Why Visible Feedback and Reflection? For students, effective and meaningful feedback and opportunities for guided reflection are gamechangers. As a key component of the Agile in Education Compass, “Visible Feedback and Reflection is goal-centered, purposeful, and relevant,[fostering] a connection and application for both educators and learners. Visible feedback can become a powerful opportunity for students … Read more
Why Trust?For our students, Trust is the FOUNDATION…Trust allows you to fail… and failure is the only way to grow! You need Trust for authentic communication and relationships.In the realm of Agile in Education, Blueprint defines the trust compass point as the foundation to an Agile environment, gradually shifting control of the learning process from … Read more
Imagine the sounds of the summer in the Arizona desert… Crickets and birds chirping, coyotes howling like excited fans, children laughing and splashing, and also… Keyboards quietly clacking, calendar reminders pinging, and voices kindly chatting, because… …The quiet summer months are the perfect time for the behind-the-scenes projects that make schools work! All hands still … Read more
Why Teacher Appreciation? Do I even have to ask?Teachers do the most difficult and important work in the world, and in May, we all get to show our gratitude. As the school year approaches its end, teachers are working their hardest to help students succeed during that final push, all the while motivating, grading, closing … Read more
Why Team (Teen;) Toxins? Perhaps the better questions are: What ARE team toxins and why should we be proactive in overcoming them?To an Agilist, the idea of Team Toxins comes from the research of Dr. John Gottman and his observations of the Four Toxic Communication Patterns adapted for team communication settings (Hooper, et al., 2017). … Read more
Why Fun & Games in Learning? It’s pretty obvious to children of every age that learning is hard work, and hard work is better when we’re having fun. In fact, researchers agree that games and play increase student engagement from K-12 through higher education, improving learning and achievment outcomes through interactivity (Oblinger, 2004). Kelsey Skaggs … Read more
Why FORCE? Undeniably, the forces of nature impact our lives, from climate to catastrophe and all the little things in between. To an engineer, Force is the very foundation of movement and dynamics, as forces are external agents of change, pushing and pulling on one another. To Agilists, FORCE is similarly foundational to effective team … Read more
Why Commitment? In welcoming a brand new year, many of us are making commitments to ourselves: to improve, to be healthier, to act with intention, to grow in some way. Discipline and commitment to goals and each other may very well shape the upcoming year for many of us, our teams, our students. Blueprint Education’s … Read more