Fred, Chris and Renee point the way forward towards education in the "real world." I
quote the real world to highlight the essence of their points of view: how do we solve
problems. Too often, way too often, way way too often, schools are the institutions of
conservativeness reflecting old solutions to new issues. Until all of us have a model
that reflects the approach that Rye Country Day School, Green Hill and Seven Hills School
promotes educators are living in the past. There are few of us who do not understand this
so ...
So how is that accomplished? It must lay in the hands of leadership. School leadership:
Division Heads. Deans. Heads.
Any ideas how this can be the standard, not exceptional? The best I have heard from a
significant leader of Independent Schools is that we have to wait until the Heads are
younger: five to ten years. I am too old to be comforted by this.
Can this be true? Is this realistic? Is this viable? As a business model, can we wait
that long?
I believe we, independent schools, bring important thinking to education. High standards
of content and the opportunity for adaptation to new ideas such as those espoused by
Daniel Pink, Sir Kenneth Robinson and Pat Bassett. But, too often, we are too slow to
react in a world where slow reactions cost significantly.
While pencils are useful, so are PDAs, cellphones and wireless tools such as treos,
iPhones, iPod touches, Blackberrys and the like. Why can't we adapt our instructional
styles to reflect that?
my 2¢.
David F. Withrow
Director of Technology
Harford Day School
Bel Air, Maryland 21014
voice: 410 879 2350 ex 33
fax: 410 836 5918
http://www.harfordday.org
The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.
- Yogi Berra
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