Wondering Together

Dr. Pat Mulroy, Appalachia IU8

May 30, 2017

Have you ever wondered how we learned to fly airplanes or cure diseases? Have you watched movies about people who figured out how to break codes and create computers? Amazing! The ideas of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates have changed the way we live, work and communicate. Who dreamt of the internet? Cars? Refrigeration? So many of the miracles of modern medicine? Have you ever wondered why we can’t solve some problems - or haven’t yet? Who will be the trailblazers' the future? How will we support them?

So many people told inventors and dreamers that their task was impossible! I was that teacher once. I hope only once! The learner came back to me later in the year - proud to prove me wrong. I am thankful my words did not make that learner give up. Who believes that we will stand still? That cars won’t fly or the problems of world hunger can’t be solved? I hope not Educators. Or Parents or Politicians or Business Leaders!

Last year when we started the World of Learning (WOL) - with the hope of providing opportunities for learners that otherwise might not exist in their schools, we weren’t sure if anyone would take the risk to deliver virtual experiences. The WOL was not my brain child or big dream. I am the holder of the vision, the torch was passed to me. In my quest to provide opportunities beyond imagination, I talked to Superintendents and School Leaders. I reached out to colleagues, old and new. Along the way I met people who were stretching their wings and the wings of those around them. These leaders, dreamers, were seeing ways to provide more than ‘just the basics’ or a program that couldn’t inspire or provide the right tools for everyone. In turn, there were not two of these dreamers or leaders who were doing the same thing. These bright spots gave me the hope and inspiration to carry on when starting a virtual World Language program seemed like a little too much.

Ours was a simple dream, the WOL is part of the vision of IU8, a way to launch virtual experiences for learners (students) and their learning guides (teachers). Last year in early July I had fears and trepidation about what we could do. I worried we would not have learners to fill the seats of our eager facilitators' virtual classrooms. A year later I can gratefully say, we did. Lots of learners in many schools, thanks to dreamers and believers, people willing to take a risk to step out of the way things have always been done, willing to demonstrate that without risk we rarely learn. And learn, this year, we did! We created lessons in Canvas and hosted live lessons in Zoom. We practiced in Padlet and planned in Trello. We navigated the calendars and bell schedules of 16 school districts and Seton Hill University using google tools. We had students who took right to the virtual learning environment and some who longed for the face-to-face interactions of a classroom teacher. We struggled and we persevered. We had eager facilitators and tech directors who worked with us to make sure that our learning facilitators met the learners where they were. We navigated the amazing world of virtual learning with all of its flexibility and foibles.

Today, we are winding down the first year of the IU8 World Of Learning. We are eager to hear the stories of young learners, fabulous facilitators, school leaders and others who felt the joy and pain of trying something new. We are eager for feedback so we can continue to learn and grow.

I am proud of my colleagues at IU8 who believed in the WOL when I was not so sure and the schools and districts who trusted us with their learners. Grateful for the Learning Facilitators who showed up and cared for the learners, made interesting lessons, communicated with their colleagues, and create a challenging and supportive learning environments. Their willingness to learn and stretch themselves was the best example we can give to our children, all the children.

As we head into our second year at IU8 I am inspired to keep working and stretching and reaching beyond our dreams or imagination. I am hopeful that we will energize learning for the young people who are curious and excited to learn and solve problems, create solutions and teach us that it is all possible. I am grateful for the adult learners who continue to stretch and grow even when it is hard and sometimes frustrating - leading the way by living what they want young people to learn - to stay curious, to explore and to work hard to create a better classroom, school and community. One day at a time, one child, one teacher, one opportunity - together.