Finding Your Natalie

While recently searching through the "memorabilia boxes" in my garage, I came upon the 20-year-old bumper sticker: "Educate Jackson Whole." This slogan cleverly added a "W" to the town’s name and summarized the vision of the strategic planning team. As this was my first consultant role as the facilitator for a district strategic plan, I remember how satisfying it was to have this slogan as a wrap up for this three-day planning retreat.

The strategic planning team for this Wyoming school district was your typical cross-section of community leadership with three exceptions: an 8th grader, 10th grader and a 12th grader. The impact of these three student leaders, in my opinion, was significant as they gave a fresh voice of the future to the planning process. It was also one of those students who created the slogan.

Just as memorable as one’s first sighting of the Grand Tetons, these students left their mark on me as well; as it became my standard request to school districts thereafter to include student leaders in any school/community planning process.

It is my belief that with student involvement, the dynamics of the "adult discussion" change for the positive. It seems to put us on our best behavior and provide the future focus necessary to deal with the transformation of the learning environment. When students are a part of the group, we adults don’t say, "Hey look at me. It worked for me. It is good enough for them, too." Or, "We have always done it this way." Or, "You know how kids are today, they don’t …." These types of comments often impair the progress of the dialogue and limit the possibilities. They keep us trapped in the present or past, don’t they? So I ask you – who is carrying that student voice and vision in your planning team?

Very recently I had another validation of my belief in the value of student participation. It was during this year’s CEFPI School Building Week celebration held at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building in Washington, D.C. On stage, the inter-city teams of middle school students presented their projects for the redesign of their old and inadequate schools. Their enthusiasm was contagious as they presented solutions that included daylighting, color, places for information exchange, and centers for inquiry. They also understood the necessity to address the needs of their different learning styles.

Judith Hoskens of the Cuningham Group served as chair for this year’s National School Building Week’s Student Competition that highlighted each of the student project successes and she later reflected:

"The kids really get it. They demonstrated an understanding of what goes into creating quality and meaningful learning environments from integrating real-life business practices, to creating environments that support the different learning styles, to providing spaces that support integrated project-based learning, to an emphasis on environmental issues. They also recognized the important role they play as stewards of the environment through strategies that included adaptive reuse of the Robert F. Kennedy Stadium site, green roofs, and spaces flooded with natural light. We could all stand to benefit by listening to and including the students themselves within our planning and design processes!"

As a strategic and facilities planner, dealing with change has been my career mantra. Including students has been an easy assist to help address these issues, but I was beginning to feel that I needed more. So it was with much interest that I attended the recently held AIA/CAE’s Tipping Point: Transforming the American Learning Environment spring conference in Portland, Ore., on May 13-15. And yes, this was really special and what I needed.

The conference organizers created a format that provided a series of "Provocateurs" who risked to expand our thinking. At-risk students shared their learning perspectives and clearly enunciated their life’s challenges that we must address. Thoughtful discourse took place in multiple and varied educational venues. This event was more than site tours. It was an experiential kaleidoscope of learning places and learning issues. It confirmed to me, as we labor and strive for the success of all students – we must expand the dialogue and participation to include all students in our planning processes and thinking.

But my real "aha!" moment at this conference came from the dean and professor of the University of Washington’s The Information School, Dr. Michael Eisenberg’s topic, "The Knowledge Generation: What is Information and Knowledge in the Coming Decades." As he set the stage for the learners of the future he shared "that there has been more new information in the past 30 years than the previous 5,000 years." All I could think was, weren’t there dinosaurs back then? And what did dinosaurs have to do with my graduating from college and becoming an architect over 30 years ago?

So how do I connect with the future now and continue to make a positive difference for kids? It has to be more than the inclusion of students on my planning teams. While their inclusion continues to be of critical importance, I need to add an element.

The solution comes in realizing that I must let go of all that old stuff and aged perspectives within myself. I must reclaim my garage for my car and let those "memorabilia junk boxes" go. And I must see fresh again. For me this will come through the eyes and thoughts of Natalie. For Natalie is my first grandchild – she is just six months old, and has the benefit of starting out with all that "new" information of the past thirty years-and the good news is, with her perspective – so will I!

So I am off to buy her a stuffed dinosaur to celebrate! And I ask you – through whose eyes do you see the future?

Jim Brady AIA, REFP, is the executive director for the America’s Schoolhouse Council which is dedicated to excellence in planning, building, and maintaining our nation’s schools. Jim resides in Austin, Texas, and you may reach him at JimBradyASC@aol.com.