Comments on: NAIS: Nine Highlights, Takeways, & Observations on Oprah, Rhee, Thompson, 21st. c. Learning, Chicago, and More http://21k12blog.net/2009/03/02/nais-nine-highlights-takeways-observations-on-oprah-rhee-thompson-21st-c-learning-chicago-and-more/ Exploring & Celebrating 21st c. K-12 education Around the World and at St Gregory College Prep Fri, 25 May 2012 16:52:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Rhonda Durham http://21k12blog.net/2009/03/02/nais-nine-highlights-takeways-observations-on-oprah-rhee-thompson-21st-c-learning-chicago-and-more/#comment-146 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 01:40:49 +0000 http://21k12blog.net/?p=697#comment-146 Congratulations, Jonathan, on your upcoming headship at St. Gregory’s! As Executive Director of Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS), I was already looking forward to welcoming you to the Association this summer when I discovered your Annual Conference blog. How elated I am to get this preview of your interests even before we meet.
Because I needed to leave Chicago early to prepare for an accreditation visit back in the Southwest, I was regretful about missing some of the great conference speaker line-up. Thanks to you, I almost felt like I was there! Terrific work and service to NAIS and its members.
You may or may not know that there is an NAIS Commission on Accreditation on which I am privileged to serve. One of our working commmittees of the Commission is Schools of the Future. We have been studying research on 21st Century schools and skills during the last year. It is helpful and exciting to know of your keen interest in this area. Engaging work ahead… we’ll see you soon. Please let us know at ISAS offices if we can help in your transition.

Rhonda Durham

]]> By: Sarah http://21k12blog.net/2009/03/02/nais-nine-highlights-takeways-observations-on-oprah-rhee-thompson-21st-c-learning-chicago-and-more/#comment-133 Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:07:14 +0000 http://21k12blog.net/?p=697#comment-133 Jonathan,
Thank you for sharing your reflections. Your assessment of your own near-embarrassment about Oprah captured how I feel. I’ve never been a viewer of her show (that annoying work thing) but I’ve always had a vague sense that I would like her. After her talk, its not so vague. I was impressed by her ability to inspire practitioners in a field that she has just joined. Maybe that’s because she did actually join the field rather than just write checks. And yes, Reveta Bowers is a rock star in my world.

Thanks again!

]]> By: Liz Davis http://21k12blog.net/2009/03/02/nais-nine-highlights-takeways-observations-on-oprah-rhee-thompson-21st-c-learning-chicago-and-more/#comment-131 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:02:06 +0000 http://21k12blog.net/?p=697#comment-131 Thank you Jonathan for providing such thoughtful and insightful reflections on the NAIS conference. I appreciate your analysis, you have definitely added to my understanding and provide more food for thought. (Great just what I need, more to think about ;)

I especially appreciate your thoughts on the Michelle Rhee keynote. I was ambivalent about her talk. While I find her an incredible speaker and someone clearly passionate about her commitment to kids and learning, the public teacher in me (this is my first year in an independent school) got a little defensive. As you have noted, there are many hard working, committed Washington DC teachers who are doing their best in very difficult situations. I was also concerned that she was perpetuating a stereotype of public schools for an independent school audience.

I also enjoyed Michael’s talk on technology and boys. I agree, he definitely didn’t have it as together as his previous talk on parents and anxiety. He really went at this talk as a learning experience, and I was pleased with the message he seemed to take away. He himself said he was surprised by his ultimate response – he was initially inclined to go in the other direction. (Michael works at my school one day a week and I helped him a little put this talk together.)

I also enjoyed your Tweets during the conference. You asked great questions about the substance of the messages delivered by some very talented speakers.

]]> By: Heather Hoerle http://21k12blog.net/2009/03/02/nais-nine-highlights-takeways-observations-on-oprah-rhee-thompson-21st-c-learning-chicago-and-more/#comment-130 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:12:02 +0000 http://21k12blog.net/?p=697#comment-130 Thanks for your great thoughts and feedback – live in fact! It was thrilling to see how quickly some school leaders have adapted to the call of the 2008 conference… reading the TWEETS and seeing the TWITTER traffic alone, has made this conference feel more interactive. Wanted to let you know that while NAIS was worried that conf attendance would be down in Chicago (which we expected to be much smaller than NY), we were thrilled to be at least 200 over what we budgeted for this year’s conf (ending at over 3400 attendees). The venue was huge, unlike last year’s crowded NY experience. One friend commented that he hoped to be at the 2010 San Francisco conference since this wa his time to take a break from the day to day leadership challenges, and just get refreshed. I hope our economy allows for even more participation from school leaders next year too.

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