Building Schools in the Air

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.

Henry David Thoreau

We tell kids every day to reach for the stars and that nothing is impossible.  I've even written a previous post about the whole concept of "I'm Possible".  Thoreau's quote speaks volumes to the approach that schools should take towards educating all children.  We should be building castles in the air while providing a strong foundation for all students.

I'm willing to guarantee that not one of my students' dreams include being proficient on a standardized test or learning a skill in isolation.  Why do so many schools do exactly that and wonder why students are not engaged? This approach does not provide the type of foundation for success in my opinion.  Why would we settle for building a dwelling with no view when we can have a castle in the air?  We must move beyond minimum proficiency goals and start building our schools in the air.  The view from there will be amazing! B