02.20.25

IGNITE

Where Dr. Tom Webb sparks your curiosity and inspires action!

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Reader,

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My dad was raised on a farm. Growing up if my brother and I would complain that we were bored, he would always respond with, "there are always weeds to pull." It was a chore that no one wanted and was never finished.

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In the garden of education, we often hesitate to plant new seeds of change, fearing there's no room on our already full plates. Yet, it's not that we lack space; it's that we're reluctant to remove the weeds. Without weeding out old, ineffective practices, there's no fertile soil for fresh ideas. We need to be brave in our gardening, categorizing our educational practices into three levels of weeds:

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• Level 1 (Blade of Grass): These are the practices we can pull out with ease, causing little to no disruption. Often, these aren't deeply embedded in our daily routines, making them simple to identify and remove. These are quick wins that provide an immediate benefit.
  • ex. Redundant paperwork, forms, or outdated technology.

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• Level 2 (Dandelion): A bit tougher to tackle, these practices may have their proponents or be somewhat woven into our school culture. Removing these requires a thoughtful approach or pilot tests to demonstrate benefits and reduce resistance.
  • ex. Traditional seating arrangements, rules, or grading practices.

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• Level 3 (Tree): The most challenging weeds are those deeply rooted traditions that are integral to our educational system. Uprooting these requires significant time, resources, and strategic planning. Many times it is easier to prune and reduce the impact than to remove.
  • ex. Teacher evaluation practices, accountability, retirement, or tenure tracks.

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By diligently weeding our educational landscape, we make room to seed new, transformative ideas and truly nurture our field to flourish.

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Stay inspired, Tom

Meet me at www.boomleader.com. ​​​​​​​

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