Generating Principles
The Education Network’s generating principles provide the foundation for creating a new paradigm for education.
Taking a Stand For Education –
‘Taking a stand’ is the generative speaking that allows one to language one’s personal vision in a way that it can be sustained over time and under any circumstances. When one takes a stand, one creates a new possibility – a future for a community, a discipline or the world, that is distinct from the past. Taking a stand gives educators access to fulfilling their commitment to making a difference with children in their conversations and actions.
'for education’ means in favor of, on the side of, on behalf of.
Education as Possibility –
The long-standing paradigm of education is one of knowing and doing, right or wrong. The activities consistent with this paradigm include looking for the problem or fault, the right answers, solutions, strategies and plans.
Education as possibility is a new paradigm for education. Education as possibility naturally inspires and supports inquiry, invention, creativity and taking a stand for the future. This new paradigm allows for vision, partnership and accomplishment.
Education as a Network of Conversations –
When one observes what is actually happening in education, what is seen are people speaking and listening – having conversations. These conversations are linked to each other – a ‘network of conversations.’ In the ‘network of conversations,’ some conversations are louder that others, some are new, others old, some are in the center of everything, and some are out on the fringes. All of the conversations depend on people speaking and listening them. To impact anything in education, introduce a new conversation or transform an existing conversation.
Operating Principles
The Education Network operating principles guide people's actions and relationships as they pursue their commitments.
Declaring yourself responsible for education –
As a place to begin, fundamentally altering one’s relationship to education from being an observer, participant, victim or consumer to a relationship from which powerful actions can be seen and taken.
Developing and speaking conversations that enroll others in possibility –
Consciously designing and providing speaking and listening that shifts the focus of work from us/them and problems/solutions to what is possible, what is worthwhile and what will make a difference.
Working in partnership with others committed to education –
Based on sharing a commitment to the same future, interacting with others from being on the same team rather than maneuvering within historical boundaries, prejudices, accountabilities or authority.
Communicating straight with people rather than gossiping or complaining –
From a commitment to having one's speaking and listening bring forth possibility and partnership rather than reinforce limitations and biases, engage in declaring one's commitment, making requests, and making and accepting promises.
Being a leader for your vision and commitments, even in the face of no agreement –
Speaking and acting on behalf of the future to which you are committed until and after others have embraced it; risking being disagreed with or disliked for the possibility of making a difference in education.
Being unstoppable in the face of the discomfort and the risk of not knowing, not having a clear pathway laid out –
Engaging oneself, keeping in action, and moving from every success – and failure – into the next accomplishment
Developing registers for accomplishment –
Instead of paying attention only to obvious results, consciously identifying and promoting the range of accomplishments that reveal what is being built and how the vision is moving into reality.