Blackfield Set to Release New Album

Click artwork to go to album's mini-site

 

Blackfield, which is Steven Wilson and Aviv Geffen, are releasing their third album, Welcome To My DNA, on March 28 (US). Readers of this blog already know that Wilson is one of my all-time favorite artists. Between leading his main group Porcupine Tree, solo work, recording and performing with Tim Bowness in No-Man, and producing many other groups (Anathema & Opeth, for example), Steven Wilson is a very busy man. Blackfield is one of my favorite side projects of his – it leans towards the “poppier” side of his style.

Here’s an appetizer (if you like it, go to the album’s mini-site and sign up for their email list. You’ll get a link for a free download.)

Glass House by Blackfield

Blogging Heads

Here are my notes from the session about heads of schools that blog:

Blogging Heads: Michael Ebeling (Summit School summitschool1.blogspot.com), Josie Halford (Poughkeepsie Day School), Jonathan Martin (St. Gregory College Prep School)

Josie – I’ve been blogging since 2006, because a head needs to be present everywhere, including online.

Jonathan – Blogging is a discipline. A journal of what I am learning and observing.

Michael – What feeds my blog is “Cultivation of Voice”.

Jonathan – Blogging ought to be an expression outside of the perfection of published reports.

Michael – There is a distinct difference between blogging and tweeting.

Josie – it feels weird to have readers from all over the planet.

Q: What is your most memorable post?

Josie – I found a story about 14,000 cats dropped on Borneo. Was it true? I looked up flight records of the RAF – got the facts. Lots of response to that post.

Michael – I asked my teenage daughters for recommendations on how to start my school year. They gave me Top 10 list.

Jonathan – TED Talk on Crowd-Accelerated Innovation. Blog stats promote innovation. I post my talks to students online, so parents can see them.

Q: What is the relationship between Twitter & Blogger?

Michael – Twitter is my single most important source of information sharing.

Josie – Twitter is a huge timesaver. It’s an extraordinary tool for professional development.

Jonathan – Many of the things I learn about come from Twitter. It is a powerful collaboration tool. (note: find “Connected Principals”). I’ve found that if you reference a book, the author often contacts you.

Q: Are there any taboo topics?

Josie – I always think about the mission of my school when blogging.

Jonathan – When evaluating another school, I certainly won’t blog.

BTW – faculty love a favorable mention on a Head’s blog.

Q: How do you avoid the narcissism blogs can lead to?

Josie – It’s a constant struggle

Michael – have guest bloggers. I have an “Inspired Learning” series.

Jonathan – My blog is not contained within the school’s website. I don’t expect anyone at school to be reading my blog.

Dan Heath: Switch

Here are my notes from Dan Heath’s talk about his latest book, Switch:

Switch: Dan Heath

When a person is faced with change, there are 2 systems in play: the Rider and the Elephant.

Rider                                                              Elephant

Rational                                                          Emotional

Conscious                                                      Unconscious

Deliberative                                                   Automatic

3-Part Framework for Change:

1. Direct the Rider

(a) Forget about the problems – what’s working right now? (Look for the bright spots)

(b) Analyzing problems comes naturally, analyzing successes doesn’t

(c) Look for “bright spots” in your school. What are your best teachers doing? Your best parents?

(d) What looks like resistance is often a lack of clarity. Ambiguity is the enemy of change (i.e. the Food Pyramid)

2. Motivate the Elephant

(a) It’s hard to think your way into change

(b) Change starts with motivation, not information

(c) Emotion moves the elephant

(d) See -> Feel -> Change (find the feeling)

3. Shape the path

(a) Give Specific Directions (Saints vs. Jerks in charity drive)

(b) When the situation changes, people change, so change the situation.

(c) What kind of environment would make your students thrive? (i.e. “Buy now with 1-click)

If you want change, failure is part of the deal. Give yourselves permission to fail.

The Leading Edge of 21st Century Education: Cushing Academy

Here are my notes for the talk given my Jim Tracy and Nancy Boyle of Cushing Academy, in Massachusetts:

Leading Edge of 21^st Century Education: Jim Tracy & Nancy Boyle

Jim:

1. Establish partnerships between public & private schools

2. Institutional partnerships – students beta-testing ereaders; Skype with experts

3. Cushing Academy Institute for 21^st Century Leadership

Everything the school does is devoted to this. “Leadership” is the theme of the year.

4. Athletic leadership program: athletes partner with business executives

5. 10 Degrees of Ubiquity – Tracy’s book about the digital divide between generations

6. Faculty & Administration Engagement

(a) “Food for Thought” faculty lunches – brainstorming sessions

(b) “Skunkworks” – administration meetings. 2 rules: no small ideas, and no editing of notes.

(c) Faculty book – flew out to different schools to research and write about the most exciting classroom practices in the country right now. It will be published as an open-source ebook.

Nancy:

1. Tools & Devices: conversations got stuck in tool details, so the topic turned to philosophy. Developed a “Skills Wheel”.

2. What is the core curriculum, connect to it changes in shared outcomes and vision.

Important components:

1. Unified message and unified commitment of school & faculty

2. Give teachers time to plan and the resources they need

3. Provide opportunities for teacher interaction/cooperation/collaboration (catered lunches)

4. Project-based learning

5. Work-based learning experiences

6. Two big departments: Humanities & STEM – blended classrooms

7. Assessment & Evaluation is changing

8. Ongoing professional development

9. Academic support: personal learning plans for students

10. Digital graduation portfolios

11. Flexbooks and ebooks used

12. Wide variance in use of technology

Roles:

Students                                                       Teachers

Co-creators                                                   co-creators

Drive the curriculum                                      provide learning opportunities

Create safe, challenging environments

Step aside, involve others

Some examples of new courses (all student-driven):

Leadership Through the Humanities

Ethics, Leadership, & Society

Visions of Humanness

21^st Century Art – Going Green

Leadership in Social Media

Ethics & Responsibility in Science

Outcomes:

More connections between disciplines

Design thinking and problem solving

Creativity

Self-reliance, critical evaluation

Self-regulation (copyright issues): Teachers have a conversation about how not to use a phone, iPad, etc. while in class.

“When was the last time you did something for the first time?”

Globallearning.ning.com/video/cushing-institute-for-21^st