What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”?What could this (or does this) look like in your school?What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
Having culture of "AND" is a blending of old and new ideas/ methods. Education is always changing, the students today are facing different challenges than students in previous years. As an Administrator being open to new ideas is also good role modeling tool for our teachers to embrace new ideas/methods as well. It is important that all voices are being heard at the table.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
Having a culture of "AND" means blending new and old methods of education students and also blending what needs to be covered in specific classes with student preferences and needs. When students have "choice" it goes a lot further towards having motivation for completing certain tasks. The same can be said for old/new strategies for teaching. There are tried and true ways of teaching that date back lots of years but the world is and has changed much more rapidly in the past 10 years then the previous 40 so keeping that in mind is one way I try and am successful as an educator.
Having a culture of AND to me means keeping my tried and true methods, lessons, experiences AND utilizing new including technology, curriculum, and ideas.
Our elementary grades utilize technology in different ways than our MS and HS. I love hearing from others about new ideas, technology etc as well as sharing what works for me. Collaboration & communication with co-workers are powerful tools in all areas of education!
I listened to Weston's podcast Teaching Keating for a podcast exploration and it was such a treat to hear from him again!
The culture of "and" means that we cannot just leave behind what we've learned from the past to only care about innovation. We can't elevate the culture of "or". It's okay to embrace the past and move to the future! In the program I work in, sometimes we get stuck in the mindset of doing things "the way we've always done them". Sometimes this is okay, why change what isn't broken, but it's also okay to change! When we know better, we do better. When I started at my current position, I was the "newbie" and sometimes it was hard for me to get my ideas to be heard by my coworkers because it's hard to change! As the years have gone on, I feel like as a group, we've gotten better about being okay with change and encouraging everyone to bring new ideas to the table. One thing I try to do, is to reiterate to my coworkers that there's no harm in trying. Changes may work well or they won't, but at least we gave it a shot!
Having a culture of “AND,” as Weston Kieschnick describes, means holding two seemingly opposing ideas together rather than choosing one over the other. It’s the belief that students can be both challenged academically and supported emotionally, that high expectations and empathy can coexist, and that structure and flexibility are not mutually exclusive. This mindset moves away from “either/or” thinking and instead creates space for students to grow in multiple dimensions at once. In my school, a culture of “AND” could look like consistently encouraging students to reach their academic potential and making sure they feel safe, understood, and connected at the same time. It could be reflected in classrooms where students are encouraged to take risks and make mistakes and are met with support and guidance when things don’t go perfectly. My role, as a School Counselor, in improving this culture includes modeling and empathy. I can support staff in exploring ways to balance rigor and care, provide students with strategies to manage emotions while pursuing goals, and consistently demonstrate that relationships and learning go hand in hand.
I thought this video was incredible! I love the idea of having a culture of “AND” because I always strive in my own classroom to mix old techniques with the new. I don’t think technology should be used as a way of teaching students, but rather as a supplement to be added here and there. I often speak with colleagues who have been teaching longer than I have (I am in year 15) and they often make remarks (especially for math) about how they are teaching students based on the curriculum but share a desire to show them the “old way” of doing it. I always encourage them to show the “old way”. There is no harm in showing students there are multiple, and yes, even old, methods of solving problems.
I teach 3rd grade, so I often get questions from other teachers and even parents when their students enter my classroom about cursive. “Are you required to teach cursive?” My reply is always, “No, I am not required to teach it, but I do and I am encouraged to do so.” I think the ability for students to write in cursive and read cursive is very important. I loved Weston’s example in the video of the note written by Frederick Douglass (in cursive) and how that piece of history SHOULD have a place in our future. Simple, forgotten about skills of our past ARE important.
Creating our classroom or work environment centered around having a culture of "AND" can go a long ways. Instead of deciding what side to pick or just choosing one area over another, combining the two and creating a whole unit of them can portray an environment that tailors to everyone. As well as encouraging learning and growth of sides that people may be unfamiliar with. This can especially be beneficial for students in deciding how can they work together and problem solve rather than being stuck with the statement: "It's either this or that". As a school counselor, this is especially something that was taught in grad school in ways of how to create an environment that students can explore how to balance different things that are personally conflicting to them. Building on empathy, resilience, and perspective-taking are some of the key areas that school counselors focus in with students which ties in greatly to building that culture of "AND" as well all come from different walks of life.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
We need to use what as worked, along with change with times to meet our students needs. I will be going back working in a school district as an Early Childhood Special Education teacher and coordinator. I will be working with families with different culture beliefs. I have learned to respect everyone's beliefs. I came to realize with out beliefs you do not have a direction. Instead of overlooking their comments on their beliefs, I will ask them to elaborate to get a better understanding. I plan on incorporating the information I learn from the parents with my teaching.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
To have a culture of AND to me is to look at all aspects and options in education and not say we are exclusively going to use old styles of teaching versus just using new technological ways of teaching but saying lets use the best of all options. Let's use a little of this AND a little of that. Let's use new when we can but not flush out older ways just because they are old and technology offers new options. Although I don't think we need to extensively study cursive and have everyone capable of using it to write, there is something to being able to understand it at a basic level. I understand cursive, but the letter he presented was still tough to read. We could do better at presenting this as a skill maybe during a mini unit (1-2 days). I can design and implement something like this for my department. I can do this for other areas too. So many people are exclusively doing reviews through Kahoot and modern quiz games which doesn't teach kids really how to study. I can help by blending old and new so that when students come across classes that don't offer these games, they don't panic and they will still understand how to gather information to prepare to show mastery of material.
The culture of "AND" is combining new and old methods together. I think as educators, we know what worked well when we were in school, so we can apply that to the amazing technology opportunities that we have today. I think writing stuff out on paper is better for memorizing information, but I think technology is another great option for students to demonstrate that knowledge, which doesn't always have to be a test. Technology also allows teachers to differentiate instruction to meet student needs compared to old methods. I think that promoting old learning ways can still happen, but integrating some new ideas or tools can take teaching and learning to a whole new level.
Having a culture of “AND” means embracing both/and thinking rather than either/or thinking. In education, this could mean blending old and new methods of teaching—honoring proven practices while also integrating innovative approaches. In my school, this could look like maintaining traditional routines that provide structure for students AND incorporating play-based, student-centered learning that sparks curiosity. I can contribute to improving our school’s culture by modeling this mindset in my classroom, collaborating with colleagues to share strategies that balance both approaches, and encouraging openness to trying new methods without abandoning what already works.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture? A culture of "and" to me is the idea of implementing "old" and "new" teaching methods. When I first began teaching, I had a white board and a projector. Now, my students are 1:1 and I have TV that can go between different inputs and presentation modes. My students submit assignments on google classroom, tests can be given online and the computer grades them, and I can record lessons and send them to my students when they are gone. We have been told over the last few years to embrace technology, that it isn't going away. AI has changed the assignments I give as well as now I am able to develop a quick lesson through the use of AI. I am more old school in my teaching. I tried the online assignments and tests, but I hate staring at a screen all day, and it is easy for me to see that I have papers to grade when they are physically in a basket vs in my inbox. My students did not score as well on the online tests, and now we have google lens to give them the correct answers.
I attended a conference this winter to hear that most teachers are going back to the old methods of paper and pencil, in order to prevent cheating, prevent use of AI, improve grammar and spelling, as well as work on penmanship. I think there is a "and" here. I use technology throughout my day, especially for research and for developing new lessons, but we can't forget the old school methods, either.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
Having a culture of "AND" is being able to use both "old school" and new technology in the classroom. Teaching needs to have both in the classroom. We want to use our "wisdom" to help in our teaching to help elevate our teaching. In our school we use both the old wisdom and our new technology when teaching. We need to allows both methods to be used by our students. Teach them to learn old school ways but find ways for them use advanced in technology to help them learn those ways.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
Having a culture of AND , means combining old ways with new ways. In my classroom I keep the standard "pen to paper" when it comes to note taking and test taking. I think it is very important that they write PHYSICALLY, not just on the computer. I also combine this old tactic with newer tactics - for example I have the students complete a "webquest", which is a complete online quest assignment.
Having a culture of 'AND' means continuing to implement previous ways of learning while continuing to innovate. The student population in schools is constantly changing, therefore it's unreasonable to think that the methods that worked last year, last semester, or even last week will continue to be effective in the future. My school does an incredible job of implementing four core values and connecting them with everything we do in the classroom. My role is to constantly remind students about those core values in order to maintain consistently between classrooms. How those core values are displayed in different classrooms will vary by teacher. The way they are displayed in my class, for example, are going to be much different than how they are displayed elsewhere. Students experience the behavioral anchor of the core values while gaining a deeper understanding of what they mean since they're asked to follow them differently in every class.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
In order to have a culture of AND in our schools is combining old ways of teaching and the new ways of teaching. I think this is extremely important like he said in the Ted Talk. We don't want our generations now to not be able to read very important founding documents because they are in cursive. In our little rural school some teachers did stop teaching cursive for a short time. Now we have had high school classes graduate without knowing cursive. Now we are teaching cursive again and have been for several years. Our students need to know how to print and write in cursive. They need to know how to work with paper and pencil not only on the computer. At this point in time it is not okay to have one without the other. Technology can be great but there has been times we don't have it- we have to be able to improvise our lessons as teachers in order to complete the lesson without technology and same for our students. I teach Math and Science for our two sections of 3rd grade. In math they are writing every single day on white boards, their tables, and math journals. I use our Math curriculums slides which are awesome for my visual and linguistic learners to follow along. For Science we use Mystery Science which is amazing for the videos that go along with it but there was a day we didn't have internet and I had to use my phones hot spot so we could continue the lesson. Next year, I will be our schools instructional coach and I can play a role in doing my part to encourage teachers to continue to have kids learn "old" and "new" skills to help them meet our schools mission statement and best prepare them for there futures. I loved the speakers quote at the end about the jester being technology, the jester has value but don't put him at the center of the kingdom. I will now have that quote to share with any teachers I'm mentoring, working with, or observing.
A culture of "AND" is a mindset that moves beyond restrictive "either/or" thinking, instead embracing a "both/and" approach. In the school this is by respecting what has worked historically while embracing new ideas, technologies, and teaching practices. The part I can play is by taking time to foster trust through positive, respectful interactions—such as greeting people, sharing positive "shout-outs" for staff/students, or attending school events.
The culture of AND is a change to the way we think about either/or to thinking of ways we can do two different methods. A culture of AND will work to include everyone in the classroom. Some students will learn better by doing an assignment one way and others will learn by doing it a different way by using AND in the classroom students can learn in multiple ways. I can work to improve my school culture of AND by sharing that it is ok to use both old school methods and new methods to help students learn.
I appreciated how he started with connecting the past to the future. We can not erase the skills of our past, they are still valid and instead of eliminating them with the culture of either/or we need to find a way to embrace the culture of "and". I do think a good/great teacher is able to switch back and forth between the two. It takes time though to be able to balance both, continuing to add new information for teachers to use while still using the old gets to be overwhelming to try to do it all. I think in our school we have the run of the gamut. We have those who are still teaching from the past and those who have embraced the new and are using that to it's full potential. But the last quote he expressed about the chess set is where we need to find that happy medium...technology has a place in education but it should not run the kingdom.
I liked this video, it had many good points! I think embracing the culture of "and" is valid and important. It means that we must not do away with all of the "old" ways of teaching, but instead mesh them with the "new" ways. I've been in education for awhile and I have definetly seen the pendulum swing many times. Some things our school did away with for awhile are, spelling, handwriting, and cursive. After so long, we saw the impact that doing away with these things had on our students and we are starting to intergrate them back into our school day. A far as improving culture at our school goes, we are currently working on that. We had a couple of admin changes this year and while I like to embrace change, others struggle with it. We are trying to add fun things into our days with the students and we are incorporating monthly get togethers for our staff as well. I think all of these things are great and we need to keep doing them. It will just take awhile for some to join in on these things. And we will have some that won't want to be a part of these things as well. I have concluded that there are people in this world who are content being miserable, rather than try to change their mindset and try new things. The rest of us will just keep on keeping on!
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
A "culture of AND" merges traditional teaching wisdom with modern technology, encouraging students to leverage advanced digital tools while mastering foundational skills. Adopting a culture of "AND" means combining "old school" wisdom with new technological advancements in the classroom. We empower students to combine beginning knowledge with innovative digital tools for increased learning.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
A culture of "AND" means that we combine what we used to teach in the past (cursive) and combine it with new modern teaching (technology). These are just examples but as Wes says we should take a hard look at what we taught in the past and what is extremely important to combine with new ways of teaching. We cannot just throw away what we taught in the past. I love this concept and not just throwing away what we did in the past, because I think we can still learn a lot from "old school" style of teaching. When we combine "old" with "new" I think it can be a powerful experience for our students. I think my part is to have students to take a break from technology. When they are in PE, I try to get students moving and get them interested in games.
The “and” id using what we have learned in the past and we are learning now to compliment each other in the way we teach. We can’t just throw old ideas away and use just new ideas and methods. We need to incorporate these new AND old concepts to get the most out of teachers and students. Since I am an older teacher, I remember a lot of the older practices and I just need to get up to speed on the new tools that are being used in the classroom.
The video on this idea is one of my favorite education talks yet. Technology brings some exciting ways to engage our students in our content area. Unfortunately, in some cases, this can lead to the atrophy of other important skills that students need. In the video, the speaker used the example of cursive. He displayed a passage written by Frederick Douglass (Coincidentally, I am reading a biography of him right now!) in cursive. At some point, a decision has been made to push reading and writing of cursive to the backburner in favor of other content. In a culture of "and," we can do both. We can use new technology to find primary sources and ways for our students to learn while still learning from the wisdom of the past and still keeping other skills alive.
Today, many students (even good students) struggle mightily with reading. I believe that excessive use of technology has impacted their ability to focus (less attention span) on a longer passage or to follow an extended argument. Technology is not inherently bad, and in some cases, it can really help us to teach a standard to students. Technology should be the servant, not the master of educators.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
I think that it is a blend of both old ways and new ways. Technology is obviously a driving force in any job at this point, but has taken off in the world of education. Does technology help make things easier, yes absolutely. I do feel that we rely too much on technology and not enough hands on teaching. Kids lack attention spans because they are used to getting things immediately with technology which makes down time in schools tough. With technology as well, we don't write as much in cursive or we are using checks and cash as much as what we used too. Is cursive necessary in today's world, no but is it something I feel kids should learn, yes.
Kids struggle with reading and I do feel technology has affected this because they aren't reading books as much as they are playing video games. I think it is a push and pull, kids are used to technology now and taking that away might cause bigger issues.
As a counselor, I don't use technology often when working one on one with students. I use paper/pencils. Teaching with our curriculum there are some videos, but mainly pictures to be shown on the board. I try to incorporate both technology and working together in groups as much as possible.
To have a culture of “and” means that great teaching is one that incorporates the old and the new-it doesn’t replace the old with the new.
My school recently adopted “IXL” so students could work on skills at their level during reading and math rotations. As a classroom teacher, I did not look at IXL as something to replace our math or reading programs, but instead, add to it. Whole group instruction takes place within the first 15 minutes of class and then students begin rotations (each one is 10 minutes). We rotate 4 times and during these rotations- students meet with me for Tier 2 instruction, work on today’s assigned task at their seats, complete a hands-on task, and finally, work on recommended skills on IXL. The last five minutes of math and reading are used for closure/wrap up and “Exit Tickets.” IXL did not replace what we had in place, it added to it.
A part I can play in my school’s culture is to be open to learning new things. Teachers who’ve been teaching a long time are sometimes labeled as “Set in their ways.” I’ve been teaching for 29 years and still love learning about new programs and how they can enhance what we are already doing. All teachers should love learning and growing. In addition, I think having a “team player” attitude can help every campus flourish.
A culture of AND means rejecting the idea that we have to choose between traditional wisdom and modern innovation. Instead of an either or mindset where technology replaces foundational skills, this approach blends the two to create a more effective learning environment. In our schools, this looks like honoring methods such as paper and pencil tasks or direct instruction while also using digital tools to enhance engagement. As educators, we can improve our school culture by being open to new methods without abandoning the strategies we know work. By having this balance and ensuring all voices are heard, we show our students that they can be tech savvy innovators while also mastering essential foundational skills.
To have a culture of "AND" means that you are able to use old school practices AND new school practices. You also need to be transitioning between the old and new practices all the time. In my school, I feel like this is somewhat determined by the curriculum. A new idea comes along and the excitement of being innovative overrides the old standby way of doing things. Both could and should have their place and both can be implemented. I want to be open to new ideas while keeping the knowledge from the past. I have the benefit of being from the generation where we had all of the old school technologies (wall phone, encyclopedia) AND I learned as a young adult about newer technologies and of course I am still learning. It's part of my upbringing to be aware of the pre tech days but also be curious and knowledgeable enough to incorporate new ideas. I could be a role model to have a culture of AND because I enjoy incorporating new and old.
We should not be in the culture of or, it needs to be a culture of and. It's important because wisdom of the past should come with us as we innovate for the future. We do not need to choose between the past and innovation, we can have both. Technology can be a great tool to use when used properly. I feel as though a few years ago, our school had a big push with using technology. Now I have talked with teachers about how we feel our kids are seeming to be disconnected with peers and us as educators. I loved Weston's line at the end of the video when he said in our schools we all have to come in agreement that learning is King. Growth is Queen. "Cool" is the court jester. The jester is technology. And the jester has value, but don't put him in charge of the kingdom.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
Having a culture of "and" means valuing 2 things at the same time versus thinking that you can only choose one. In this video it was about valuing the "old" way and the "new" way. I think this is so important. This is where it is important to mix recognize the value and differences in different teaching methods and approaches. I think it is especially important to be able to do this as all children do not learn the same. I liked how it talked about how technology can be fun and exciting. However, it can cause a disconnect. I think it can be used as a supplmental learning tool but it is important that humans are teaching humans for core instruction and technology is used as a tool to reinforce the concepts the children are learning. On the other hand kids love technology so it could be used to motivate them. I am not super techy. I have not used the majority of the platforms mentioned. It would be worth it to me to explore these. I think the major point of this is being open minded and balancing all the different ideas. This is where real collaboration can benefit teachers by sharing their view points, ideas and stragegies.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
Having a culture of "and" means valuing 2 things at the same time versus thinking that you can only choose one. In this video it was about valuing the "old" way and the "new" way. I think this is so important. This is where it is important to mix recognize the value and differences in different teaching methods and approaches. I think it is especially important to be able to do this as all children do not learn the same. I liked how it talked about how technology can be fun and exciting. However, it can cause a disconnect. I think it can be used as a supplmental learning tool but it is important that humans are teaching humans for core instruction and technology is used as a tool to reinforce the concepts the children are learning. On the other hand kids love technology so it could be used to motivate them. I am not super techy. I have not used the majority of the platforms mentioned. It would be worth it to me to explore these. I think the major point of this is being open minded and balancing all the different ideas. This is where real collaboration can benefit teachers by sharing their view points, ideas and stragegies.
A culture of “AND” is about moving away from either/or thinking in schools and instead embracing balance. It’s the idea that we can hold multiple truths at once, such as structure and flexibility, accountability and compassion, high expectations and strong relationships. It also includes blending newer and traditional approaches to teaching, finding a practical mix of strategies that best support today’s students without discarding what still works. It can look like maintaining clear routines and expectations while also responding to student needs as they arise. It also means keeping academic rigor strong while prioritizing relationships and student well-being, rather than treating those as competing priorities.
For me personally in my history classrooms, I can support this mindset through intentional instructional choices like combining direct instruction with primary source analysis, using storytelling to bring historical content to life, and building structured discussions or debates that give students voice. I can also offer choice in assignments, use frequent formative assessment to guide instruction, and adjust pacing when students need more support while still maintaining clear expectations and accountability.
Beyond my own classroom, I can help build school-wide culture by collaborating with colleagues to align expectations and language with students so they experience consistency across classes. I can also contribute by being a positive presence in shared spaces like hallways, events, and coaching, reinforcing relationships beyond academics. Supporting school initiatives, participating in staff conversations about student support, and encouraging a shared approach to discipline and connection are additional ways to help strengthen a unified culture.
ReplyDeleteHaving culture of "AND" is a blending of old and new ideas/ methods. Education is always changing, the students today are facing different challenges than students in previous years. As an Administrator being open to new ideas is also good role modeling tool for our teachers to embrace new ideas/methods as well. It is important that all voices are being heard at the table.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
ReplyDeleteHaving a culture of "AND" means blending new and old methods of education students and also blending what needs to be covered in specific classes with student preferences and needs. When students have "choice" it goes a lot further towards having motivation for completing certain tasks. The same can be said for old/new strategies for teaching. There are tried and true ways of teaching that date back lots of years but the world is and has changed much more rapidly in the past 10 years then the previous 40 so keeping that in mind is one way I try and am successful as an educator.
Having a culture of AND to me means keeping my tried and true methods, lessons, experiences AND utilizing new including technology, curriculum, and ideas.
ReplyDeleteOur elementary grades utilize technology in different ways than our MS and HS. I love hearing from others about new ideas, technology etc as well as sharing what works for me. Collaboration & communication with co-workers are powerful tools in all areas of education!
I listened to Weston's podcast Teaching Keating for a podcast exploration and it was such a treat to hear from him again!
ReplyDeleteThe culture of "and" means that we cannot just leave behind what we've learned from the past to only care about innovation. We can't elevate the culture of "or". It's okay to embrace the past and move to the future! In the program I work in, sometimes we get stuck in the mindset of doing things "the way we've always done them". Sometimes this is okay, why change what isn't broken, but it's also okay to change! When we know better, we do better. When I started at my current position, I was the "newbie" and sometimes it was hard for me to get my ideas to be heard by my coworkers because it's hard to change! As the years have gone on, I feel like as a group, we've gotten better about being okay with change and encouraging everyone to bring new ideas to the table. One thing I try to do, is to reiterate to my coworkers that there's no harm in trying. Changes may work well or they won't, but at least we gave it a shot!
Having a culture of “AND,” as Weston Kieschnick describes, means holding two seemingly opposing ideas together rather than choosing one over the other. It’s the belief that students can be both challenged academically and supported emotionally, that high expectations and empathy can coexist, and that structure and flexibility are not mutually exclusive. This mindset moves away from “either/or” thinking and instead creates space for students to grow in multiple dimensions at once. In my school, a culture of “AND” could look like consistently encouraging students to reach their academic potential and making sure they feel safe, understood, and connected at the same time. It could be reflected in classrooms where students are encouraged to take risks and make mistakes and are met with support and guidance when things don’t go perfectly. My role, as a School Counselor, in improving this culture includes modeling and empathy. I can support staff in exploring ways to balance rigor and care, provide students with strategies to manage emotions while pursuing goals, and consistently demonstrate that relationships and learning go hand in hand.
ReplyDeleteI thought this video was incredible! I love the idea of having a culture of “AND” because I always strive in my own classroom to mix old techniques with the new. I don’t think technology should be used as a way of teaching students, but rather as a supplement to be added here and there. I often speak with colleagues who have been teaching longer than I have (I am in year 15) and they often make remarks (especially for math) about how they are teaching students based on the curriculum but share a desire to show them the “old way” of doing it. I always encourage them to show the “old way”. There is no harm in showing students there are multiple, and yes, even old, methods of solving problems.
ReplyDeleteI teach 3rd grade, so I often get questions from other teachers and even parents when their students enter my classroom about cursive. “Are you required to teach cursive?” My reply is always, “No, I am not required to teach it, but I do and I am encouraged to do so.” I think the ability for students to write in cursive and read cursive is very important. I loved Weston’s example in the video of the note written by Frederick Douglass (in cursive) and how that piece of history SHOULD have a place in our future. Simple, forgotten about skills of our past ARE important.
Creating our classroom or work environment centered around having a culture of "AND" can go a long ways. Instead of deciding what side to pick or just choosing one area over another, combining the two and creating a whole unit of them can portray an environment that tailors to everyone. As well as encouraging learning and growth of sides that people may be unfamiliar with. This can especially be beneficial for students in deciding how can they work together and problem solve rather than being stuck with the statement: "It's either this or that". As a school counselor, this is especially something that was taught in grad school in ways of how to create an environment that students can explore how to balance different things that are personally conflicting to them. Building on empathy, resilience, and perspective-taking are some of the key areas that school counselors focus in with students which ties in greatly to building that culture of "AND" as well all come from different walks of life.
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
ReplyDeleteWe need to use what as worked, along with change with times to meet our students needs. I will be going back working in a school district as an Early Childhood Special Education teacher and coordinator. I will be working with families with different culture beliefs. I have learned to respect everyone's beliefs. I came to realize with out beliefs you do not have a direction. Instead of overlooking their comments on their beliefs, I will ask them to elaborate to get a better understanding. I plan on incorporating the information I learn from the parents with my teaching.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
ReplyDeleteTo have a culture of AND to me is to look at all aspects and options in education and not say we are exclusively going to use old styles of teaching versus just using new technological ways of teaching but saying lets use the best of all options. Let's use a little of this AND a little of that. Let's use new when we can but not flush out older ways just because they are old and technology offers new options. Although I don't think we need to extensively study cursive and have everyone capable of using it to write, there is something to being able to understand it at a basic level. I understand cursive, but the letter he presented was still tough to read. We could do better at presenting this as a skill maybe during a mini unit (1-2 days). I can design and implement something like this for my department. I can do this for other areas too. So many people are exclusively doing reviews through Kahoot and modern quiz games which doesn't teach kids really how to study. I can help by blending old and new so that when students come across classes that don't offer these games, they don't panic and they will still understand how to gather information to prepare to show mastery of material.
The culture of "AND" is combining new and old methods together. I think as educators, we know what worked well when we were in school, so we can apply that to the amazing technology opportunities that we have today. I think writing stuff out on paper is better for memorizing information, but I think technology is another great option for students to demonstrate that knowledge, which doesn't always have to be a test. Technology also allows teachers to differentiate instruction to meet student needs compared to old methods. I think that promoting old learning ways can still happen, but integrating some new ideas or tools can take teaching and learning to a whole new level.
ReplyDeleteHaving a culture of “AND” means embracing both/and thinking rather than either/or thinking. In education, this could mean blending old and new methods of teaching—honoring proven practices while also integrating innovative approaches. In my school, this could look like maintaining traditional routines that provide structure for students AND incorporating play-based, student-centered learning that sparks curiosity. I can contribute to improving our school’s culture by modeling this mindset in my classroom, collaborating with colleagues to share strategies that balance both approaches, and encouraging openness to trying new methods without abandoning what already works.
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
ReplyDeleteA culture of "and" to me is the idea of implementing "old" and "new" teaching methods. When I first began teaching, I had a white board and a projector. Now, my students are 1:1 and I have TV that can go between different inputs and presentation modes. My students submit assignments on google classroom, tests can be given online and the computer grades them, and I can record lessons and send them to my students when they are gone. We have been told over the last few years to embrace technology, that it isn't going away. AI has changed the assignments I give as well as now I am able to develop a quick lesson through the use of AI. I am more old school in my teaching. I tried the online assignments and tests, but I hate staring at a screen all day, and it is easy for me to see that I have papers to grade when they are physically in a basket vs in my inbox. My students did not score as well on the online tests, and now we have google lens to give them the correct answers.
I attended a conference this winter to hear that most teachers are going back to the old methods of paper and pencil, in order to prevent cheating, prevent use of AI, improve grammar and spelling, as well as work on penmanship. I think there is a "and" here. I use technology throughout my day, especially for research and for developing new lessons, but we can't forget the old school methods, either.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
ReplyDeleteHaving a culture of "AND" is being able to use both "old school" and new technology in the classroom. Teaching needs to have both in the classroom. We want to use our "wisdom" to help in our teaching to help elevate our teaching. In our school we use both the old wisdom and our new technology when teaching. We need to allows both methods to be used by our students. Teach them to learn old school ways but find ways for them use advanced in technology to help them learn those ways.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
ReplyDeleteHaving a culture of AND , means combining old ways with new ways. In my classroom I keep the standard "pen to paper" when it comes to note taking and test taking. I think it is very important that they write PHYSICALLY, not just on the computer. I also combine this old tactic with newer tactics - for example I have the students complete a "webquest", which is a complete online quest assignment.
Having a culture of 'AND' means continuing to implement previous ways of learning while continuing to innovate. The student population in schools is constantly changing, therefore it's unreasonable to think that the methods that worked last year, last semester, or even last week will continue to be effective in the future. My school does an incredible job of implementing four core values and connecting them with everything we do in the classroom. My role is to constantly remind students about those core values in order to maintain consistently between classrooms. How those core values are displayed in different classrooms will vary by teacher. The way they are displayed in my class, for example, are going to be much different than how they are displayed elsewhere. Students experience the behavioral anchor of the core values while gaining a deeper understanding of what they mean since they're asked to follow them differently in every class.
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
ReplyDeleteIn order to have a culture of AND in our schools is combining old ways of teaching and the new ways of teaching. I think this is extremely important like he said in the Ted Talk. We don't want our generations now to not be able to read very important founding documents because they are in cursive. In our little rural school some teachers did stop teaching cursive for a short time. Now we have had high school classes graduate without knowing cursive. Now we are teaching cursive again and have been for several years. Our students need to know how to print and write in cursive. They need to know how to work with paper and pencil not only on the computer. At this point in time it is not okay to have one without the other. Technology can be great but there has been times we don't have it- we have to be able to improvise our lessons as teachers in order to complete the lesson without technology and same for our students. I teach Math and Science for our two sections of 3rd grade. In math they are writing every single day on white boards, their tables, and math journals. I use our Math curriculums slides which are awesome for my visual and linguistic learners to follow along. For Science we use Mystery Science which is amazing for the videos that go along with it but there was a day we didn't have internet and I had to use my phones hot spot so we could continue the lesson. Next year, I will be our schools instructional coach and I can play a role in doing my part to encourage teachers to continue to have kids learn "old" and "new" skills to help them meet our schools mission statement and best prepare them for there futures. I loved the speakers quote at the end about the jester being technology, the jester has value but don't put him at the center of the kingdom. I will now have that quote to share with any teachers I'm mentoring, working with, or observing.
A culture of "AND" is a mindset that moves beyond restrictive "either/or" thinking, instead embracing a "both/and" approach. In the school this is by respecting what has worked historically while embracing new ideas, technologies, and teaching practices. The part I can play is by taking time to foster trust through positive, respectful interactions—such as greeting people, sharing positive "shout-outs" for staff/students, or attending school events.
ReplyDeleteThe culture of AND is a change to the way we think about either/or to thinking of ways we can do two different methods. A culture of AND will work to include everyone in the classroom. Some students will learn better by doing an assignment one way and others will learn by doing it a different way by using AND in the classroom students can learn in multiple ways.
ReplyDeleteI can work to improve my school culture of AND by sharing that it is ok to use both old school methods and new methods to help students learn.
I appreciated how he started with connecting the past to the future. We can not erase the skills of our past, they are still valid and instead of eliminating them with the culture of either/or we need to find a way to embrace the culture of "and". I do think a good/great teacher is able to switch back and forth between the two. It takes time though to be able to balance both, continuing to add new information for teachers to use while still using the old gets to be overwhelming to try to do it all. I think in our school we have the run of the gamut. We have those who are still teaching from the past and those who have embraced the new and are using that to it's full potential. But the last quote he expressed about the chess set is where we need to find that happy medium...technology has a place in education but it should not run the kingdom.
ReplyDeleteI liked this video, it had many good points! I think embracing the culture of "and" is valid and important. It means that we must not do away with all of the "old" ways of teaching, but instead mesh them with the "new" ways. I've been in education for awhile and I have definetly seen the pendulum swing many times. Some things our school did away with for awhile are, spelling, handwriting, and cursive. After so long, we saw the impact that doing away with these things had on our students and we are starting to intergrate them back into our school day. A far as improving culture at our school goes, we are currently working on that. We had a couple of admin changes this year and while I like to embrace change, others struggle with it. We are trying to add fun things into our days with the students and we are incorporating monthly get togethers for our staff as well. I think all of these things are great and we need to keep doing them. It will just take awhile for some to join in on these things. And we will have some that won't want to be a part of these things as well. I have concluded that there are people in this world who are content being miserable, rather than try to change their mindset and try new things. The rest of us will just keep on keeping on!
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
ReplyDeleteA "culture of AND" merges traditional teaching wisdom with modern technology, encouraging students to leverage advanced digital tools while mastering foundational skills. Adopting a culture of "AND" means combining "old school" wisdom with new technological advancements in the classroom. We empower students to combine beginning knowledge with innovative digital tools for increased learning.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
ReplyDeleteA culture of "AND" means that we combine what we used to teach in the past (cursive) and combine it with new modern teaching (technology). These are just examples but as Wes says we should take a hard look at what we taught in the past and what is extremely important to combine with new ways of teaching. We cannot just throw away what we taught in the past. I love this concept and not just throwing away what we did in the past, because I think we can still learn a lot from "old school" style of teaching. When we combine "old" with "new" I think it can be a powerful experience for our students. I think my part is to have students to take a break from technology. When they are in PE, I try to get students moving and get them interested in games.
The “and” id using what we have learned in the past and we are learning now to compliment each other in the way we teach. We can’t just throw old ideas away and use just new ideas and methods. We need to incorporate these new AND old concepts to get the most out of teachers and students. Since I am an older teacher, I remember a lot of the older practices and I just need to get up to speed on the new tools that are being used in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteThe video on this idea is one of my favorite education talks yet. Technology brings some exciting ways to engage our students in our content area. Unfortunately, in some cases, this can lead to the atrophy of other important skills that students need. In the video, the speaker used the example of cursive. He displayed a passage written by Frederick Douglass (Coincidentally, I am reading a biography of him right now!) in cursive. At some point, a decision has been made to push reading and writing of cursive to the backburner in favor of other content. In a culture of "and," we can do both. We can use new technology to find primary sources and ways for our students to learn while still learning from the wisdom of the past and still keeping other skills alive.
ReplyDeleteToday, many students (even good students) struggle mightily with reading. I believe that excessive use of technology has impacted their ability to focus (less attention span) on a longer passage or to follow an extended argument. Technology is not inherently bad, and in some cases, it can really help us to teach a standard to students. Technology should be the servant, not the master of educators.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
ReplyDeleteI think that it is a blend of both old ways and new ways. Technology is obviously a driving force in any job at this point, but has taken off in the world of education. Does technology help make things easier, yes absolutely. I do feel that we rely too much on technology and not enough hands on teaching. Kids lack attention spans because they are used to getting things immediately with technology which makes down time in schools tough. With technology as well, we don't write as much in cursive or we are using checks and cash as much as what we used too. Is cursive necessary in today's world, no but is it something I feel kids should learn, yes.
Kids struggle with reading and I do feel technology has affected this because they aren't reading books as much as they are playing video games. I think it is a push and pull, kids are used to technology now and taking that away might cause bigger issues.
As a counselor, I don't use technology often when working one on one with students. I use paper/pencils. Teaching with our curriculum there are some videos, but mainly pictures to be shown on the board. I try to incorporate both technology and working together in groups as much as possible.
To have a culture of “and” means that great teaching is one that incorporates the old and the new-it doesn’t replace the old with the new.
ReplyDeleteMy school recently adopted “IXL” so students could work on skills at their level during reading and math rotations. As a classroom teacher, I did not look at IXL as something to replace our math or reading programs, but instead, add to it. Whole group instruction takes place within the first 15 minutes of class and then students begin rotations (each one is 10 minutes). We rotate 4 times and during these rotations- students meet with me for Tier 2 instruction, work on today’s assigned task at their seats, complete a hands-on task, and finally, work on recommended skills on IXL. The last five minutes of math and reading are used for closure/wrap up and “Exit Tickets.” IXL did not replace what we had in place, it added to it.
A part I can play in my school’s culture is to be open to learning new things. Teachers who’ve been teaching a long time are sometimes labeled as “Set in their ways.” I’ve been teaching for 29 years and still love learning about new programs and how they can enhance what we are already doing. All teachers should love learning and growing. In addition, I think having a “team player” attitude can help every campus flourish.
A culture of AND means rejecting the idea that we have to choose between traditional wisdom and modern innovation. Instead of an either or mindset where technology replaces foundational skills, this approach blends the two to create a more effective learning environment. In our schools, this looks like honoring methods such as paper and pencil tasks or direct instruction while also using digital tools to enhance engagement. As educators, we can improve our school culture by being open to new methods without abandoning the strategies we know work. By having this balance and ensuring all voices are heard, we show our students that they can be tech savvy innovators while also mastering essential foundational skills.
ReplyDeleteTo have a culture of "AND" means that you are able to use old school practices AND new school practices. You also need to be transitioning between the old and new practices all the time. In my school, I feel like this is somewhat determined by the curriculum. A new idea comes along and the excitement of being innovative overrides the old standby way of doing things. Both could and should have their place and both can be implemented. I want to be open to new ideas while keeping the knowledge from the past. I have the benefit of being from the generation where we had all of the old school technologies (wall phone, encyclopedia) AND I learned as a young adult about newer technologies and of course I am still learning. It's part of my upbringing to be aware of the pre tech days but also be curious and knowledgeable enough to incorporate new ideas. I could be a role model to have a culture of AND because I enjoy incorporating new and old.
ReplyDeleteWe should not be in the culture of or, it needs to be a culture of and. It's important because wisdom of the past should come with us as we innovate for the future. We do not need to choose between the past and innovation, we can have both. Technology can be a great tool to use when used properly. I feel as though a few years ago, our school had a big push with using technology. Now I have talked with teachers about how we feel our kids are seeming to be disconnected with peers and us as educators. I loved Weston's line at the end of the video when he said in our schools we all have to come in agreement that learning is King. Growth is Queen. "Cool" is the court jester. The jester is technology. And the jester has value, but don't put him in charge of the kingdom.
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
DeleteHaving a culture of "and" means valuing 2 things at the same time versus thinking that you can only choose one. In this video it was about valuing the "old" way and the "new" way.
I think this is so important. This is where it is important to mix recognize the value and differences in different teaching methods and approaches. I think it is especially important to be able to do this as all children do not learn the same. I liked how it talked about how technology can be fun and exciting. However, it can cause a disconnect. I think it can be used as a supplmental learning tool but it is important that humans are teaching humans for core instruction and technology is used as a tool to reinforce the concepts the children are learning. On the other hand kids love technology so it could be used to motivate them. I am not super techy. I have not used the majority of the platforms mentioned. It would be worth it to me to explore these. I think the major point of this is being open minded and balancing all the different ideas. This is where real collaboration can benefit teachers by sharing their view points, ideas and stragegies.
What does it mean to have a culture of “AND”? What could this (or does this) look like in your school? What part can you play in improving your school’s culture?
ReplyDeleteHaving a culture of "and" means valuing 2 things at the same time versus thinking that you can only choose one. In this video it was about valuing the "old" way and the "new" way.
I think this is so important. This is where it is important to mix recognize the value and differences in different teaching methods and approaches. I think it is especially important to be able to do this as all children do not learn the same. I liked how it talked about how technology can be fun and exciting. However, it can cause a disconnect. I think it can be used as a supplmental learning tool but it is important that humans are teaching humans for core instruction and technology is used as a tool to reinforce the concepts the children are learning. On the other hand kids love technology so it could be used to motivate them. I am not super techy. I have not used the majority of the platforms mentioned. It would be worth it to me to explore these. I think the major point of this is being open minded and balancing all the different ideas. This is where real collaboration can benefit teachers by sharing their view points, ideas and stragegies.
A culture of “AND” is about moving away from either/or thinking in schools and instead embracing balance. It’s the idea that we can hold multiple truths at once, such as structure and flexibility, accountability and compassion, high expectations and strong relationships. It also includes blending newer and traditional approaches to teaching, finding a practical mix of strategies that best support today’s students without discarding what still works. It can look like maintaining clear routines and expectations while also responding to student needs as they arise. It also means keeping academic rigor strong while prioritizing relationships and student well-being, rather than treating those as competing priorities.
ReplyDeleteFor me personally in my history classrooms, I can support this mindset through intentional instructional choices like combining direct instruction with primary source analysis, using storytelling to bring historical content to life, and building structured discussions or debates that give students voice. I can also offer choice in assignments, use frequent formative assessment to guide instruction, and adjust pacing when students need more support while still maintaining clear expectations and accountability.
Beyond my own classroom, I can help build school-wide culture by collaborating with colleagues to align expectations and language with students so they experience consistency across classes. I can also contribute by being a positive presence in shared spaces like hallways, events, and coaching, reinforcing relationships beyond academics. Supporting school initiatives, participating in staff conversations about student support, and encouraging a shared approach to discipline and connection are additional ways to help strengthen a unified culture.