Happy Valentine's Day!

“I cannot help fearing that men may reach a point where they look on every new theory as a danger, every innovation as a toilsome trouble, every social advance as a first step toward evolution, and that they may absolutely refuse to move at all.”
-Alexis de Tocqueville
“Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.”
-William Pollard
Innovation is at the heart of our vision for Malibu’s own school district. But what does innovation mean in the context of a school district? Obviously, this is a huge subject and we’ll find our own path together. However, please allow me to suggest two excellent places to start:
First, from the wonderful Education Week Magazine, here are six terrific rules:
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Craft a clearly defined and articulated vision for the district, and make sure everyone understands it and adheres to it.
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Develop strong leaders who encourage informed risk-taking and experimentation rather than protection of the status quo.
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Establish an expectation of continuous learning and improvement from every person at every level of organization.
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Foster an environment in which people have the power to change course quickly if a project or initiative isn’t working.
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Empower everyone in the district, from students to teachers and administrators, to take on leadership roles.
- Ensure a seamless infusion of technology throughout every sector of the district to produce efficiencies and collect meaningful data.
Second, is a brilliant game changing Ted Talk on organizational structure, called As Work Gets More Complex, 6 Rules to Simplify, by Yves Morieux. This one I’ll leave you to watch on your own, by clicking here.
I want to highlight a quote from Jorgen Vig Knudstrop, the CEO of the Lego Group: “Blame is not for failure, it is for failing to help or ask for help.” We’ll be setting up the Malibu School District Implementation Committee pretty soon to discuss these ideas as well as others. In the meantime, shoot me an email, and let me know what you think about innovation in our new school district, and what’s most important to YOU in its vision!
Sincerely,
Craig Foster AMPS President [email protected]
Global Education Movement

Meet four amazing people, who have taken it upon themselves to spread the joy of learning and education.
Meet Myriam Mazzo, a teacher in the central Colombian city of Armenia, a rural town of about 300,000 people nestled in the mountains southwest of Bogotá. In her school’s single classroom, she teaches children of various ages and grade levels who work in small groups at their own pace. Rather than standing by a blackboard at the front of the class, Ms. Mazzo moves among them, serving as a guide more than an instructor.
To read the article click: here
Meet Rajesh Kumar Sharma, who became a hero after he began educating New Delhi's poorest children--and even went as far as creating a free school for them under a metro bridge.
To read the article click: here
Meet Mari Sawai and Mario Ferro, who graduated in 2009 from the Masters in Development program of the London School of Economics, founded Wedu last year, a program to help women in Southeast Asia gain access to higher education through micro-financing, mentorship and counseling.
To read the article click: here
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How to Be a Hacker of Education? April 2010, by Logan LaPlante, Tedx Talks
When 13 year-old Logan LaPlante grows up, he wants to be happy and healthy. He discusses how hacking his education is helping him achieve this goal.
Watch video: here |
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Ed Foundation Falls Short of $4 Million Goal February 5, 2014 By Melissa Caskey, Malibu Times
Read more: here
PDMSS Spelling Bee Results February 3, 2014, By Staff Report, Malibu Times
Read more: here
EPA: Malibu High Samples, Cleaning OK January 28, 2014, by David Mark Simpson, Santa Monica Daily Press
Read more: here
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Re-thinking Education: What Are We Teaching? February 6, 2014, by Suna Senman, Huffington Post
Read more: here
The Pursue Your Dreams, Prepare for Reality February 4, 2014, by Vince Bertram, Huffington Post
Read more: here
Teachers' Job Protection Debated in California Trial February 3, 2014, by Stephen Sawchuk, Ed Week
Read more: here
Obama Sells Race to Top, Early Childhood Education in State of the Union January 28, 2014, by Alyson Klein, Ed Week
Read more: here |
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