost taunt us at times. The question becomes, "Will I fear the obstacles so much that I miss the opportunity, or will I see the obstacles as a way to grow, to become stronger, to try and fail knowing that the opportunity may propel my life in such a way that ultimately will lead me to be at my best in this life."

So when facing obstacles and opportunties in life, in the work place, in the situation that we are in outside of work,  we have to take a moment to reflect, "What is my mindset around this decision...am I approaching it with a growth minset, or a fixed? What impact will this mindset have on my life, and is my current mindset around this going to lead me to my best, and happiest, and most fulfilled place in my life?"

Now at this point you are saying, "Kristin, what in the world does this have to do with awakening impact in students?" That my friend is what I leave you to think about...;)

I will say however, that our mindset doesn't change from work to outside of work. Typically we are either of a growth or fixed in both areas. When we consider the impact that mindset has on potential for innovation, for creativity, for taking risks and trying trying new things in life, then it opens up the door for couragious conversations to be had, for seed ideas to be planted, and for change to take root...

We Can...

We can challenge the status quo in education. We can and should look at each situation and question if it is the right thing, at the right time, for the right purpose...the purpose of course being that of providing equitable education for ALL students.  So we can, and we should...but we don't. Rarely do we really challenge the status quo. We talk about it...oh can we talk about it. We can complain about the current situation, and we can condemn those in "charge" and start playing the blame game, but how often do we choose to sit down around a problem and collaborate around a solution, and not just a "quick fix"...because let's face it, we love those in education, but rather a solution to the problems that stem from accepting the status quo.

We can challenge it, we can think outside the box, we can be innovative, and passionate, and risky...yes, I said "risky".  Education in America is not currently working for ALL. It works for some, and only when all the variables are in place. If it was really working for all then we wouldn't be average to below average when normed against our global peers in terms of successful education systems. 

If we are really about preparing students to be successful global citizens prepared for a global work place, then we have to start to challenge the status quo educational systems in this county.  We have to stop complaining, and start collaborating around solutions. We have to set aside fears, and embrace promise, and hope, and we have to start to consider our mindset around what it really means to prepare students for a global workforce.  I challenge you today to take every complaint, and turn it into an opportunity to collaborate around a solution.

Don't be just words...be action! Actions always speak louder than words...always. The seeds of change are planted in words, but take root in action!