Bankruptcy

Godin reminded me daily of education. I would just add to the end of this post that we also need to give up things that may have worked in the past, but no longer make sense. Just because something was effective 50 years ago or 10 years ago does not mean we should use it forever. Gosh, what would our world look like if that were the case?

Bankruptcy

via Seth's Blog by Seth Godin on 2/20/11

"Declaring Chapter 11"

What a poetic phrase, starting with 'declaring'. Not sighing or announcing or admitting, but Declaring!

Chapter 11 refers to part of the bankruptcy code that covers reorganizations. In Chapter 11, you don't shut down your business. Instead, faced with failure, you suspend certain agreements and debts and negotiate in a way that permits you to continue.

Chapter 7 is very different. It means "I give up." You shut down, it's over.

Metaphorically, we have the chance to declare either kind of bankruptcy whenever we work on a project or consider a habit, a social media addiction or even a job.Teetering on the edge of bankruptcy is painful. Declaring is often a relief.

Acknowledging that you're stuck is the very first step in getting unstuck...

Perhaps it's time to stop fighting a losing fight and start creating value doing something else instead. Bankruptcy is never fun, but when you give up something that wasn't getting you where you needed to go, sometimes you discover a future better than you ever expected.

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Lifelong Learners

One of the best things about being in a PLN and being able to participate in PLP is connecting with other educators who are passionate about being continuous learners. Of course, in all of our schools we have colleagues that do not share these feelings. How do we handle this issue with people who look at learning the same way they look at cooking a Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster? They feel that the little gadget popped up so they must be done.

 

In regards to students, I always thought we were trying to develop LIFELONG LEARNERS, or at least that's what our Mission Statements usually say. Surely, we cannot develop inquisitive, proactive, curious, collaborative, creative...students if we accept stagnancy.  

 

OK so we agree on all of that rah, rah stuff. Now what? What do we do to set the expectations, to raise the bar from the spot on the floor that it has been sitting?  Where would you start in your classroom or school being the model for the change that is necessary?

 

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Pleasing Everyone

I am going to make the assumption that this goes for implementing change in our schools as well. If we wait until we have everyone on board then we will never make any changes. Let's "delight" as many as we can and for the rest...

Pleasing

via Seth's Blog by Seth Godin on 2/4/11

A motto for those doing work that matters:

"We can't please everyone, in fact, we're not even going to try."

Or perhaps:

"Pleasing everyone with our work is impossible. It wastes the time of our best customers and annoys our staff. Forgive us for focusing on those we're trying to delight."

The math here is simple. As soon as you work hard to please everyone, you have no choice but to sand off the edges, pleasing some people less in order to please others a bit more. And it drives you crazy at the same time.

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The space matters

The line that jumps out at me is the one that says - "Pay attention to the noise and the smell and the crowd in the place where you're trying to overcome being stuck."

Our schools and classrooms cannot be these places for student. I can't help wondering what outcomes students associate with my school and individual classrooms? Maybe we should ask?

The space matters

via Seth's Blog by Seth Godin on 2/3/11

It might be a garage or a sunlit atrium, but the place you choose to do what you do has an impact on you.

More people get engaged in Paris in the springtime than on the 7 train in Queens. They just do. Something in the air, I guess.

Pay attention to where you have your brainstorming meetings. Don't have them in the same conference room where you chew people out over missed quarterly earnings.

Pay attention to the noise and the smell and the crowd in the place where you're trying to overcome being stuck. And as Paco Underhill has written, make the aisles of your store wide enough that shoppers can browse without getting their butts brushed by other shoppers.

Most of all, I think we can train ourselves to associate certain places with certain outcomes. There's a reason they built those cathedrals. Pick your place, on purpose.

 

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