Where Next and How Do We Get There?

For the past two years, Grosse Pointe North High School has adopted the slogan and mission "Be the Change". This adopted slogan lifted from a Gandhi quote has taken on many different meanings in our building.

Three years ago we hosted our first Challenge Day event. Challenge Day is an activity that teaches students to look beyond the surface and realize that we all share similar issues, dreams, and are ultimately more alike than we are different. Our building has embraced this philosophy as a way to foster a positive atmosphere. Over the past three years approximately 600 North students and dozens of staff members have attended this life-changing event. As an outgrowth, we have had numerous "Be the Change" activities, a "Be the Change" tutorial classroom, and a variety of activities designed to bring students and staff closer.

Beyond the philosophies we've adopted from the Challenge Day experiences, "Be the Change" has taken on other meanings. We've created and implemented a plan called High Schools 2.0 designed to change the way we deliver instruction. We've opened our school's access to social networking sites, digital media, online delivery systems, and encouraged teachers and students to embrace technology. The integration of hardware and software tools in our classrooms has included Smart Boards in virtually every classroom, document cameras, clicker response systems, various content specific technologies, and many other innovations. We've instituted systematic support systems for struggling learners, including the building's Freshman Academic SuccessTeam, and Sophomore Academic Team. We've successfully "changed" the way we deliver and support instruction in meaningful ways.

The question of what's next dovetails nicely with the graduation of our class 0f 2010. After all, this is the question faced by every graduating senior each year. The answer is really pretty simple - it's not what destination is next so much as it is what journey is next. Change in the way we view each other as people, change in the way we view each other as learners and educators, and change in our learning environment cannot be represented as a destination. We've never "made it". The journey is the thing.

Next on our journey I envision that we will develop even more digitally and connected students and educators. We will expand our use of digital media, social networks and online delivery systems. Most importantly, we will adapt to more project based learning so that students are in situations that teach them how to think and problem solve. In today's fluid, organic world of change there is still a need for specific content knowledge, but that need is couched in a necessity that we all have a knowledge base from which to problem solve. Our task as educators is to create a generation of creative thinkers who, when faced with the new and ever-changing issues that will arise, will be able to create solutions.

Beyond, yet connected to, the ability to problem solve comes a necessity to understand and relate to people and societies across the globe. Our ever expanding digital connectivity, and corresponding flattening globe, makes it more critical than ever that we all relate to and understand one another as people. We have to embrace and understand different cultures, and the responsibility on schools to expand to partnerships with classrooms across our country and the world will grow exponentially as a result.

The next stop is never a stop - it's part of the journey. "Be the Change" isn't just a slogan or a mission or vision on a laminated poster - it's a way of life. Those who don't embrace change in the future will be run over by it. Our task as educators is to help shape a new generation of change agents. A generation with the ability, force and desire to make change happen and enjoy the journey along the way.