15000 teachers for 1500 students
That's ridiculous. Unless, of course, we suspend for a moment our conceptual frame of what school is all about.
The story began a few years ago, when we started to think more intentionally about the ways in which our alumni community can support the school. We wanted to broaden our definition beyond financial giving, so we started to build a strategy around the idea that there are four ways to support the school: giving, volunteering, sharing knowledge and partnering.
Fast forward to my recent conversation with the team from NOYO, who are helping us re-frame the way in which we engage with our alumni community.
What would the future of alumni engagement look like to you?
Suddenly, I found myself entertaining the ridiculous notion that every member of our alumni community was an active learning resource for today's cohort of students: 15000 teachers for 1500 students.
Let's imagine, though, for just a moment:
- a school in which every student understands that the gift of learning that they have received today will be theirs to give tomorrow;
- a school in which students who go on to develop mastery in all fields of life and work, share their deep practical wisdom in ways that go beyond anything that any textbook or even Google could summon;
- a school in which the alumni community was constantly co-creating the learning programme.
Imagine a school in which today's graduating class were tomorrow's teachers.
There are a dozen reasons or more why such a school doesn't yet exist. It dramatically changes the role of the teacher. It also dramatically changes the responsibility of student to future generations.
The fact is, though, schools need to change anyway. So, one day, somebody's ridiculous notion, will become the norm.
