"We wanted to create the kind of school that either we
wished we had gone to or that we fantasized would be the school for our
children: a school that emphasizes creativity as much as anything else, that
teaches kids a special way to treat one another through social and emotional
learning.
A place where you don't lose your childlike exuberance, where you
have such a zest for learning, a love of life all the way through, and not have
it educated out of you."
So said Matt Goldman of The Blue School. He hit some great notes with that, and perhaps inspires you and me to revisit our own vision statements.
(You have one, right?)
If you haven't got a vision statement, consider these questions:
- What do I want my kids/students to know?
- What do I want them to feel?
- What do I want them to do?
- What lessons/traits/convictions are absolutely indispensible?
- What order of importance do they hold in relation to each other?
- What order of importance do they hold in relation to other goals and achievements?
- What is the position of my spouse, older children and other influential people in my children's lives on these questions?
- What other questions should define my personal/family/classroom/school educational culture?
The answers to these and similar questions can help you energize your efforts, inspire your direction and - maybe most importantly - help you disqualify and squelch the questions and voices that shouldn't be your concern.
You might want to go on a Vision Quest. We'll be blogging more on this subject soon....
~Oliver and Rachel DeMille, TJEd.org
