chris thinnes

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION & LEADERSHIP

[2012, REV 2014]



We wlll look back on Lhese flrsL decades of Lhe 21sL
cenLury as Lhe mosL LurbulenL and LransformaLlve
perlod ln Lhe hlsLory of educaLlon. As sLewards of a
greaL LradlLlon, and leaders of a movemenL forward, we
recognlze ln uavld 1hornburg's words, aL Lhe Lurn of
our cenLury, our calllng and our goal: "We musL
Lransform all formal lnsLlLuLlons of learnlng, from pre-k
Lhrough college, Lo ensure LhaL we are preparlng
sLudenLs for Lhelr fuLure, noL for our pasL."

Lvery school ls a school ln LranslLlon: Lo suggesL
oLherwlse would be nalve, lnLellecLually dlshonesL, or
self-desLrucLlve ln Lhe face of ever-evolvlng research on
effecLlve learnlng and neurologlcal developmenL, Lhe
exponenLlal advancemenL of lnformaLlon and
communlcaLlon Lechnologles, demographlc paLLerns
LhaL redeflne our collecLlve undersLandlng and
lmmerslon ln a 'communlLy,' and socloeconomlc Lrends
LhaL challenge convenLlonal wlsdom abouL lnsLlLuLlons'
amblLlons and chlldren's dreams.

uesLrucLlve preoccupaLlons wlLh 'accounLablllLy' ln Lhe
publlc secLor, and dlsLorLed noLlons of 'excellence' and
'rlgor' ln Lhe prlvaLe secLor, have dlverLed us from our
Lrue calllngs as educaLors: Lo aLLend Lo Lhe deslgn,
reflnemenL, and advancemenL of educaLlonal pracLlces
LhaL honor, nurLure, and caLalyze Lhe lnLrlnslc
moLlvaLlon of chlldren Lo learn and Lo Lhrlve ln a
changlng world. WhaL should be undersLood as a
challenge of deslgn and leadershlp has been reduced,
ln boLh secLors, Lo a bureaucraLlc preoccupaLlon wlLh
grades, LesL scores, compeLlLlon, and lndlvldual
'achlevemenL' LhaL has dlmlnlshed chlldren's auLhenLlc
engagemenL wlLh learnlng.

AbsenL Lhe resLrlcLlons of mlsgulded educaLlon pollcy,
lndependenL schools are generally besL poslLloned aL
Lhls [uncLure - owlng Lo Lhelr auLonomy, Lhelr
efflclency, Lhelr communlLy, and Lhelr phllosophy - Lo
deslgn, supporL, and promoLe acLlve and lncluslve
learnlng communlLles LhaL help chlldren Lo learn, Lo
creaLe, Lo lead, Lo serve, and Lo succeed ln an ever-
changlng world. 1he mosL effecLlve schools wlll noL
merely 'prepare' sLudenLs Lo funcLlon ln Lhese
capaclLles as adulLs, buL provlde Lhem auLhenLlc and
supporLed opporLunlLles Lo learn, Lo creaLe, Lo lead, Lo
serve, and Lo succeed ln Lhelr llves as chlldren.
lndependenL schools are challenged ln Lhls venLure,
desplLe Lhelr freedom and Lhelr local conLrol, prlmarlly
by Lhelr economlc model and Lhelr meLhods of
selecLlon - whlch have Lended Lo proLecL prlvllege and
Lo deny chlldren, lnslde and ouLslde Lhelr gaLes, a broad
specLrum of cruclal learnlng opporLunlLles ln
communlLy wlLh a demographlcally and democraLlcally
represenLaLlve communlLy of learners, famllles, and
educaLors.

1he success of Lhe educaLlonal enLerprlse, ln Lhls
LransformaLlonal perlod, depends upon Lhe school's
commlLmenL Lo a number of cenLral obllgaLlons and
lmperaLlves:

to des|gn a curr|cu|um of sk|||s and behav|ors,
not an |ndex of content
Cur lndebLedness Lo a body of knowledge LhaL
precedes us does noL compel our deslgn of an
educaLlonal program LhaL merely ouLllnes lLs
developmenL, and expecLs learners Lo recaplLulaLe lL.
8esearch has capably demonsLraLed LhaL conLenL
knowledge ls opLlmally acqulred durlng Lhe
performance of meanlngful acLlvlLles and pracLlce of
relevanL skllls. As Lhe greaL CranL Wlgglns wrlLes, "LeL's
see whaL resulLs lf we Lhlnk of acLlon, noL knowledge,
as Lhe essence of an educaLlon, leL's see whaL resulLs
from Lhlnklng of fuLure ablllLy, noL knowledge of Lhe
pasL, as Lhe core, leL's see whaL follows, Lherefore,
from Lhlnklng of conLenL knowledge as nelLher Lhe alm
of currlculum nor Lhe key bulldlng blocks of lL, buL as
Lhe offshooL of learnlng Lo do Lhlngs now and for Lhe
fuLure." LeL's Leach chlldren flrsL, sub[ecLs second. 1hls
approach requlres Lhe developmenL, boLh physlcally
and vlrLually, of more flexlble and more personal
learnlng envlronmenLs, a redeflnlLlon of Leachlng
pracLlce, and an erasure of convenLlonal borderllnes
beLween sub[ecL areas and programs: collaboraLlon,
communlcaLlon, creaLlvlLy, and crlLlcal Lhlnklng musL be
lnLegraLed LhroughouL Lhe educaLlonal program, lLs
learnlng envlronmenLs, and lLs professlonal norms.

to promote student-centered |earn|ng and
authent|c engagement
AlberL LlnsLeln lamenLed LhaL lL ls a "mlracle LhaL
curloslLy survlves a formal educaLlon." lL should no
longer be a mlracle, buL an expecLaLlon, LhaL curloslLy
should flourlsh. 1oo ofLen, as Mark WlndschlLl noLes,
"Lhe Lask for sLudenLs ls Lo recognlze how Lhe Leacher
made connecLlons, and Lo reconsLrucL Lhe Leacher's
Lhlnklng on Lhe nexL LesL." ro[ecL-based learnlng,
challenge-based learnlng, and porLfollo preparaLlon are

among Lhose vlbranL and vlable meLhodologles LhaL
lnvlLe auLhenLlc lnqulry and dlscovery, promoLe deeper
learnlng, and requlre Lhe consLrucLlons and
appllcaLlons of meanlng LhaL mlghL, and should, dlffer
from sLudenL Lo sLudenL. 1eachers musL be prepared Lo
meeL and Lo supporL each sLudenL "aL her level," Lo
collaboraLe effecLlvely wlLh each oLher wlLh Lhe
chlldren's lnLeresLs ln mlnd, and Lo undersLand Lhelr
roles as faclllLaLors and menLors--experLs noL only on
sub[ecL-area knowledge and skllls, buL on learnlng and
chlldhood developmenL. ulglLal Lools musL be
leveraged wldely and LhoughLfully Lo Lransform
Leachlng and learnlng, buL new Lechnologles musL be
lnLegraLed wlLh new pedagogles. Meanlngful
exploraLlons and lnqulrles musL honor careful prlnclples
of deslgn for effecLlve masLery and Lransfer: as Wlgglns
noLes, "!usL because lL ls hands-on doesn'L make lL
mlnds-on."

to cu|t|vate student vo|ce, se|f-d|rect|on, and
ref|ect|on
Whlle honorlng Lhe school's vlslon, exerclslng sLrong
leadershlp, supporLlng concreLe expecLaLlons, and
modellng successful learnlng behavlors and respecLful
relaLlonshlps, adulLs musL creaLe auLhenLlc
opporLunlLles for sLudenLs Lo flnd and exerclse Lhelr
volces. lnslde Lhe classroom, as uewey clalmed, we
musL "surrender our hablL of Lhlnklng of lnsLrucLlon as...
pourlng knowledge lnLo a menLal and moral hole whlch
awalLs fllllng." We musL honor or consLrucL
opporLunlLles for sLudenLs Lo dlscover and creaLe
meanlngful learnlng, leadershlp, and servlce lnlLlaLlves
lnslde and ouLslde Lhe classroom. lrom Lhe earllesL
ages we musL carefully fosLer and supporL capaclLles Lo
seL concreLe goals, Lo crafL effecLlve sLraLegles for
success, Lo sollclL supporL from more experlenced or
proflclenL volces, Lo reflecL on one's soclal and
academlc responslblllLles, and Lo lead and Lo supporL
each oLher as clLlzens ln a democraLlc communlLy.
1hese are vlLal preoccupaLlons ln a learnlng
envlronmenL devoLed Lo Lhe value of lnLrlnslc
moLlvaLlon: as Alfle kohn suggesLs, sLudenLs' "acLlve
parLlclpaLlon ln every sLage of Lhe process ls conslsLenL
wlLh Lhe overwhelmlng consensus of experLs LhaL
learnlng ls a maLLer of consLrucLlng ldeas, raLher Lhan
passlvely absorblng lnformaLlon or pracLlclng skllls."

to exp|ore and to |mp|ement |nnovat|ve
assessment pract|ces
We musL gaLher meanlngful daLa abouL sLudenL growLh
and professlonal performance--noL Lo serve Lhe
bureaucraLlc or auLhorlLarlan purposes of convenLlonal,
'hlgh sLakes' admlsslons or performance LesLlng, buL Lo
lnform more effecLlve learnlng, lnsLrucLlon, faclllLaLlon,
and professlonal developmenL. CommensuraLe wlLh
Lhe developmenL of a currlculum of skllls and behavlors,
we should pay heed Lo Lhe flndlngs of 8alph 1yler and
so many oLhers LhaL "knowledge ls an lndlcaLor of
educaLlonal success, noL Lhe alm." CurrenL exploraLlons
and lnnovaLlve pracLlces ln Lhe areas of non-cognlLlve
assessmenL, performance Lask assessmenL, and self-
assessmenL slgnal lmporLanL new mllesLones ln our
undersLandlng of noL [usL 'lf,' buL how, we can assess
Lhe developmenL of proflclencles Lo lmprove Lhe
rellablllLy of our programs and pracLlces. We should
apply Lhese prlnclples noL only Lo our assessmenL of
learners' developmenL, buL also Lo Lhe proflclencles of
our Leachers and leaders, and Lo our percepLlons of our
communlLy and lLs growLh.

to foster a growth m|ndset |n a|| members of
the schoo| commun|ty
Learners, Leachers, parenLs, and leaders musL be
helped, and help each oLher, Lo undersLand Lhelr
currenL ablllLles, 'LalenLs,' and challenges noL as "flxed
LralLs" buL as ever-evolvlng characLerlsLlcs and
behavlors Lhey !"# develop Lhrough concreLe sLraLegles
and effecLlve efforLs, and LhaL Lhey $%&' develop ln
order Lo address nascenL and evolvlng challenges. Carol
uweck's semlnal research and wrlLlng conflrms uewey's
supposlLlon ln 1916: "1he educaLlve process ls a
conLlnuous process of growLh, havlng as lLs alm aL
every sLage an added capaclLy of growLh." A school
musL relmaglne and revlLallze commlLmenLs Lo
professlonal developmenL, honorlng Lhe prlnclples of
Lhe educaLlonal program's deslgn ln lLs sLraLegy for
professlonal growLh: educaLors musL undersLand
Lhemselves, as !ennlfer Macon puLs lL, "as learners flrsL,
and Leachers second" ln a professlonal learnlng
communlLy. 1he lnsLlLuLlon lLself musL noL only
lmmerse lLself ln currenL and emerglng research, and
lmplemenL lLs flndlngs, buL acLlvely conLrlbuLe Lo a
shared body of accumulaLed evldence on effecLlve
learnlng and lnnovaLlve lnsLrucLlonal pracLlce. Leaders
of Lhe lnsLlLuLlon, and parenLs ln Lhelr households,
musL also undersLand Lhe wlsdom of Sarah Wessllng's
creed: "We model learnlng. l need Lo be Lhe lead
learner."

to va|ue character as a 'competency'
We musL mlndfully deslgn opporLunlLles and promoLe
healLhy pracLlces Lo supporL Lhe soclal, emoLlonal, and
characLer developmenL of all learners, model empaLhlc,
collaboraLlve, and respecLful relaLlonshlps ln Lhe
professlonal communlLy, and supporL reslllence and
problem-solvlng among sLudenLs. 1he volce and agency
we lncreaslngly expecL chlldren Lo exerclse ln Lhe
classroom, ls perhaps all Lhe more lmporLanL Lo nurLure
and Lo challenge ln Lhelr soclal llves. We musL
encourage sLudenLs Lo become good frlends and
colleagues, and LhoughLful dlglLal clLlzens--and help
equlp Lhem Lo make sound moral and eLhlcal declslons,
raLher Lhan merely Lo proLecL Lhem from exposure Lo
Lhem. 1hese are prlnclples and pracLlces LhaL should be

lnLenLlonally lnLegraLed, conslsLenLly expecLed, and
LhoughLfully developed LhroughouL Lhe educaLlonal
program, emphaslzlng reflecLlon and responslblllLy
lnslde and ouLslde Lhe classroom. Alfle kohn conflrms
LhaL "chlldren learn wlLh and from one anoLher ln a
carlng communlLy, and LhaL's Lrue of moral as well as
academlc learnlng."

to susta|n and to support a d|verse and
|nc|us|ve commun|ty
1he auLhenLlclLy of a learnlng communlLy depends on,
and should reflecL, Lhe dlverslLy of race, eLhnlclLy,
culLure, rellglon, sexual orlenLaLlon, ablllLy, and
socloeconomlc sLaLus LhaL consLlLuLes our broader
socleLy. lndependenL schools musL come Lo Lerms wlLh
Lhelr hlsLory of servlce Lo a woefully lnadequaLe cross-
secLlon of Lhe Amerlcan populaLlon, and radlcally
reLhlnk Lhelr models of flnance and selecLlon Lo remaln
susLalnable ln a democracy. ln Lhe lnLerlm, a conLlnual
and acLlve efforL musL be made Lo recrulL famllles and
employees from a broad specLrum of backgrounds, and
slgnlflcanL resources musL be devoLed Lo Lhe supporL,
empowermenL, and reLenLlon of all members of Lhe
communlLy. lnLenLlonal developmenL of cross-culLural
compeLencles should be embedded LhroughouL Lhe
educaLlonal program Lo ensure our collecLlve reflecLlon,
respecL, and dependence on a varleLy of llved
experlences and polnLs of vlew, Lhese efforLs should be
modeled and faclllLaLed by Lhe acLlve lnqulry and
evoluLlon of all educaLors and parenLs. Analogous
prlnclples should be broughL Lo bear on Lhe lncluslon of
learners wlLh dlverse educaLlonal needs--wheLher Lhey
have speclal needs, or speclal glfLs--Lo ensure Lhe mosL
auLhenLlc, lncluslve, and equlLable engagemenL of all
learners aL Lhelr levels. SupporL for all members of Lhe
communlLy should be provlded wlLhouL sLlgma or
sLereoLype.

to transcend trad|t|ona| boundar|es of the
|earn|ng commun|ty
1he school musL value lLs lndependence and auLonomy
whlle fosLerlng a varleLy of dynamlc, respecLful, and
reclprocal relaLlonshlps wlLh Lhe communlLles ln whlch
lL ls slLuaLed. 1hls beglns wlLh Lhe developmenL of more
healLhful parenL/school parLnershlps, ln an acLlve
dlalogue LhaL recognlzes and honors boLh Lhe
experlence and Lhe experLlse of all parLles, and Lhelr
shared commlLmenL Lo Lhe welfare of Lhe chlldren ln
Lhelr care. 8elaLlonshlps musL be forged wlLh buslness,
publlc servlce, and advocacy organlzaLlons, Lo leverage
and Lo lnform Lhe experlence and lnslghL of lnnovaLors
and acLlvlsLs, and Lo creaLe opporLunlLles for
experlenLlal learnlng for our sLudenLs. ln Lhe
educaLlonal professlon, lndependenL schools have
operaLed aL a relaLlve remove from one anoLher, and ln
near-uLLer lsolaLlon from publlc schools and dlsLrlcLs--
ouL of whlch monumenLal mlsconcepLlons of our
guldlng prlnclples, and our consLlLuenLs, have been
borne. lndependenL school educaLors are now more
polsed Lhan ever Lo collaboraLe, wlLh each oLher and
wlLh publlc school educaLors, ln an efforL Lo resolve our
common and enormous challenges wlLh Lhe wlsdom of
our dlsLlncL experlence. 1he values of a vlbranL
communlLy of learners musL be embraced and modeled
by lLs leaders.

to honor, to ref|ne, and to advance the
schoo|'s m|ss|on
We musL honor Lhe vlslon of our founders and
sLewards, and Lhe legacy of greaL Lhlnkers and acLlvlsLs,
whlle undersLandlng Lhe lnsLlLuLlon's role, value, and
poLenLlal ln an ever-changlng culLure and socleLy. We
musL be fearless ln our honesLy, open-mlndedness, and
wllllngness Lo quesLlon our own hlsLory, repuLaLlon,
capaclLy, and poLenLlal ln our search Lo deflne our
ldenLlLy. 1o have an opporLunlLy Lo do so, we musL
develop a concreLe vlslon for sLraLeglc plannlng and
fosLer communlLy consensus and supporL, whlle
devoLlng ourselves Lo acLlve flnanclal developmenL, and
prudenL flnanclal managemenL, Lo proLecL Lhe lnLegrlLy,
flexlblllLy, and endurance of our long-Lerm vlslon and
commlLmenLs. ulLlmaLely, we musL have boLh Lhe
courage and Lhe capaclLy, as Alfle kohn suggesLs, Lo
"follow our core values--bolsLered by research and
experlence--wherever Lhey lead."

- - -

ln Lhe flrsL decade of Lhe 21sL cenLury we began Lo ask
cruclal quesLlons abouL Lhe purposes and Lhe pracLlces
of educaLlonal lnsLlLuLlons, ln Lhe second we have
sLarLed Lo flnd answers. 1hese answers have come, ln
some cases, from Lhe deslgn of lnnovaLlve soluLlons Lo
challenges we've never had Lo face, ln oLhers, from a
reLurn Lo a rlch LradlLlon of sLudenL-cenLered prlnclples
long obscured by whaL !ames nehrlng refers Lo as
"ouLdaLed pollcy changes LhaL have calclfled lnLo
convenLlons."

We now undersLand Lhe wlsdom of Slr ken 8oblnson's
call Lo acLlon: "8eform ls no use anymore, because
LhaL's slmply lmprovlng upon a broken model. WhaL we
need... ls noL evoluLlon, buL a revoluLlon ln educaLlon.
1hls has Lo be ')"#&*+)$,- lnLo someLhlng else." As
leaders of vlbranL learnlng communlLles, we musL
model and promoLe Lhese prlnclples and pracLlces, ln
our efforL Lo heed Lhe perhaps more dlre warnlng of
nAlS resldenL aL 8asseLL: "Schools LhaL are noL
schools +* Lhe fuLure... wlll noL be schools .# Lhe
fuLure."