Archive for September, 2010
“The iPod came from two people, Steve and Jonathan. The Zune came from 250. Which product would you rather own?” – Seth Godin
I participated in NBC’s Education Nation this week, and was again reminded and impressed by the passion and creativity of educators, and the desire to do right by our kids. The need for more learning time was a consistent theme, and there are dozens of excellent examples of innovative, comprehensive summer programs that already deliver more learning time while offering kids options and fun outside the traditional school setting. Yet there is a dearth of large-scale implementation.
Am I alone in my impression that the public sector is behind the curve on innovation and speed to market? The public agency culture often ties our hands on innovation because of a pre-disposition for universal consensus, buy-in, and validation. There’s a tension inherent in the structure that we need to get past. Does the apparent need to be democratic and politically appropriate preclude the innovation and the autocracy it often requires? Are we missing the opportunity to innovate while we wait for consensus?
How can we recognize the compromise necessary in serving the public good, but still rapidly deliver desperately needed innovation in education?
September 30th, 2010
I attended a terrific meeting at the White House yesterday about the role of community-based organizations in school turnaround efforts. There are literally billions of dollars available right now to the 5,000 lowest-performing schools in this country to support transforming, turning around, restarting, or closing those schools. There’s a huge potential role for summers and for nonprofits to play in this work. One strategy that’s explicitly embraced by the U.S. Dept of Education is for schools to launch summer transition programs for kids moving from 8th to 9th grade. Quality summer learning programs can help improve outcomes on student attendance, behavior, and course completion – the so-called ABCs that are critical for high school graduation. Summer is truly a time to solidify and build on school-year gains. Real school reform and transformation is a difficult enterprise – one that should involve a range of people including community and faith based organizations. We should also get serious about using all 12 months of the year to support this work. If we work hard for 180 days during the regular school year, why should we leave the other days to chance? Who’s involved in this work during the summer and what are you learning from your efforts?
September 21st, 2010
The latest post from our Summer Changes Everything host committee features Gail Thomas Strong of WFYI in Indianapolis, who shares great insights about how to make summer learning stick — as well as a favorite place for you to visit while you’re in Indy.
Summer should be about memories. And as adults in summer programs, part of our work should be around creating those memories – new friends, new skills, new learning, and new sense of accomplishment.
I remember a summer camp where I learned to shoot a bow and arrow, and one where I finally managed to get the foil dinner cooked all the way through. There was the summer when I resolved to read an entire mystery series, so made daily trips to the library on my bike. Another summer I set up a candy store in my grandmother’s yard with a friend, and learned a lot about supply and demand – and about eating one’s profits!
As a youth leader, I made it my mission to make sure summers had learning moments every step of the way. The key word was “intentional.” How could we learn more about nature while walking to the pool? How could a field trip to the art museum reveal more than the lovely pieces in the building? How could the teen trip out of town be a prolonged experience in map-reading, budgeting, goal-setting, itinerary-planning, and reflecting? On good days, learning happens incidentally, but on great days, learning happens every minute by design. Camp is more fun, the experience is more meaningful, and the long-term outcomes stick more strongly.
See you at Summer Changes Everything in Indy in November. I’ll bet you have memories of a summer that changed your understanding of who you are and what you could do. At this conference, you’ll learn more about how to make that happen for your campers every day. And while you’re here, visit the new Rhythm Discovery Center museum downtown at Washington and Illinois. Awesome place!
September 20th, 2010
As our Summer Changes Everything™ national conference nears, we’re bringing you glimpses of our conference site, Indianapolis, from the people who know it best: our 2010 host committee. Here, Roderick Wheeler of the Central Indiana Community Foundation tells you about all the things you can do just within a short distance of the conference hotel, the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown:
Downtown Indianapolis is one of the most beautiful places you have probably never seen, and once you visit, you will not want to leave.
–Enjoy the innovative architecture of the elevated glass Artsgarden (hovering above the intersection of Washington Street and Illinois Street) and the unique amenities offered by White River State Park.
–Literally connected to the hotel is the Indiana Convention Center, soon to be the sixteenth largest convention center in the country.–Arrive on Sunday, Nov. 7, before the pre-conference workshops, and you can watch the 2006 NFL Champions and soon to be 2010 Super Bowl Champs, the Indianapolis Colts, play the Philadelphia Eagles at my favorite place, Scotty’s Brewhouse. On Monday, Scotty’s offers all-you-can-eat wing night.
–On the way back to the hotel, pass by the 63,000 seat Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the 2012 Super Bowl (and of our conference welcome reception Tuesday evening).
–Visit the Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) and see a love tale, Mary’s Wedding, just a block from the hotel.
–Circle Centre Mall is in the center of downtown, connected to your conference hotel, but you will never know it. The mall is actually hidden behind the facade of buildings that once graced our city’s skyline.
–Connected to the mall you will find some of the best fine-dining restaurants, including the Oceanaire Seafood Room (one of my favorite places to dine. We can argue all day about the best steakhouse, but St. Elmo, on nearby South Illinois Street, is easily a hometown favorite. But if you are anything like me, and on a budget, then there are more than 260 dining choices in the downtown area that will meet your needs.
–After your session on Tuesday, for as little as $10, come watch the Pacers destroy the Carmelo-led Denver Nuggets at one of the most intriguing stadiums in the NBA.
The Summer Youth Program Fund (SYPF) partners in Indianapolis focus on investing in world-class youth programs so that we may develop world-class citizens. We are especially proud that this great city consistently ranks high as one of the best places to live and to raise children. We are particularly honored that America’s Promise named Indianapolis as one of the top 100 Best Communities for Young People. We can’t wait to see you in Indy at the 2010 Summer Changes Everything™ conference!
September 7th, 2010
