Cross posted on Creative Tension. A new blog for school leaders.
The gap between vision and current reality is also a source of energy. If there were no gap, there would be no need for any action to move towards the vision. We call this gap creative tension.
Peter Senge, The Fifth Discipline
I have had this quote hanging on my office wall for years but during the past year it has become much more meaningful to me. More meaningful because the gap between the vision that I have for schools and the current reality seems enormous. This large gap has created a sense of urgency for me that continues to build. It’s extremely exciting and I’m now on a personal and professional mission to provide the type of leadership that is necessary to move schools into the future. Fortunately or unfortunately, according to John Legend in If You’re Out There, “the future started yesterday and we’re already late”.
My vision for schools is one in which:
- teachers and students seamlessly use technology in the teaching and learning process.
- students are engaged in meaningful and relevent learning experiences using technology just as scientists, engineers, mathematicians, artists, social scientists, etc.
- teachers and students have access to resources from all over the world.
- individuals are not constrained by the curriculum and have the opportunity to explore areas of study about which they are passionate.
- students are authors, publishers, creators of knowledge, collaborators, researchers and contributors.
This creative tension has me hungry to seek out ways to close the gap and this blog provides me with a venue to reflect, share ideas and promote discussions with colleagues and peers who share a common interest. I believe that this will help me grow professionally so that I can provide the type of leadership that our students deserve. Let’s use this energy to start closing the gap. The mission begins!
Blair Peterson