During the last week of February 2016, I attended the National Association of Independent Schools Annual Conference 2016. To document some of the major milestones in that experience, I captured a version of the story on Storify. That running record is linked below (because Storify does not embed in WordPress.com sites).

Quick View of My NAIS 2016 Annual Conference.

My session selection had a huge effect on my experience, of course, and my major take-away, which was connected to my choice to do school visits, involved the ways that schools are striving toward great “student-centeredness” and “real-world context” in the work students are undertaking. From sessions with Hawken, Colorado Academy, and a case-study session with Tim Fish of McDonogh, I was afforded a view into several schools that are prioritizing setting the conditions for students to engage in very meaningful, relevant work that goes far beyond some green-covered grade book, or the digital equivalent. Bravo!

And the Urban School shared a session about Inquiry for Equity that showcased that methodology and their faculty as collaboratively curious! I will definitely be looking more closely at that process, as it connects to instructional rounds, critical friends groups, design thinking, etc.

As I continue to reflect on my experience and learning, I will share more specific ponderings, I’m sure.