To get innovation in K-12 we need to free those closest to the action—the teachers—to innovate and meet the needs of their students. Ted Kolderie draws lessons from World War 2 to make this argument, in a commentary in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
For close to two decades, Eric Premack has been working in California education policy. He formed and now runs the Charter School Development Center in Sacramento. In November 2013, E|E invited Premack to Minnesota to talk about education policy, chartering in California and the state’s decision to stop trying to control and regulate its school districts so tightly. Here are notes on Premack’s visit from E|E's Ted Kolderie.
"The Futures of School Reform" is a project of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, coordinated by Jal Mehta. In October 2013, E|E invited Mehta to Minnesota to talk about the five alternative futures. Here are notes on the project from E|E's Ted Kolderie, and on what he thought was most significant for the education policy discussion in Minnesota.
The notion of "adolescence" has become a major problem in our society. Might the "infantilization" of capable young people be the cause of much of the deviant behaviors we don't like? Ted Kolderie takes up this question in an opinion piece in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Kolderie raises some questions about the one-dimensional definition of 'achievement' currently accepted essentially unquestioned. Challenging un-stated premises—though likely to upset people—is a 'must' for good decisions and successful policymaking. A commentary by Ted Kolderie in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
"Why does our whole discussion about improving learning go on with no one questioning the old institution of adolescence?" These were Ted Kolderie's opening words in a TED talk at the New Schools Venture Fund summit May 1 in San Francisco.
Nina Rees, president of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, invited Ted Kolderie to discuss "The Role of Innovation in the Charter Movement" with the heads of state charter associations and resource centers. These are his remarks; edited to include some of the points made in the hour-long discussion that followed.
A Minnesota teacher took initiative to reimagine what "school" could be. His students seem engaged, and are performing highly. But can his innovation spread in our current education system? Will it even survive?
Lately, our nation’s strategy for improving our schools is mostly limited to “getting tough” with teachers. Blaming teachers for poor outcomes, we spend almost all of our energy trying to control teachers’ behavior and school operations. But what if all of this is exactly the opposite of what is needed? What if trusting teachers, and not controlling them, is the key to school success?
Detailed notes on the Finnish schools and education system, from Ted Kolderie's visit to Finland August 20-24, 2012. Ted was part of an American delegation assembled by the National Public Education Support Fund. The meetings were arranged locally by Pasi Sahlberg from CIMO.
