Education Innovation Opportunities Abound!
What School Could Be Maine
As promised, we want to keep you all engaged in follow-up actions taken from the March 2022 Education Innovators Series: Imagining What School Could Be (WSCB) event.
Systems Thinking for Practical Action
First, we convened a group of 17 for a post-event discussion to keep momentum up and brainstorm leverage points and actions to enable more student and educator thriving in Maine. Dr. Kapono Ciotti, the Executive Director of WSCB, joined that meeting and shared Ted's and his excitement for Maine's energy and potential. They praised our DOE commissioner, Pender Makin, for her focus on the whole child. And they know MDOE is only one part of the system. We all need to be engaged and involved at our own levels. This group will continue to gather to build understanding and take action at individual, local, university, legislative, and bureaucratic levels.
Next gathering: April 27, 4pm. Email us if you'd like to be on the list to join.
Here are three ways teachers and schools can benefit
from Ed Forum's partnership with Ted and What School Could Be:
1. Be a WSCB Maine Network member.
Individual teachers taking small steps together. Meet monthly on Zoom with WSCB coaches and fellow Maine teachers to discuss innovative classroom practices, share experiences and learning, and gain confidence.
- There is no cost.
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Next step: Email Jennifer Chace / [email protected] by the end of May. We will form a cohort or cohorts based on interest and set a schedule together.
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Watch this short video of teachers sharing why WSCB is meaningful to them. What School Could Be Maine is a step in addition to this, but it gives you a clear picture of the basics through the voices of teachers.
2. Be a WSCB Maine Seed School.
Gather a principal and a teacher or teachers who have innovative ideas they are excited to implement in Fall 2022. Share your ideas with us this May, meet other participants from Maine, and over the summer you'll receive implementation coaching to make sure you start the school year well. During the year you'll get personalized coaching and implementation support that your school needs and requests from WSCB coaches.
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This is accessible to everyone! Through Ted's generosity, grants are available for schools who come through Ed Forum of Maine, up to full coverage of all costs, potentially even travel. Fill out a very simple grant application in 20 minutes. The goal is to include schools, not screen them.
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Next step: Email [email protected] by the beginning of May and copy Jennifer Chace ([email protected]). Let Kapono know you are coming through Ed Forum of Maine.
3. Be a WSCB Maine Future Ready Work Skills Project partner.
Help a student or students dive into learning skills through a project of their choice that serves your community and also makes them more employable. These are student-driven, student-led projects that benefit from teacher or community-member support such as weekly mentoring meetings, facilitated connections to other teachers or community members, access to school resources such as space for work to be accomplished. Teachers are not expected to teach a course, use a curriculum, or provide financial support.
- Ted is offering financial support for the student projects as well as coaching for the teachers or community members involved.
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Next step: Email [email protected] by the end of April and copy Jennifer Chace ([email protected]). Let Becky know you are coming through Ed Forum of Maine, and she will put you on the list.
- Participants will gather in May for the first time.
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