Think Both/And
To evolve and grow you can add and incorporate, not trade off or give up.
Make Excellent Mistakes
If you got it right the first time, is that really the best answer?
Launch/Test/Refine
Trying stuff, tinkering with it, and trying again is the best way to see if it works.
THE BVR MINDSET FAQs
What are you leaving out?
Short answer: Nothing. It’s what we are adding in, how we are evolving our pedagogies to—no matter what—be student-centered and future-focused.
Here’s an example: In 7th grade math, students learned about rates and ratios by designing, producing, and racing scale models of real cars. The students were coding, laser cutting, and 3D printing. Through this process, they also discovered the relationships between concepts on their own, rather than accepting what a teacher or textbook said. Each “light bulb” moment was exciting, the students were engaged, and they were able to see math is real.
How do you get faculty to buy in?
Short answer: It’s not hard.
It starts at hiring and continues through constant collaboration and a shared passion for making school better for kids. Our faculty are incredible change-makers. You will see this in action when you visit. Talk to students and teachers about what they are working on and planning for—you’ll hear the passion and commitment we’re writing about.
Where does the push-back come from?
Short answer: Education remains a very risk-averse field when it should be our most entrepreneurial sector. Continuing with the traditional industrial model of teaching and learning is not preparing kids for the real world and a future with jobs and careers that do not exist today.
Where we don’t get any push-back is from colleges. All the real-world, project-based work our students do makes them genuinely interesting applicants to colleges. This is supported by our conversations with college admission offices and the way our students go about selecting where they apply and where we see them getting accepted.