My friend Sam Chaltain is telling “A Different Story About Public Education,” and I get to help him. Not only that, a great many voices are part of this conversation.
For 10 weeks, Sam and other edu-thinkers will be considering one episode per week of a series called A Year at Mission Hill that documents a year in the life of a successful public school.
In true trans-media spirit, the series promises to be a convening of those who are asking questions and doing the great work of improving public schools. More than that, it’s a portal that invites involvement in both the better conversation and the great work.
EPISODE ONE:
For my part, Sam’s given me space on his EdWeek blog to consider contemporary research relating to each chapter and try to filter it through the lens of a classroom teacher who might be interested in using the the work of ivory towers to improve their practice. My first attempt is here.
If nothing else, follow A Year at Mission Hill because it promises to ask, “What’s going write in public education?” rather than operating from the deficit perspective that’s all too familiar for anyone who’s listening to the rhetoric surrounding our schools. Let’s celebrate the greatness that’s possible, and ask how to help it spread.