Link to the Book: The Fog of Education: How the K-12 Education System Fails Children and Their Families and How the Children Can Save Us!
The Cavalry is not Coming Children.
You will need to take action in order to ensure that your education system truly meets your educational needs. This page is dedicated to providing you with the tools and resources to achieve your goals.
First and foremost, you need to organize school and district-level Student Action Teams (SAT) that have real power to change the status quo of mediocrity and advance true excellence in teaching and learning.
Student Action Plan
Your plan for student action will be an important planning tool that you can use to plan to address situations that students identify. Ideas can be derived from the Student Communication Board that will be included next. You can add comments to these templates if you have suggestions for improvement.
Student Action Team Planning Tool
Student Action Plan Sample
Student Communication Board
You will need to work hard to keep the administration accountable to the needs of the students and not to a loyalty system that gives them power despite doing nothing to improve teaching and learning. A good place to start is to form your Student Action Team (SAT) to begin a dialog with the administration. You can broach the idea of developing and using the Student Communication Board to collect those issues that students are facing on a daily basis. As you work together to address some of the small issues that arise through student input, you will begin to develop trust with the administration. You can then work to take on some of the bigger, more difficult issues that arise around teaching and learning.
Student Communication Board Template
Student Communication Board Sample
Student Data Dash Board
You might also consider developing a Student Data Dashboard to visualize some data of student academic achievement, discipline, absences and so on, as catalysts for issues and celebrations that you would like to highlight in your school.
Student Data Board Template in Word
Student Data Dashboard Template in Excel
Student Data Dashboard Sample
Let’s Have Some Fun
If transforming our education system cannot be fun, what’s the point?
It is always a great idea to bring fun into your Student Action Team planning meetings. For example, you might initiate a meeting with an activity that I call Sculpting Your Vision. Each team member can create an aluminum foil sculpture showing the vision of your wish for your future or the future for your school.
Sculpt Your Own Vision Activity
Build Your Own Strategic Plan
Schools and school districts waste tons of time building huge strategic plans that are long on fluff and short on substance. Most of all they are not designed to serve you well. Why not work with your Student Action Team to build your own 4-page strategic plans for your school or district that focus on your needs?
Why not consider some of the ideas below to build your student-driven strategic plan
- Clarity of learning objectives
- Quality of instruction
- Student engagement
- Relevance to real life
- Inclusive teaching
- Preparation for college and career
- Provision for student feedback and student voice in the classroom and school
Student Strategic Plan Template
Student Strategic Plan Sample
The Fog of Education 