Educational Philosophy Education is about learning, not teaching.

It is an ongoing, fluid and dynamic process; a living, breathing thing that requires nourishment and stimulation to adapt and grow. That growth must be assisted and nurtured by effective leadership that supports all the stakeholders who are involved in the process of learning with the inspiration, tools and support needed for ongoing improvement. We must develop a mental model that embraces the notion that the effective learning requires constant review and adjustment. As Peter Senge says, Not one endeavor or business, from health care to banking to manufacturing to government has stayed the same over the past ten years. Education is no exception (Senge, 2000, p. 82). Yet, in far too many locales, classrooms and school districts, the basic blueprint of education has remained relatively unchanged since the Industrial Revolution. If we are serious about educational reform we must shatter this reality and rethink all the precepts and conceptions with which we have become complacent. We must destroy the teaching in isolation model that permeates most educational communities and challenge those who deliver instruction to be learners themselves, constantly honing their skills and knowledge through on-going, supportive and structured professional development. We must inform and insist upon the adoption of professional learning communities in our schools so that those who facilitate learning can be exposed to the greatest resource we can offer themeach other. We must involve the entire community in the development of a shared vision for the success and achievement of the learners with whom we work. We must accept and embrace the fact that not all learners are the same and deserve more from their education than a cookie cutter, assembly line approach. We must involve our learners in the decisions that impact their education and tirelessly seek to find a way to deliver to each learner the quality resources he or she needs to achieve success. Change is never easy and is often painful, yet without change, there can be no growth. Now is the time to embrace a new generation of reformers dedicated to restructuring the educational model at all levels. Only by throwing off the yoke of complacency and guiding ourselves through change can we hope to achieve a new level of achievement for all learners in America. REFERENCE
Senge, P. M., McCabe, N., & Lucas, T. (2000). Schools that learn: a fifth discipline fieldbook for educators,

parents, and everyone who cares about education. New York: Doubleday.