Last year, I read Chip and Dan Heath’s book Switch and in chapter 2 they discuss the idea of using “bright spots” to make sustainable change occur. This also reminded me of a strengths based approach to change where the focus is to build on strengths in order to effect change.  As I visited schools this year, these ideas kept coming up in my mind.  Much of what I saw was not terribly remarkable.  That is not to say that these schools weren’t doing amazing things and having an amazing impact but just that they were doing things that any school could do.  In addition, they were doing many things that we were already doing, especially here in Vermont.  Because many of the elements of excellent teaching are not particularly remarkable, people may not consider them “bright spots” when in fact they are. The Heath brothers identified one example of a small village where just adding sweet potato greens and shrimp, which were already available, increased the healthy diet of a child. When they found a way to increase the number of people adding these ingredients to meals, there was massive change. They argue that one strategy to making change is finding these small “bright spots” and replicating them.  

Through my school visits, it became clear that there were many “bright spots” in education, despite much of the discourse, and the world doesn’t know about them because teachers and principals are too humble to even know what they are doing is amazing enough to share. These “bright spots” don’t need to be that bright. If we put a #SpotlightOn them, they will become replicable and then they become “bright spots” where real change is happening.

There are two really important reasons why we need to start shedding some light on these places where even small innovations are taking place.  First of all, we have to change the story that is out there about American education.  Sure, it’s not perfect and we have a lot of work to do but there are more caring, innovative teachers out there than there are teachers who aren’t trying.  Many of these teachers are doing their work under horrific conditions and/ or mandates and still making a difference for kids.  If we shine a #SpotlightOn student experiences in these classrooms, the narrative can begin changing.

The second reason to share innovative actions is so that we can all learn and replicate practices in our classrooms and schools.  I had the opportunity to visit many schools this year through a fellowship but most teachers don’t have access to this.  Traditional inservice, as I have said many times before, is not sufficient professional learning in a world that is changing so rapidly.  This makes it extra important that we are bringing these ideas together in one place where everyone can find them.

These “bright spots” don’t need to be incredible innovations.  Share an activity that was engaging to kids; a practice that increased achievement; a school system or structure that helped change the culture of learning.  Don’t be afraid to share even small events or strategies that have helped your learning community grow in some small way or just something you did in your school or classroom that made kids smile. Many people are already sharing these events but because they are not shared in one place, they can not be easily discovered.  

So, here is my challenge…every week, share one small thing you are doing that is helping kids be more motivated or engaged in school on Twitter using the hashtag #SpotlightOn followed by your school hashtag.  Share a video, a photo, a lesson plan, a blog post, student work, a podcast episode or any other form you can find. Get kids involved as well.  How could you work this into a lesson? Could kids reflect in some way and share it? Be creative and don’t be humble.  Share it all.  I look forward to seeing what everyone is doing.

Please check your school’s media release policy before posting anything on Twitter.