I'm Randy Schenkat
a community member who cares deeply about learning. I'm the
director of the Winona Council for Quality , but for almost a decade
earlier had worked on improvement projects in ISD 861.
I listened with great anticipation this evening, would I connect with the things Paul Bianchi was saying? I've been away from the school district as an employee for over a decade now.
As I listened, I started seeing a very definite connection between that things that make his school tick and a project that the Winona Council for Quality is working on around emerging practices.
Learning was the key at Paul's school. That seems obvious; isn't that what schools are for-for kids' learning?. But he forcefully said if you want to spread the love of learning to kids you must emphasize adult learning and growth. In fact, a record of growth for individual staff at the Paideia School is the currency of the realm. This learning is an ongoing process; they are still working at it constantly reflecting and improving. He cautioned,"don't let the institution get satisfied:however well it working is, it can get better". There is this constant cycle of learning; continual improvement or plan, do ,study, act from quality principles.
The role of leadership is the care and treatment of faculty. How can staff be supported so they can work at the top of their game? He is very public in constantly stating his beliefs about the complexity of the profession of teaching. How are conditions created so that passion in work can be maintained? Pay attention the 80/90% that are on fire with a passion.
Paideia School operates in a mindset that not everything is controllable and the leader can't control. Faculty are empowered as they know best and this is what builds trust. This need not to control relates to maintaining a flexibility grounded in deeper ideas. Be skeptical of the fickleness of magic bullets. This flexibility also doesn't allow for either/ors. The biggest either/or Paul debunked is that schools have to either be effective or humane; they can't be both. That's the core of Paideia School, you can have them both, and they do.
Paul offered a disclaimer on being a private school. As I listened and reflect on the ideas above-conditions that support adult learning and passion in work, constant reflection and improvement, flexibility and empowerment- I can't see the public private distinctions. These are qualities of organizations that are going to thrive. How can these ideas be inculcated in the culture of our community and schools?
We have to ask where are schools in Winona in living these qualities? Where are our businesses and other organizations such as churches, human services, etc?
I listened with great anticipation this evening, would I connect with the things Paul Bianchi was saying? I've been away from the school district as an employee for over a decade now.
As I listened, I started seeing a very definite connection between that things that make his school tick and a project that the Winona Council for Quality is working on around emerging practices.
Learning was the key at Paul's school. That seems obvious; isn't that what schools are for-for kids' learning?. But he forcefully said if you want to spread the love of learning to kids you must emphasize adult learning and growth. In fact, a record of growth for individual staff at the Paideia School is the currency of the realm. This learning is an ongoing process; they are still working at it constantly reflecting and improving. He cautioned,"don't let the institution get satisfied:however well it working is, it can get better". There is this constant cycle of learning; continual improvement or plan, do ,study, act from quality principles.
The role of leadership is the care and treatment of faculty. How can staff be supported so they can work at the top of their game? He is very public in constantly stating his beliefs about the complexity of the profession of teaching. How are conditions created so that passion in work can be maintained? Pay attention the 80/90% that are on fire with a passion.
Paideia School operates in a mindset that not everything is controllable and the leader can't control. Faculty are empowered as they know best and this is what builds trust. This need not to control relates to maintaining a flexibility grounded in deeper ideas. Be skeptical of the fickleness of magic bullets. This flexibility also doesn't allow for either/ors. The biggest either/or Paul debunked is that schools have to either be effective or humane; they can't be both. That's the core of Paideia School, you can have them both, and they do.
Paul offered a disclaimer on being a private school. As I listened and reflect on the ideas above-conditions that support adult learning and passion in work, constant reflection and improvement, flexibility and empowerment- I can't see the public private distinctions. These are qualities of organizations that are going to thrive. How can these ideas be inculcated in the culture of our community and schools?
We have to ask where are schools in Winona in living these qualities? Where are our businesses and other organizations such as churches, human services, etc?
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Randy Schenkat 1358 Skyline Dr. Winona, Mn
55987 507-452-7168
