Disruptive Attention
“Keep your eyes on your own paper” is one of the most well-known and oft repeated principles in education. Yet, as adults, we have somehow abandoned it in the pursuit of success. We look for the best, learn their story, and then imitate. This cycle manifests in everyday life from self-help books to sport organizations to businesses, including educational institutions.
While this process has been proven to work, it also implies a mythical “one model” solution, creating and reproducing a dominant narrative. It becomes “the” way of being more equitable, instead of “a” way. In NYC, for example, each independent school lives its unique values, beliefs, and resulting culture. Yet, we cling to this story of how to get it “right” and attempt to copy each other.
What would it look like if we disrupted this cycle, sticking to the principle of learning from others and keeping our eyes on our paper? To accomplish this seemingly paradoxical goal, we must explore the questions that would help us learn together, while focusing on ourselves.
Adapted from Tim Ferris’ podcast, consider the following questions about school’s equity initiatives, learning, and training:
What are the common mistakes and/or time wastes?
What are the myths?
What principles would you prioritize with limited time?
What unorthodox action would you suggest?
What is your go-to book?
The answers to these questions become fuel to power how you could move forward with your culture in mind.
If you are interested in answering the questions, please complete this google form.
