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Photos from the first Rowland Foundation retreat with Barry & Wendy, the Board of Trustees, Director Chuck Scranton, and Rowland Fellows 2009-2013.

Thanks for sharing. We look great - and according to one of my breakout groups, we would look even better in Rowland fleeces (although some preferred hoodies).

Keep the digital records coming! I think the video you are taking could become a powerful tool of communication and transformation!

"The Rowland Foundation: Teacher Workshops 2011-2012" In order to sustain and extend the conversations from the Conference on High School Transformation, The Rowland Foundation will offer the following workshops during the 2011-2012 school year. By limiting enrollment to about 20 participants, these workshops are designed to provide more participatory discussion and greater detail than that which was offered at the Sept. 22 conference. In each case the host school and its Rowland Fellow will be able to illustrate in practice the principles being discussed. These workshops are offered in two parts: a session in fall and one again in the spring to enable participants to engage in conversations while working to implement changes in their own schools. We look forward to furthering the conversations that were started in Burlington.

This article is from the discussion led by Rowland Fellow Adam Rosenberg who visited Finland in 2010. The author, Pasi Sahlberg, emphasizes how Finnish teachers are respected as innovators and experts in their field--much like the philosophy of the Rowland Foundation! He contrasts this approach with the test-based accountability system so prevalent in the U.S. Here's another Finland article which discusses The Finland Phenomenon, a film featuring Tony Wagner's exploration of the Finnish school system. Wagner will be the keynote speaker at this year's Rowland Foundation Conference on School Transformation. http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/11602/the_finland_phenomenon/ Watch The Finland Phenomenon trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcC2l8zioIw For more on the Rowland Foundation Conference at the University of Vermont: http://www.therowlandfoundation.org/annual_conference.shtml

When it comes to NCLB and educational opportunity, Darling-Hammond & Ravitch are rock stars in the field. Here's a very approachable presentation of some of their Finland ideas. Good for a school board meeting? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP3tF2fF2B4&feature=related

I believe that the most Powerful...and Empowering...piece of this is in Teacher Preparation. I also believe that this is where the biggest obstacles and push-back would be found if we were to try to implement this across Vermont.

I haven't listened to the whole podcast yet, but it is interesting to hear what's happening in Maine to personalize learning and to create effective professional development.  Projects4ME should be of interest Rowland Fellow Alison.

I sent him off an email. Maybe he'll share with us. As we all know 80% of success is putting oneself out there.

This is the slideshow from my session at the 2012 Rowland Conference on School Transformation at UVM. Even with the minimalist zen presentation style, there are still some concepts, quotes & statistics which may be useful if you're making the case for change at your school.

Charlie MacFadyen & Robin Fawcett, two very talented colleagues, gave this presentation at the CVU School Transformation in 2010 with support from the Rowland Foundation. While you need Charlie & Robin to get the full effect, the slides alone provide one of the best explanations of authentic assessment I know of. It's also a terrific example of "zen presentation".

As Rowland Fellows our charge is to be "Disruptors" in our schools. "To be a disruptor you need to be: Not afraid to push into new technologies. Ready to take criticisms from all directions (including fellow teachers). Ready to be the lone wolf in your building or even your district. Ready to build your own PLN via Twitter, Google +, Edmodo, or Facebook. Be willing to travel to and attend conferences. Move forward without fear of failure. Ready to experience failure more than once. Most of all disrupt your students, teachers, school and district."

As Rowland Fellows our charge is to Challenge the System, to Question Everything. "...far too many teachers conform, go with the flow and take just about everything at face value. They don't challenge things. They don't question things. They don't stand up for what they know is right for the profession and for the students they teach."

"...some of the most innovative thinking is not coming from above, but from the ground level, where the action is. Teachers and students in local schools are making their own plans on how to meet these demands and tie efforts together to improve student learning. The laboratory is the school itself, and the benefactor supporting the research is Vermont's own Rowland Foundation."

"As part of IDEA'’s efforts to foster dynamic conversations around powerful learning, we invite you to join us for an Innovation Tour in Vermont. Thirty participants will spend the day visiting three innovative schools and programs and reflecting on our experiences together." Rowland Fellow Tom Sabo's work at Montpelier High School will be one of the three stops!

Tony Wagner's entire keynote address from the September 27th Rowland Foundation Conference on School Transformation at the University of Vermont. I will also be posting short clips in the coming weeks. If you have a recommendation please let me know. jfinley@rnesu.org

Nice article about the work being done by the Rowland Foundation and the Fellows.

Getting geared up for our Rowland Conference on Sept 27th!

Video of keynote address by Sir Ken Robinson at the 2011 Rowland Foundation Conference on High School Transformation. Worth a second listen.

May we have the password to gain access?

Hello Karen and others looking for the SKR video, We will be putting that video back up this week. We will also be posting that password for all Rowland Diigo members. We will also be looking to suss a few key points from the keynote. These will then be posted as short 4 to 5 minute clips.

Electronic handouts to accompany Dr. Wagner's Rowland September 27 Rowland workshop. Tony Wagner, Ed.D. Innovation Education Fellow Technology & Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard

Often in groups such as this multiple variations of a tag topic are created by different users. To help ensure that our collective bookmarks are easily searchable, here is a list of preferred tags for the Rowland Foundation Group's library. When entering a tag that is more than one word, please use "quotes" around that tag. This will keep your tag singular, such as Achievement Gap rather than separating them into Achievement and Gap. Preferred Tags Achievement Gap Authentic Assessment Collaborative Teaching Community Partnerships Confrence document Experiential Education External Learning Opportunities Family and Parent Partnerships Formative Assessment Grant Opportunity PDF Place-based Education School Change Service Learning Sir Ken Robinson Student Voice Thematic Instruction video

"Chance favors the connected mind." Why the Rowland Foundation Group Diigo can be the keystone to school change in Vermont. How do we create a system where we can allow our collective "hunches" to come together to form something bigger than the sum of their parts?

This reminds me so much of the Rowland Foundation! Tremendous potential in our network of educators...provided we can use technology to sustain ongoing collaboration.

Leading School Transformation (EDLP 380) is a graduate-level course that brings together educators who are leading transformation efforts in Vermont schools. The course will build on the Rowland Foundation Transformation Conference at the University of Vermont through professional dialogue, personal refelection, and related readings. EDLP 380 will help participants develop school-based projects based on the latest research related to school transformation. Participants will read The Big Picture by Dennis Littky and Drive by Daniel Pink and develop strategies to lead change at their schools.