the G school

1. theGschool redefined. redesigned. OUR MANIFESTO WE ARE DEVOTED TO ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO THINK DIFFERENTLY, TAKE RISKS, INNOVATE, AND COLLABORATE ON REAL AND RELEVANT CHALLENGES.

2. OUR BELIEFS theGschool01 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. • 1. Learning occurs best by doing. Our students deserve to learn in an environment that treats them as producers, not just consumers. • 2. Students are leaders, designers, and innovators.Our students have dynamic and diverse talents and school should serve as a platform to explore those. • 3. The boundary between the school and the public must be eroded. • Our students are entitled to rigorous and meaningful learning experiences that foster powerful collaborations among professionals, business leaders, and community stakeholders. “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” – Simon Sinek

3. OUR APPROACH TO LEARNING theGschool02 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. GRASSROOTS the essential foundation and source It is absolutely imperative that students collaborate in a learning atmosphere that is bottom-up, not top-down. Meaningful learning begins with an authentic and organic challenge that inspires inquiry, and it is our duty as teachers to help cultivate action with our students toward real solutions. The challenges and problems our students face are genuine, and it is precisely that characteristic that serves as our foundation to all learning. “We only think when we are confronted with problems.” – John Dewey

4. OUR APPROACH TO LEARNING theGschool03 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. GALVANIZED aroused to awareness and action Make no mistake about it. We are an organization of action. Students that choose to learn with us do not sit around and deliberate solutions for countless hours. The problems we are facing need immediate attention, and people are waiting. That is not to say that the learning process is rushed. However, it is to serve as a clear distinction that we are characterized by a culture that builds to think and builds to learn. “It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sit back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” – Leonardo da Vinci

5. OUR APPROACH TO LEARNING theGschool04 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. GLOBAL comprehensive To put it simply, we think and act beyond ourselves. Our learning is not confined by the walls of the schoolhouse, and the local and global community serves as our classroom. By approaching challenges through a global and inclusive point of view, students are able to bring multiple perspectives into the design process. It is this type of viewpoint toward learning that encourages powerful collaborations among students and outside experts. “I want to put a ding in the universe.” – Steve Jobs

6. OUR DESIGN PROCESS theGschool05 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Understand Define Investigate Observe Prepare Interview Empathize Capture Share Present Interpret Synthesize Relate Categorize Brainstorm Illustrate Diagram Design Sketch Integrate Select Create Critique Compare Measure Evaluate Revise Conclude Plan Evolve Fabricate Develop Execute Build Document “There is no challenge, big or small, in the world that could not benefit from a healthy dose of cavalier creativity.” – David Kelley

7. NUTS & BOLTS theGschool06 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. • Small Learning Community: We believe that students learn best around adults and colleagues that know them very well. This environment allows us to better advise and design more personalized work for our students. • High Expectations: We believe that all students should be held to the highest of expectations. Along with high curriculum standards, students design quality work that is subject to careful review, including critique, revision, and high-stakes presentations. • STEM / Humanities Integration:We use STEM as the primary driving force behind our design challenges, and the humanities are integrated into the challenges to provide a human-centered perspective. • Design Thinking: Every challenge is firmly grounded in a design methodology that guides students through the innovative process.

8. THINGS WE LIKE theGschool07 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. taking action! original ideas & brainstorming sketching & prototyping testing & experimentation presentations & storytelling revision & successful failures critique & feedback

9. INSPIRATIONS theGschool08 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Organizations and people that inspire and challenge our way of thinking: Sir Ken Robinson Ron Berger The Buck Institute for Education Seth Godin The Stanford Institute of Design

10. OUR TEAM theGschool09 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. We are a diverse collection of teachers and design enthusiasts that share a desire to challenge the status quo in the public education system. Lindsey Ott, Language Arts Teacher Empress of Implementation lindsey_ott@whitfield.k12.ga.us Ben Williams, Science Teacher Master of Metaphors ben_williams@whitfield.k12.ga.us Donna Williams, Math Teacher Detail Diva donna_williams@whitfield.k12.ga.us Eric White, Social Studies Teacher Idea Instigator eric_white@whitfield.k12.ga.us G thanks “More dialogue, less monologue.”