Experiential Education Economic and Leadership Concerns A Heads Perspective

Sarahs story – Sarahs story – What do heads of school have to do to ensure that faculty and students have voice? What do heads of school have to do to ensure that faculty and students have voice? Classroom implications and cultural shift Classroom implications and cultural shift

Three reasons for speaking Three reasons for speaking Headmasters norms Headmasters norms Generational desire to change the world Generational desire to change the world Teacher as student Teacher as student

The creative tension implied by change The creative tension implied by change Reaching all our students Reaching all our students When we add programs, what goes? Is anyone disenfranchised? When we add programs, what goes? Is anyone disenfranchised? LEAPS LEAPS

Experiential Education Principles Motivation Motivation Ownership Ownership Active hands-on engagement Active hands-on engagement Responsibility for self and others Responsibility for self and others Learners constructing knowledge Learners constructing knowledge Relevance Relevance Personal Challenge Personal Challenge Reflection Reflection

Internal Economic Concerns Enrollment and affordability Enrollment and affordability Faculty and staff professional development and compensation Faculty and staff professional development and compensation Financial aid and access Financial aid and access Facility adequacy and maintenance Facility adequacy and maintenance Program cost Program cost Fund-raising Fund-raising Cash flow Cash flow

Leadership challenges Leaders vision vs. school culture Leaders vision vs. school culture Big picture and long-term vs. micro-managing and short-term Big picture and long-term vs. micro-managing and short-term Ensuring the team is in place Ensuring the team is in place Applying democratic principles Applying democratic principles Making decisions and providing direction Making decisions and providing direction Cant please everyone but integrate priorities of all constituents Cant please everyone but integrate priorities of all constituents

Keys to survival of the experiential Centrality to mission Centrality to mission Is the faculty involved and committed? Is the faculty involved and committed? Are the students involved and committed? Are the students involved and committed? What would the school look like without it? What would the school look like without it? How does it resonate with other internal programs and the external culture? How does it resonate with other internal programs and the external culture? How is it communicated? How is it communicated? How is it funded? How is it funded?

Reflections Oak Valley -- PDS Oak Valley -- PDS Interlocken Interlocken Lawrence Academy… Lawrence Academy…