I believe in Razor Blades
It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude. - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance
The world is powered by passionate people, powerful ideas, and fearless action. What’s one strong belief you possess that isn’t shared by your closest friends or family? What inspires this belief, and what have you done to actively live it? (Author: Buster Benson)
I believe in disposable razor blades. About the time I turned 16 Gillette sent me a coupon or postcard entitling me to a free Mach3 razor and I bought it hook line and sinker. I just received my license, I was 16 and freedom and manhood were mine! What better way to be a man than to shave like they did before electricity? To this day I still have the electric razor that was given to me as a birthday gift around the same time, but I rarely use it... since I married there is no need to shave while driving to my dates house (and government thinks cell phones are bad). Nope, instead I buy the super cheap handle and pay through the nose for the disposable blades that attach to it. In a world of electricity and digital, I believe in manual grooming technology.
But that's not what I really believe in. Right? Well, no. What I believe in is what disposable razor blades represent - the power of free. If you are like me and follow Seth then I'm sure you've been sucked in by the power of free. I'm pretty sure that's how I have 1/4 of my Seth Godin library... "free" promotions. Of course people love getting free stuff, but I really believe in the power of giving free stuff. In his book Free Chris Anderson shares the early story of Jell-O the delicious dessert treat that no one had a use for, that was until the salesmen started passing out free recipes that called for the use of Jell-O. Suddenly the demand for Jell-O went up because the consumer finally understood when and how to use the product. In this case the free recipe book resulted in sales for Jell-O.
I work at a Christian School, by that I mean a private, non-church affiliated school that teaches from the Reformed/Christian Reformed tradition. We are also struggling. I'm not sure anyone wants to fully admit it, but it feels like the water is starting to circle the drain. Sure we have initiatives and ideas to "fix" things, but ultimately we never seem to have enough students, or more bluntly, enough money to do better or (gasp) even maintain the status quo. We charge anywhere from $5,000 - $8,000 a year depending on grade level and number of family members in the school so I realize we are costly. Yet I feel tradition weighs heavily on all decisions and contrary to what Seth rights, we are trying to be 'safe' by not taking big risks. I want to give away our education for free. Yup, instead of charging an average of $7,200 per student let's just give away the curriculum, the material and even the lectures and tests for free. With the Internet isn't even our best attempt at curriculum free for the taking anyway? Employing the tools like Google and YouTube, not to mention the free stuff from MIT, can't I get all the material I'd ever need for free already? So really giving away our knowledge of facts really shouldn't be that big of a deal. If information is free, how are we getting away with the high way robbery of charging tuition?
Instead of charging for the material, why shouldn't the school charge for the experience, the staff, the students, the buildings, even the toilet paper in the bathrooms? Let's charge for the opportunity to learn with individuals who are forward thinking, prone to quick failure (and thus learning), and willing to explore outside the lines of traditional education? Why aren't we charging for the connections we have, the people we bring into the classroom, or the environment we create by hiring the best teachers available and creating comfortable, modern, and student centric learning spaces? Why? Because that's not the way we've done it in the past. I believe giving away our information for free is the only way that we can reinvent our school and not only survive, but thrive.
I've done little to get this rolling myself. I encourage staff to use technology to put material online so students can access it. I share my dream that all lessons be stored online so that in the event of sickness, weather cancellations or even worse, "school" can continue even if the students aren't in the building. I do try to be wiling to sahre with others the information that I learn at no cost. I've benefitted from free help why shouldn't others? What I am going to do is continue sharing my beliefs with my co-workers and do what I can to show them how giving away their lessons for free can actually help us.
Or I'll just start my own free school. Free worked for razor blades and Jell-O... why not education?
The world is powered by passionate people, powerful ideas, and fearless action. What’s one strong belief you possess that isn’t shared by your closest friends or family? What inspires this belief, and what have you done to actively live it? (Author: Buster Benson)
I believe in disposable razor blades. About the time I turned 16 Gillette sent me a coupon or postcard entitling me to a free Mach3 razor and I bought it hook line and sinker. I just received my license, I was 16 and freedom and manhood were mine! What better way to be a man than to shave like they did before electricity? To this day I still have the electric razor that was given to me as a birthday gift around the same time, but I rarely use it... since I married there is no need to shave while driving to my dates house (and government thinks cell phones are bad). Nope, instead I buy the super cheap handle and pay through the nose for the disposable blades that attach to it. In a world of electricity and digital, I believe in manual grooming technology.
But that's not what I really believe in. Right? Well, no. What I believe in is what disposable razor blades represent - the power of free. If you are like me and follow Seth then I'm sure you've been sucked in by the power of free. I'm pretty sure that's how I have 1/4 of my Seth Godin library... "free" promotions. Of course people love getting free stuff, but I really believe in the power of giving free stuff. In his book Free Chris Anderson shares the early story of Jell-O the delicious dessert treat that no one had a use for, that was until the salesmen started passing out free recipes that called for the use of Jell-O. Suddenly the demand for Jell-O went up because the consumer finally understood when and how to use the product. In this case the free recipe book resulted in sales for Jell-O.
I work at a Christian School, by that I mean a private, non-church affiliated school that teaches from the Reformed/Christian Reformed tradition. We are also struggling. I'm not sure anyone wants to fully admit it, but it feels like the water is starting to circle the drain. Sure we have initiatives and ideas to "fix" things, but ultimately we never seem to have enough students, or more bluntly, enough money to do better or (gasp) even maintain the status quo. We charge anywhere from $5,000 - $8,000 a year depending on grade level and number of family members in the school so I realize we are costly. Yet I feel tradition weighs heavily on all decisions and contrary to what Seth rights, we are trying to be 'safe' by not taking big risks. I want to give away our education for free. Yup, instead of charging an average of $7,200 per student let's just give away the curriculum, the material and even the lectures and tests for free. With the Internet isn't even our best attempt at curriculum free for the taking anyway? Employing the tools like Google and YouTube, not to mention the free stuff from MIT, can't I get all the material I'd ever need for free already? So really giving away our knowledge of facts really shouldn't be that big of a deal. If information is free, how are we getting away with the high way robbery of charging tuition?
Instead of charging for the material, why shouldn't the school charge for the experience, the staff, the students, the buildings, even the toilet paper in the bathrooms? Let's charge for the opportunity to learn with individuals who are forward thinking, prone to quick failure (and thus learning), and willing to explore outside the lines of traditional education? Why aren't we charging for the connections we have, the people we bring into the classroom, or the environment we create by hiring the best teachers available and creating comfortable, modern, and student centric learning spaces? Why? Because that's not the way we've done it in the past. I believe giving away our information for free is the only way that we can reinvent our school and not only survive, but thrive.
I've done little to get this rolling myself. I encourage staff to use technology to put material online so students can access it. I share my dream that all lessons be stored online so that in the event of sickness, weather cancellations or even worse, "school" can continue even if the students aren't in the building. I do try to be wiling to sahre with others the information that I learn at no cost. I've benefitted from free help why shouldn't others? What I am going to do is continue sharing my beliefs with my co-workers and do what I can to show them how giving away their lessons for free can actually help us.
Or I'll just start my own free school. Free worked for razor blades and Jell-O... why not education?
Obstruction
Your genuine action will explain itself, and will explain your other genuine actions. Your conformity explains nothing. The force of character is cumulative. – Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance
If ‘the voyage of the best ship is a zigzag line of a hundred tracks,’ then it is more genuine to be present today than to recount yesterdays. How would you describe today using only one sentence? Tell today’s sentence to one other person. Repeat each day.
(Author: Liz Danzico)
Today brings new opportunities and experiences, the only obstruction from realizing their full potential is you.
If ‘the voyage of the best ship is a zigzag line of a hundred tracks,’ then it is more genuine to be present today than to recount yesterdays. How would you describe today using only one sentence? Tell today’s sentence to one other person. Repeat each day.
(Author: Liz Danzico)
Today brings new opportunities and experiences, the only obstruction from realizing their full potential is you.
15 Minutes to Live
You have fifteen minutes to live. Set a timer for fifteen minutes and write the story that has to be written. To whom? About what? What's going to happen to my family? Who is my audience? Why did I sign up for this? I guess I'll just write to myself.
You are a hypocrite and you should have fixed it, you knew what to do and you ignored it. Instead of volunteering you spent your time telling other peopel they needed to volunteer. Instead of caring and providing your knowledge as a service you kept it to yourself and pointed people where to go rather than taking them there yourself. You are a hypocrite. When was your last great success? No, kids don't count. They are fantastic and adorable but "doing the work" in that case was probably quite easy. And enjoyable. When is the last time you led the charge and put in the time to make something great? Sure you had success in high school reaching running goals, but since then what? Doing the minimum, keeping the status quo and avoiding failure have left you with little to no story to tell. Stop blaming people and start working.
Here is your story:
I, Steve Van Dyk, now have 7 minutes to live and this is my story. I'm 30-years old working at a job I enjoy, but it is a job that also comes with uncertainty in the future. Your wife of 7 years is driven, motivated and ready to do great things yet you slow her progress. Your kids are lovely, two and a half and one year old. They have brought me great joy and a few nights of frustration. Despite the good things I have, I am not happy. I want more, but I cannot convince myself that I need to do the work. I need to tithe more, I need to grow in my faith as a Christian, I need to read more, I certainly need to write more, and I need to learn how to have fun again. The epithet that is about to be written could easily read "Here lies Steve, Loving husband, proud father, good worker who always got things done". I'd be unhappy with getting things done. i want to make things great, I want to lead others and help them succeed I want to do amazing work that ships ahead of schedule and makes people happy.
Instead, I have been content with the status quo. I have been content doing the job that is required of me, nothing more or less. I am content pushing a little bit here and there but only until I am uncomfortable. I want the good life but I'm too impatient to wait for it and too distracted to work for it. I am a habitual e-mail checker and for all the effort have very little to show for being prompt in reading it.
The story that you need to tell yourself is that with only fifteen minutes to live you have too many things left undone, or done poorly to write the happy store. So instead of dwelling on it one more second go fix it. You have 20 seconds... oh wait, this is just a writing prompt.
Until tomorrow.
You are a hypocrite and you should have fixed it, you knew what to do and you ignored it. Instead of volunteering you spent your time telling other peopel they needed to volunteer. Instead of caring and providing your knowledge as a service you kept it to yourself and pointed people where to go rather than taking them there yourself. You are a hypocrite. When was your last great success? No, kids don't count. They are fantastic and adorable but "doing the work" in that case was probably quite easy. And enjoyable. When is the last time you led the charge and put in the time to make something great? Sure you had success in high school reaching running goals, but since then what? Doing the minimum, keeping the status quo and avoiding failure have left you with little to no story to tell. Stop blaming people and start working.
Here is your story:
I, Steve Van Dyk, now have 7 minutes to live and this is my story. I'm 30-years old working at a job I enjoy, but it is a job that also comes with uncertainty in the future. Your wife of 7 years is driven, motivated and ready to do great things yet you slow her progress. Your kids are lovely, two and a half and one year old. They have brought me great joy and a few nights of frustration. Despite the good things I have, I am not happy. I want more, but I cannot convince myself that I need to do the work. I need to tithe more, I need to grow in my faith as a Christian, I need to read more, I certainly need to write more, and I need to learn how to have fun again. The epithet that is about to be written could easily read "Here lies Steve, Loving husband, proud father, good worker who always got things done". I'd be unhappy with getting things done. i want to make things great, I want to lead others and help them succeed I want to do amazing work that ships ahead of schedule and makes people happy.
Instead, I have been content with the status quo. I have been content doing the job that is required of me, nothing more or less. I am content pushing a little bit here and there but only until I am uncomfortable. I want the good life but I'm too impatient to wait for it and too distracted to work for it. I am a habitual e-mail checker and for all the effort have very little to show for being prompt in reading it.
The story that you need to tell yourself is that with only fifteen minutes to live you have too many things left undone, or done poorly to write the happy store. So instead of dwelling on it one more second go fix it. You have 20 seconds... oh wait, this is just a writing prompt.
Until tomorrow.
A more refined Vision
- Every teacher will have their own school provided laptop. With this laptop the teacher will:
- Create and publish (some of) their lessons to be seen online and discussed in class when appropriate.
- 6-12 will begin using Moodle (Course Management System)
- K-5 will start taking their own attendance(?)
- Any level can use the Podcast Producer to create media content
- Any level can use Wordpress Blogging platform to create a blog.
- Keep a journal/blog/newsletter up to date for parents and potential families to view online.
- Seek new ways to make use of technology in their classroom for authentic purposes.
- Learn alongside the students (All subjects)
- Seek ways to allow for more open access to information and shift from the gatekeeper of knowledge to a moral and ethical guide teaching discernment and ethics.
- Attend or teach monthly learning sessions.
- Create and publish (some of) their lessons to be seen online and discussed in class when appropriate.
- Every K-5 grade level will have its own mobile cart with enough devices to cover one classroom, plus additional devices as backups/extra for other classrooms. With these devices students will:
- Have more readily available access to the Internet and other information without having to walk down to the lab.
- Begin adding artifacts to an electronic portfolio that will follow them through graduation.
- Learn alongside their teacher (All subjects)
- Every 6-12 grade level student will have his/her own laptop. With their own laptops students will:
- Learn responsibility
- Have access to information at their fingertips
- Seek out their own learning
- Create content and publish their work for an audience outside the classroom.
- Continue working on their electronic portfolio
- Connect with peers and professionals outside the classroom.
- Learn alongside their teachers
- Be expected (With increased use of Moodle by staff) to keep up with school work at all times, even snow days.
- The Administrators will:
- Begin publishing online along side the teaching staff. Weekly newsletters and snippets of what you see each day are always welcome.
- Find the technology leaders in the school and empower them to go on ahead and pull the rest of the staff along with them.
- Incorporate the use of technology into annual reviews and/or make it part of the Professional Development goals for each teacher.
- The schools will:
- Work to create a welcoming, comfortable and visually appealing environment for students and community to enjoy.
- Wort to create student-centric gathering places for collaborative work, group presentations and other such gatherings - especially at KCHS and KCMS.
- Work to find the balance between teaching facts, and teaching students how to think and ask questions. The information is readily available, but the school must work to help teachers know when to teach, and know when to guide and prod.
- The Director of Technology will:
- Work with the Administrators to determine a technology skills baseline for all staff, and work on methods of brining everybody up to speed.
- Seek new ways for teachers to use technology at a level appropriate to them.
- Conduct or organize training sessions at each school on a monthly basis.
- Work with local vendors to increase infrastructure to accommodate an influx of mobile devices.
- Work with Administrators to determine proper expectations (behavioral) for the mobile devices.
- Record and publish training videos for staff to watch on their own time.
- Push for the reduction of textbook use and instead focus on online resources.