Showing posts with label Seth Godin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seth Godin. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Seth Godin's Frightened, Clueless and Uninformed Riff

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/02/frightenedcluelessuninformed.html
I think there is something to this Seth Godin post. When I look at change at my school, there really are people in each of these camps: Frightened, Clueless and Uninformed. I am sure there are at least three camps, because I have been in all three at one time or another.
The neat thing about all of these groups is that it is possible to get out of each of them! In some cases it may take a little help, but each of these groups is possible to get out of with a little education and a dash of empathy.
If you are trying to change your school, the Frightened will not help you move to where you want to go. They will be clinging to the safety of the way we have always done it. Don't be surprised if this group completely undermines your plan. I've seen it done.
I am not so sure that any organization that did wholesale top-down decision making ever did well initially. If you remember Moses and those tablets there were some problems. Then there was that part about wandering in the desert afterwards for a long time. Do you think it will go any better for you? Can any organization afford that kind of desert time?
Oh sure, there is the military for a top-down management style, but that group is prepared with lots of training and backed with lots of support and tools. This group is not frightened, it is prepared. That kind of preparation takes time and resources.
The Clueless are easy to get going with you if you can raise their consciousness. It will take some information and some time, but if you need everyone it will be worth it.
Same with the Uninformed. Take the time to inform them.
All three groups are going to require training and time. Teach them.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Seth Godin and Connections to Education.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/01/thats-a-special.html
Seth Godin has a great blog.  I think he would say it is about marketing.  I think it is about business, life and leadership on the internet.  It is worth a look for educators as well.
I think schools do need to get more of their content online.
In the next couple of years, the office for working America is going to be where ever you want it to be.  That is actually happening now.  If the office is someplace warm and sunny next week (I am writing this between cold snaps in Minnesota.) don't you think people are going to want to take their kids?  These families are going to want to keep up with school AND go.  Teachers, you have all seen the "requests for assignments" for this very reason.  
Have you seen the harried parent coming to school to get the worksheet that got forgotten in the locker?  Wouldn't it be easier to go online to get the same sheet?  Why does it have to be on paper?
There are tools that are more than ready to make this happen. Moodle, SmartMusic, Blackboard, some grade books, Google Docs, student-server access can all be used to make this change work. 
We can make this work.  But like Seth says in blog post, there is no clear cut way to do this, "the transition isn't structured in an orderly way."  Educators need to be the leaders in this situation or education may get lost in the confusion.
He also warns that this "isn't the old business, just with computers."  Same for education.  Not the same old school.  I think these changes will be a good.  Not the same, better.