Lessig realizes that copyright issues are subsumed under the larger one of corruption. In our context then, what are the larger issues that subsumes school reform? Power structures, notions of human nature, and personal liberty are just a few of them. School corruption is about all of these especially the institutional imperative for survival at all costs.

Myles Horton put it best, “The job is to organize a school just well enough to get teachers and students together and see that it gets no better organized.” These ‘yeasty’ places will multiply themselves and fundamentally change society.

We are what we value and right now we valorize expert knowledge. It is fine to do so, but it is important that expertise be a part of the mix and not the cream that holds the froth down. I foresee personal learning networks as the next great ocean to explore. I certainly am exploring them constantly as are many of you and consider it my main function to enable others to do so as well. We are the new compass-makers looking for another magnetic north. May we be true.

I’m just trying to see the entry point to the conversation that would do the most good. I don’t disagree, Rob or Dave, that creating curriculum around these ideas would be a good thing to do to assist those that are trying to head down this path. But you guys that read this blog and enter these conversations and think about changing your curriculum are way far ahead of your counterparts across the country. My question is what is it that’s going to loosen the floodgates, and I think it’s really attacking some of the larger “yeah buts.” My personal search right now is trying to figure out the best way to do that.

I certainly have noticed a change in your writing the last few months. I am sorry to read about your growing pessimism regarding public education. I did not pick that up during the two times I listened to you speak in person (last July and December). There are teachers out there who are ready to move forward, and we principals need assistance in guiding and supporting them. That is why I look to people like you and some others for help.
It’s too early in the game to give up!

Le Centre-ville d’Atlanta est plutôt tranquille aujourd’hui. On peut déambuler dans les rues sans problème; les gens rencontrés ont le temps de donner tous les renseignements aux quelques badauds qui cherchent le…

It’s probably no surprise that I think Open Source Curriculum is a promising route toward exemplars and then systemic change. With the progress that Curriki is making developing the necessary curriculum-building tools, we’re nearing an inflection point. I’m moving thousands of resources there and shutting down the other sites.

If speeches and one-shot workshops aren’t yielding enough cumulative progress, why not use your pedestal to ask readers and listeners to come together and create an exemplary blogging-in-the-classroom unit…then a course for Read/Write English–done right, with samples of student work and video of teachers implementing…then a whole curriculum. Pretty soon, you’d have a real community of practice, departments adopting the curriculum, and charter and pilot schools springing up.

You’re uniquely positioned to make this happen, Will. People would contribute if they knew you’d be drawing attention to their work. I know Curriki is going to be at NECC, or I could put you in touch.