Building an XQ Super School Team

-
When I discovered the XQ Super School site and its directory, I was excited to build a team that would work together to meet this challenge. But it isn't that simple.

I realized that the directory is a great way to get people to read my blog and to get the conversation started but I don't think I have a team that will help me do the Discover phase of the challenge. They are serving on other teams that they are closer to, I'm sure.

I had also hoped to enlist the help of my colleagues who worked with me at UNM-Los Alamos on the adult ed program. But they have retired and aren't looking to start new adventures. I want them to enjoy retirement and get to know their families again.

I need to pull those close to me together to get this done. I am going to enlist the help of my kids and their friends, with the promise that if we win this thing, they will have jobs. They are my staunchest supporters anyway.

My son lives in Moriarty, and his girlfriend went to school there. I would like to get a discussion group together there. My daughter lives with me and can help me get some groups together in the Abq and east mountain area. I would also like to enlist the help of A New Awakening to do the same in Rio Rancho. If anyone reading this can help me pull together a discussion group in your community, too, let me know.

I'm reaching out to the disenfranchised student population because they are aware more than anyone else how schools fail their students. But anyone who cares is welcome.

As for the team I've "built" through the XQ directory, if we win the challenge, I will be approaching team members to see if they want to be part of the program. I'm making good connections with other communities in the state. That will be a great start once we are ready to implement our super school. It's all good.

That's all I've got for today. I'm looking out my window at an incredibly blue New Mexico sky. One snow storm down, another one on the way so enjoy the blue today and learn something while you're at it.






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The apostrophe... punctuation without a purpose

-
Image
You would think that with my background and education, I would be a stickler for correct grammar and punctuation. Quite the opposite. I studied the English language and its history for my BA, and I have come to realize over the years that language changes and we need to stop holding on to what doesn't serve us anymore. Punctuation for example. Let's start with the apostrophe. There are actually two reasons we use apostrophes. The first is to take the place of a missing letter or letters. Contractions are a good example.  When we smoosh two words together to make one word, or when we shorten a single word, a letter or two are dropped and the apostrophe takes their place. "Do not" becomes "don't", "cannot" becomes "can't", and "we are" becomes "we're." Sometimes we drop the last letter of a word to make its tone more casual. "I'm just thinkin'," again, a missing letter. Another u
Read more

in search of the Lazy J

-
Image
I've noticed over the last few years an abandoned motel along Rt. 66 in Moriarty called the Lazy J.   I've also noticed that the curio shop/thrift store/artist mall business in the east mountains is growing by leaps and bounds.  Church Street Market in Edgewood is a good example. Local artists/artisans can rent a space and sell their wares. It's a little out of the way but even people from Albuquerque visit.  The Lazy J would make an excellent artists mall, too. I loved the idea so I decided to find out who the owner is and if they are interested in renting or selling the place. Not as easy as you would think.  I searched online and found nothing helpful.  So I stopped by the motel to see if there were any signs on the property that might lead me to the owner.  There was a handwritten sign on the office door...quite old but with a phone number. I snapped a photo of it and made a mental note to call the next day. Then I promptly forgot about it.  About a week lat
Read more

creative solutions to some big problems

-
Image
1036517156700455/div> I have been thinking about school and all its problems a lot lately. My funny, imaginative grandson Oliver is old enough for early education and I don't think he should go.  School isn't what it used to be. It's an outdated, cumbersome mode of helping our kids learn. I would also argue that it often squelches the spontaneous, sparkling creativity young children possess. Most importantly, it is becoming dangerous to attend public school. I don't think I need to explain more.  We must face the fact that the system could be better. It could reflect all the learning tools and styles that work well in today's world. We need to quit holding on.  Here are some ideas regarding the school bus driver shortage and in many cases, the teacher shortage: 1. Each week (month, whatever), one third of learners in a school learn online, watching live classes at home, public library, or community center. Next week, it's another third, etc.  2. E
Read more