Collaborative Tasks

While students require some quiet time to internalize new knowledge they also benefit from “socializing” intelligence. Working together in cooperative groups on standards based tasks. This does not mean simple putting students into groups to do the same work; it means utilizing structures where each member contributes and displays their own knowledge thereby gaining a deeper knowledge themselves and increasing the knowledge of the group overall.
Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey assert that technology can support these structures. For example, students can Google Docs to write and receive feedback from peers. How have you used technology in a collaborative manner?

Leaders and Bureaucrats

There is a young leader in my office. He has lots of enthusiasm and ideas. Recently I noticed that he’s been trending towards some bureaucratic tendencies; it’s easy to do in a large organization. So here is some unsolicited advice to him and others:

Bureaucrats play not to lose.

Leaders play to win.

Bureaucrats think of reasons why an idea may not work.

Leaders think about ways to make an idea work.

Bureaucrats react to situations.

Leaders create environments.

Bureaucrats learn not to repeat past failures.

Leaders know that failure is part of building success.

Bureaucrats worry about how they are perceived.

Leaders worry about doing their best and how to bring out the best in others.

Bureaucrats fear risk.

Leaders love to push the envelope.

Bureaucrats manage organizations.

Leaders support people.

Who do you want to be?