Recently I was speaking to school leaders at Okaloosa County Schools’ Summer Leadership Academy in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. I decided to combine my travels there with an opportunity for my family to stay at the beach. My wife and I loaded up all four kids in a Dodge Caravan, and we hit the road. […]
Read More PMP:073 Three Takeaways for Your Leadership Journey
At the beginning of my career, I was told (more than once) to “not smile after Christmas”. As a new teacher, I was told that it would be important to…
Read More Some of the Worst Advice You Will Ever Get as an Educator
At the beginning of my career, I was told (more than once) to “not smile after Christmas”. As a new teacher, I was told that it would be important to ensure that students respected me and took me seriously, and if they saw that I was “too nice”, they would lose respect for me. I … [Read more…]
Read More Some of the Worst Advice You Will Ever Get as an Educator
“Educators who work in isolation improve incrementally, while educators who collaborate transform exponentially!” I said this in a Twitter Chat a few days ago in response to the question: “Why…
Two powerhouses up today answering one of my most favorite questions. Everyone loves a good initiative right? My problem is that starting line. I need a catalyst, a jumping off point. Otherwise I am all inspired and no where to go! Luckily, George Cour…
Read More Ask an Admin Q5: Where do you even start to build a culture of innovation? #askanadmin
John Spencer is someone I have connected with and followed for years. I have become a huge fan of his work, and I am proud to have been a part…
Read More Seven Things That Happen When Kids Embrace a Maker Mindset
Just something I was thinking about the other day…excuse the ramble. Years ago as a principal and assistant principal, I would go to the same McDonald’s for breakfast about once…
Read More “Any path that leads to a happy and healthy life.”
Just something I was thinking about the other day…excuse the ramble. Years ago as a principal and assistant principal, I would go to the same McDonald’s for breakfast about once a week and over four years, and the same young lady was working the drive-thru. After maybe two visits, I swore she would literally recognize … [Read more…]
Read More “Any path that leads to a happy and healthy life.”
The role in which we play in education is beyond important, we all know and value that. What is even more important is recognizing the balance in learning as much as we can, and knowing we’ll never know it all. And be ok with that! Today’s question is exactly along those lines… #askanadmin Q4: What […]
The post Ask an Admin Q4: Will this get easier??? #askanadmin appeared first on Love, Learn, Lead.
Read More Ask an Admin Q4: Will this get easier??? #askanadmin
From the article, “5 Unusual Facts About Google’s Odd (and Wildly Successful) Management Practices“(read the whole thing): 5. When hiring, high GPAs and test scores don’t matter Relying heavily on…
From the article, “5 Unusual Facts About Google’s Odd (and Wildly Successful) Management Practices“(read the whole thing): 5. When hiring, high GPAs and test scores don’t matter Relying heavily on data crunching, Bock told The New York Times a few years back that GPAs and test scores are worthless as a criteria for hiring, unless you’re an … [Read more…]
I’ve been guilty of looking at business as a metaphor for education many times. I think there are some ways it works okay. We can learn from the business community and certainly need to work closely with business partners. We have some shared interests in good education outcomes. I enjoy reading books from business and a whole variety of areas and applying principles I learn to my work as an educator, where appropriate.
But we have to be very careful with comparing education to the business model. Our mission should be to advance the human condition. Our measure of success as educators is changing lives and creating opportunities. And making our democracy stronger. In business, the bottom line is ultimately measured in dollars and cents. But you can’t reduce a child’s education to increased profits.
The business metaphor is especially dangerous considering the current political and policy landscape. There are many who would like to privatize education. Better schools, goes the thinking, would result from competition and the marketplace. Capitalism would do it’s thing and education would be stronger for it. But that model has proven failed over and again. Learning is not a commodity.
I’ve also been guilty of referring to students as customers. When I’ve done this, it is making the point that we should provide good customer service. Our students are the end users of what we do, and we should carefully consider their experience and how school is working for them.
But this comparison only works to a degree. The relationship between a business and a customer is transactional. The customer doesn’t own much responsibility in the relationship. The customer pays for goods or services and expects the business to do the rest.
But schools need to go beyond treating students like customers. We must make students partners in learning. We are not just delivering learning to students like a product. We must co-create learning with students if it is to be most effective. It requires a degree of pulling together and helping students to contribute to their own learning.
Metaphors are generally helpful to try to understand the world in deeper and more meaningful ways. But as educators, we have to be careful about comparing what we do to what businesses do. Can we learn from business? Yes! But should schools entirely operate as a business model? I think not.
Question: What are your thoughts on schools as businesses? And students as customers? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on Facebook or Twitter.
Read More Schools Aren’t Businesses, and Students Aren’t Customers
I’ve been guilty of looking at business as a metaphor for education many times. I think there are some ways it works okay. We can learn from the business community and certainly need to work closely with business partners. We have some shared interests in good education outcomes. I enjoy reading books from business and a whole variety of areas and applying principles I learn to my work as an educator, where appropriate.
But we have to be very careful with comparing education to the business model. Our mission should be to advance the human condition. Our measure of success as educators is changing lives and creating opportunities. And making our democracy stronger. In business, the bottom line is ultimately measured in dollars and cents. But you can’t reduce a child’s education to increased profits.
The business metaphor is especially dangerous considering the current political and policy landscape. There are many who would like to privatize education. Better schools, goes the thinking, would result from competition and the marketplace. Capitalism would do it’s thing and education would be stronger for it. But that model has proven failed over and again. Learning is not a commodity.
I’ve also been guilty of referring to students as customers. When I’ve done this, it is making the point that we should provide good customer service. Our students are the end users of what we do, and we should carefully consider their experience and how school is working for them.
But this comparison only works to a degree. The relationship between a business and a customer is transactional. The customer doesn’t own much responsibility in the relationship. The customer pays for goods or services and expects the business to do the rest.
But schools need to go beyond treating students like customers. We must make students partners in learning. We are not just delivering learning to students like a product. We must co-create learning with students if it is to be most effective. It requires a degree of pulling together and helping students to contribute to their own learning.
Metaphors are generally helpful to try to understand the world in deeper and more meaningful ways. But as educators, we have to be careful about comparing what we do to what businesses do. Can we learn from business? Yes! But should schools entirely operate as a business model? I think not.
Question: What are your thoughts on schools as businesses? And students as customers? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on Facebook or Twitter.
Read More Schools Aren’t Businesses, and Students Aren’t Customers
Sometimes my left elbow aches. I have a scar there from when I broke it falling from a horse almost twenty years ago. When it starts hurting, I can usually be certain the weather will turn stormy. My aching elbow reminds of another story. When I was a boy, I often helped on my Granddad’s […]
When I first started putting this blog/portfolio together in 2010, I wanted to think of a name for it. To some, the title of their blog is something that has…
When I first started putting this blog/portfolio together in 2010, I wanted to think of a name for it. To some, the title of their blog is something that has actually held them back from starting it in the first place. They have great ideas but they can’t find that “perfect” title. It is kind … [Read more…]
On Friday at the NAESP conference, I had the privilege of presenting with Ross Cooper on ways to sink or swim as an a new admin, and we basically talked about all of what I am about to share from today’s awesome administrators, Allyson Apsey (from Michigan) and Brad Currie (from Philly). #askanadmin Q3:What is […]
The post Ask an Admin! Q3: What is something you wished you knew as a first year administrator? #askanadmin appeared first on Love, Learn, Lead.
A principal friend of mine asked if I could send their staff a message before they open a brand new school. Here is what I shared with them: As many…
