Last spring, my colleagues and I received our marching orders - move fully to the "Workshop Model" of teaching and learning within the MPCL framework due to a district/building mandate. That effectively brought my primary focus on Customized Learning to an end despite solid results (both anecdotal and statistical). During this effort, I have received extensive support and encouragement from administration, but it appears the district is largely setting aside customized learning as a priority. The jury is still out about whether I agree with that decision, but I applaud that a decision was actually made, a rarity in the politically safe "Let's do everything!" world of public education.
While I should be upset about this development, and I admit a bit of nostalgic sorrow, I'm excited about the promise the future holds. Much of what I already had in place will fit nicely within the workshop model, and both approaches promote extensive differentiation. For me, the key is to be supported by administrators and instructional coaches who have a deep understanding of both what the workshop model really means in the middle school setting (not just in an overly simplistic "Let's all do it exactly like this" fashion) and the role that customization can play within that model. The message I've been receiving this summer has been just that - the workshop model (within the MPCL framework) can begin with a very simplistic, standardized form, BUT it can become a far more complex approach to teaching and learning, featuring a high level of customization.
Sounds good to me! As always, I remain a bit of a skeptic, but I'm eager to see where this all leads and have spent a busy summer educating myself.
More to come? Let's hope so!
