Creative Schools

1. Chapter 3: Make education a priority.

1.1. Finland does not standardize education, but rather has prinipals that education revolves around.

1.2. The climate for education needs to be uplifted so that people feel like it is a priority (pg. 64).

1.3. Technology is creating new ways for meaningful interactions between students and teachers and parents.

1.4. Kids are naturally born curious. We take curiosity out of them because they are pigeon-holed into what they can and cannot learn. The more students take control of their learning, the more likely they are to want to continue learning and love learning.

2. Chapter 2: Learning through experience and relativity.

2.1. "Many of these "externalities" could be avoided if education genuinely gave all students the same opportunities to explore their real capabilities and create their best lives" (pg.38).

2.2. "...three core themes that are at the heart of my argument: room for radical innovation, visionary leadership in effecting change, and principals and teachers to create conditions in school where students flourish the best" (pg. 41).

2.3. "...the task we face is not to increase yeild in schools at the expense of schools at the expense of engagement; it is to invigorate the living cultures of schools themselves: (pg. 45). Make it engaging and real life for students instead of boring just to standardize.

2.4. Promote 21st Century Skills because we are unable to predict what jobs will come or be available when students in school go out into the work force (pg. 46).

2.5. After education, students should be economically independent, appreciative of their culture with respect for diversity, be active and compassionate citizens, and able to engage with the world around them.

3. Chapter 1: Many countries (especially the US) are behind in education.

3.1. Countries began to standardize testing due to PISA tests that were given world wide.

3.2. It became a big political issue because of economic, cultural, and social influences (pg. 8).

3.3. Data from tests show that there are deficits in what is or supposed to be taught vs. what students know (pg. 14).

3.4. Math, science, literacy are being focused on and "soft subjects" and vocational training is being push aside. Now there is a need for vocational jobs and skills, but schools don't offer opportunities (pg. 12).

3.5. Many teachers are leaving the profession and the achievement gap (gap groups) continue to grow (pg. 21).

4. Chapter 1: Higher education does not necessarily mean success.

4.1. "Youth unemployment around the world is a record levels" (pg. 14). Some are even long-term unemployed.

4.2. "A college degree is no longer the distinction it once was" (pg. 15).

4.3. "But having a degree is no longer a guarantee of work in any field, and in some it's an expensive irrelevance" (pg. 15).

4.4. "Make" came into a school and promoted vocational skills, which led to the sterotypical "not as smart kids" and "smart kids" both being creative and learning skills that are needed in 21st century jobs (pg. 17-20)

5. Chapter 2: Education is not factory made, but dynamic.

5.1. DeLaSalle teacher gave students projects that they were interested in and then it transformed into them wanting to learn and create real life items (cars). pg. 26-29

5.2. "The problem with conformity in education is that people are not standardized to begin with" (pg 36). People have different strengths and weaknesses and cannot be standardized to fit everyone.

5.3. In education, you must develop relationships and get students to believe in themselves before they can start learning.

6. Chapter 3: Change the Mindset of Learning

6.1. "But the heart of education is the relationship between the student and the teacher" (pg. 71).

6.2. If these is no relationship, then there will be less productivity and effort put forth.

6.3. Create challenging but rewarding experiences inside school that filter to outside of the building.

6.4. The understanding of how students learn needs to be better understood. Once this occurs, the educational system can change. There are a variety of ways students learn since everyone is different (pg. 72).

7. Chapter 4: Children are Natural Learners

7.1. Kids were given a computer in India and were given a task every two months. The teacher would come back and check on them to see what they did and learned. They figured things out through exploration (pg. 74-75).

7.2. Mass education is split into two pillars: organizational and intellectual.

7.3. There are many interests, skills, job, etc in the world but education only focuses on ones important decided by the government. There should be equal status put on all subjects so students can have opportunities to work and see all interests and studies.

7.4. Story of Lena: Teachers and principals should uplift students goals and achievements, not put it down because it doesn't live up to a certain standard (ph 79-81).

7.5. Because children learn in many ways, standardized tests should allow for multiple ways of showing and/or assessing learning (pg. 93).

7.6. Children learn a lot through playing and interacting with others (pg. 94-96).

8. Chapter 4: Education need to be personalized and intelligence is diverse.

8.1. We develop and change, affect each others thinking and feelings by hanging out and being around others (pg. 85).

8.2. Different areas of study "cross-pollinate" one another and are eventually intertwined. However, people have various interests and follow those routes (pg 87).

8.3. "It's essential that all students have proper opportunities to explore the range of their abilities and sensibilities in school, including but going well beyond their capacities for conventional academic work" (pg. 87-88)

8.4. "...we need to provide for the different ways in which our intelligence allows us to act in the world around us and to fathom the world within us" (pg. 87).

8.5. If you bring technology home, each person will approach the learning of it differently because everyone is different (pg. 88-89). People also learn at different RATES but they standardize learning by AGES and push kids along.

9. Chapter 5: A Teacher's purpose

9.1. Education has 3 main elements: curriculum, teaching, and assessment (pg. 100).

9.2. Teachers know the curriculum and jobs, but apply it to students. This helps make it relevant, engaging, and meaningful.

9.3. Good teachers create condition for learning (pg. 102). "Their job is not to teach subjects; it is to teach students" (pg. 104).

9.4. Teachers should stimulate children's learning to keep their curiosity alive (pg. 107). --> inquiry based learning,

9.5. Have high expectations for students, but also have a relationship so they understand why and the purpose of your expectations (pg. 108-109)

9.6. Empower the students so they know what they're doing matters and is important. Help students make learning work for them. (pg. 111-113)

10. Chapter 5: Be Creative with Teaching

10.1. Kahn Academy --> Personalized learning to help students make sure they are fully understanding a concept before they move onto the next one

10.2. Students learn from one another and are more likely to learn from a classmate. Students with right answers convince the students with the wrong answers (pg. 116-117)

10.3. Keep creativity in mind when teaching and when students are learning. Leave their minds and your mind open to new ideas, concepts, and ways of learning.

10.4. Have topics that spark student interests and get them talking and involved while tying it back to the curriculum.

10.5. Learning does not always have to be direct instruction, it can come from other modes.

11. Chapter 7: Standardization isn't always bad

11.1. Bar Codes were invented - real life standardization and now used everywhere

11.2. In schools, standardized tests can asses level of knowledge on the same topics/levels

11.3. Standardized learning takes away from student activities

11.4. one con of open ended task and assessments is that it can be objective and hard to assess without bias

12. Chapter 6: Education needs the 8 Cs

12.1. Curiosity, creativity, criticism, communication, collaboration, composure, compassion, citizenship

12.2. "The evolve from the beginning of education and be practiced and refined throughout their lives" (pg. 141)

12.3. "Students who leave school feeling confident in these eight areas will be well equipped to engage in the economic, social, and personal challenged that they will inevitably face in their lives" (pg. 141)

13. Chapter 6: Balance the Curriculum

13.1. give all subjects and areas equal status because people have different interests and exposure is important

13.2. the "divide in schools between academic and vocational programs is misconceived and can disastrous" (pg. 147).

13.3. Arts, Humanities, Language Arts, Math, Physical Education, Science,

13.4. provide many experiences and learning that students can apply outside of school

14. Chapter 8: Empower Students with Choice & Interests

14.1. Students have choice in their major and they enjoy being at school because they like what they do (183-184)

14.2. Principals set the tone for the school and they create the community within the school

14.3. Habits & habitats influence one another

14.4. Empower culture of learning by: community, individuality, and possibility (pg. 204)

15. Chapter 8: Habits vs Habitats

15.1. Habits: agree upon ways to get things done.

15.2. the way things are done are based off needs of the students and community around them (pg. 191-192)

15.3. Habitats: Immediately get a feel for the school. Spaces designated for subjects shows the importance of it

15.4. Leaders need to: collaborate leadership, personalize school environments. & curriculum, instruction, and assessment ot improve student performance

16. Chapter 9: Adapt to Change

16.1. School is a team effort between the school, children, and parents --> all are needed for children to learn and grow

16.2. "One of the reasons that so many students struggle in school is that they are not treated as the individuals that they are" (pg, 208).

16.3. Motivation and achievement help students succeed. Connecting with families helps deepen the connection of understanding students.

16.4. help students change and face challenges as they change and grow and the world changes as well

17. Chapter 9: Involve People

17.1. difference between helping and being a helicopter parent

17.2. "When children aren't given the space to struggle through things on their own, they don't learn to problem solve very well" (pg 211).

17.3. 6 engagement standards: welcome all families into the school community, communicate effectively, support student success, speak up for every child, share the power, and collaborate with the community (pg. 216-217)

17.4. "Communities of creative, joyful, compassionate learners who use courageous and innovative thinking to build a harmonious and sustainable world" (pg. 214).

18. Chapter 10: Support Change

18.1. the education system won't change without support and push from teachers and all parties involved

18.2. principal should foster climate control for schools. Education should have the principals: health, ecology, fairness, and care

18.3. Students should feel important and all be treated fair and like they matter

18.4. You must build relationships before you can teach the students.

19. Chapter 10: Get Creative

19.1. Take risks with confidence to show students that it's okay and they shouldn't be scared to

19.2. Make education important and a priority instead of something that you have to do. It needs to be something that is valued.

19.3. we need "inspiring leadership to create a climate of innovation and possibility in education" (ph. 249).

19.4. If you want the system to change, you have to change it and be the start. Once it has a lot of energy, then it can be a revolution for all change (pg. 251)

20. Chapter 7: Different ways to assess

20.1. California and New York have symbolic assessments to look at various skills (pg. 175)

20.2. look into the habits and environments that lead to success on standardized learning (pg. 177-178).

20.3. set goals for students so they can see how they're learning and achieving in class

20.4. informal & formal assessments should supports students with: motivation, achievement, standards (180-181).