RE Innovation. As long as the words "school," "classes," "teachers" "courses" "grades" are used to talk about education there will be little true innovation. It doesn't help the IES and NSF have a definition of innovation that says basically they'll fund stuff they call innovation as long as it's been done before.
Yes, there are a variety of ways of looking at innovation, but I think you really mean: "not ever done before". And, yes, policymakers are part of the problem because they got where they are being successful in the current structure of education, so of course, they don't see why it should change. Then ,there's been little discussion about true radial reform/restructuring of education.
You're right, that it needs to be more than waivers, but first there needs to be some discussion and really revolutionary thinking. Waivers might allow some starting points, but there are so many moving parts. Once you have a totally new structure, how does it work? what allows learning to happen? what is the role of the adults? How are those adults prepared to work with children in the new environment? (notice the use of language and what I didn't say. I believe using current educational terms creates mental images that make it harder to create innovative learning settings.
RE Innovation. As long as the words "school," "classes," "teachers" "courses" "grades" are used to talk about education there will be little true innovation. It doesn't help the IES and NSF have a definition of innovation that says basically they'll fund stuff they call innovation as long as it's been done before.
Yes, there are a variety of ways of looking at innovation, but I think you really mean: "not ever done before". And, yes, policymakers are part of the problem because they got where they are being successful in the current structure of education, so of course, they don't see why it should change. Then ,there's been little discussion about true radial reform/restructuring of education.
You're right, that it needs to be more than waivers, but first there needs to be some discussion and really revolutionary thinking. Waivers might allow some starting points, but there are so many moving parts. Once you have a totally new structure, how does it work? what allows learning to happen? what is the role of the adults? How are those adults prepared to work with children in the new environment? (notice the use of language and what I didn't say. I believe using current educational terms creates mental images that make it harder to create innovative learning settings.