Which comes first: 21st Century Curricula or 21st Century School Design?

Which comes first: 21st C. Curricula or 21st C. School Design? This question comes up when working with educators and my answer has been, It sounds like a chicken and egg proposition, doesn’t it; however, my sense is that it really doesn’t matter which comes first.  21st C. curricula and 21st C. school design are interdependent.  They clearly influence each other.  Also, one can cause the other. The tragedy is when neither exists and there is no catalytic reaction to cause either to develop.  (BTW, I specialize in these particular catalytic reactions.)

On the curricular side of this conundrum there is the development from the 20th C. reductive preoccupation with instruction in Reading/Writing/Arithmetic to the 21st C. expansion to include development of new skills: technological literacy, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and innovation (to summarize the core skills).

On the school design side, to cite one of several patterns, is the development from the 20th C. simplistic repetition of double-loaded center corridors of uniform rooms...a monotony of form; to the 21st C. complex design of flexible, transparent spaces of varying sizes connected by hallways that are galleries...creating a “hologram of narration” (Children, Spaces, Relations, p. 24)

The interdependence of curricula and school design is obvious.  The 20th C. instruction in the 3 R’s dictated uniform classrooms; and, visa versa, uniform classrooms structurally forced academic disciplines, even new ones, into silos.  Similarly, the 21st. C. development of new skills has caused an integration of disciplines that have called for flexible classroom forms; and visa versa, patterns of flexibility and transparency in school design has supported innovation in curricular approaches.

In the next few blogs I will explore several more specific areas of the interdependence of curricula and school design.

Shared Vision and Shared Leadership

I am reading, The Constructivist Leader, recommended to me by Linda Henke, superintendent of Maplewood Richmond Heights School District.  Linda Lambert writes the introduction and she begins with a list of themes that will recur in the book.  The first: The lives of children and adults are inextricably intertwined. Democracy must be experienced by both children and adults as must trust and positive regard.  Authentic work must be experienced by adults as well as children, as must authentic relationships and possibilities.   I love this powerful statement.  It seems obvious though it is not a common occurrence in schools or in life.  One of the tenets of Sustainability Education is Authentic Youth Engagement.  This means that young people are doing real work that matters in the real world.  It also means that they are experiencing as well as creating positive regard, possibilities and democracy.  At Maplewood Richmond Heights, leadership is one of the four cornerstones, for all ages.  There, leadership is understood as: Bringing people together to accomplish important work.  (At Maplewood Richmond Heights aspirations and inspirations are written beautifully on the walls of the school.)  Leadership skills in students are nurtured through authentic relationships and shared leadership with adults.  One of the ways that leadership can be developed and shared is through the practice of structured conversations where participants listen to one another's reflections on past goals and hopes and dreams for the future. 

As we have turned into a new year, I have been reflecting on practices that cross over from my personal life to professional life and visa versa.  I realize that our family's practice of family meetings is one of those cross overs.  Our family meetings started many years ago when Ashley and I attended a class called Parent Effectiveness Training.  One of the rituals that they recommend is a weekly family meeting where honest, productive and clear listening can occur between children and adults and shared responsibility and leadership dispositions can develop.

When we started, our youngest son was 5; now he is 28!  As our sons have moved into their own homes and careers and families, our family meetings have moved from weekly to yearly.  We hold these family meetings some time during our winter holidays together.  And now, we look forward to them as times to support one another's goals and dreams year in and year out.  We still start by reading the notes from the last meeting, now a whole year ago.

With this ritual and practice, we are bringing together a group of people, in this case our family, to support authentic relationships and all of our best work in the world.  I am grateful to my family members as I am grateful to the students and educators with whom I work from Portland, OR, to Indianapolis, IN, to St. Louis, MO, to Middlebury, VT for authentic dialogue with people who work to create more and more possibilities to build a healthy, hopeful future.

Reflecting on 2011

We are in Vermont this week between Christmas and New Years at the farm where Ashley grew up.  This morning there is a dusting of sugar snow on the ground, a clearing sky and flat light and the dogs are running joyful circles in the yard.  The oven is on and bread is baking.  What could be better really? In less than a week 2011 will be gone and we will be launched into another year.  Cadwell Collaborative has been up and running for three and a half years now. Ashley and I are enjoying our work and our collaborations with schools and educators in so many productive and happy ways.  During this month we have been updating our website and blog and we are almost finished with this round.  A wonderful friend and colleague, illustrator and graphic artist, Penny Dullaghan, is helping us.

This morning I came across an idea on a photographer friend's blog to reflect on the year in photographs, Beautiful 2011.   We will do that in this post, sharing several of the new photos that are up on our website and a few other favorites from our work in schools this year.  With continuing thanks to the schools where we have worked as part of learning teams in 2011: The St. Michael School; The College School; Maplewood Richmond Heights School District; Indianapolis Public School Butler University Laboratory School; and Opal School.

Singing the Praises of Music in School

Last week Ashley and I attended holiday concerts at three of the schools where we work in St. Louis.  Last Wednesday, we went to the Maplewood Richmond Heights Winter Market where students sold bee products from wax and honey that they had harvested from their own bees.  They researched how to and then created  tea lights, lip balm, tree ornaments, and soap.  And, of course, there was golden, local MRH honey for sale. These students are working on a triple bottom line business plan for their small non profit business.  The holiday concert which followed the Winter Market featured the MRH exemplary bands and and choirs.  Several students from this small district have been chosen out of hundreds of competitors state wide to play for a state music educators conference in 2012.

We also were so happy to attend the St. Michael School holiday concert where students sang songs and carols in different languages and from different religions surrounded by a glow of twinkling lights.  On Friday, we witnessed the extraordinary talent of all ages at The College School at their Winter Arts Share.  At all of these events we were in awe of the skill, passion, presence and grace of all of the students ranging from age 3 to 18 who sang and danced and played with all of their hearts.  It is such a privilege to see all three schools' students on stage at this time of year.

Ashley and I are  lucky to work with these three schools where we collaborate with dedicated educators, students and families.

Especially at the darkest time of the year, what light and joy they offer the world of education, their communities and families!

We wish all of you a joyous holiday!  Louise and Ashley