Today, Tom talks with Nate Kellogg of The Learning Accelerator and Gwen Baker of Bellwether Education Partners about the Strategy Lab — a project of the Always Ready for Learning initiative.

The Strategy Lab is a networked learning community from The Learning Accelerator, in partnership with Bellwether Education Partners, working to accelerate the development of a more resilient and equitable education future. This work culminated in the Real-Time Redesign toolkit, an actionable resource for helping districts apply the key learnings and processes from the Strategy Lab work.

Listen in as Tom speaks with Nate and Gwen about this important collaborative work within a network of schools and districts. And be sure to stay tuned until the end to hear from some of the participants themselves!

Key Takeaways:

[:08] About today’s episode with Nate Kellogg and Gwen Baker.

[:52] Tom welcomes Nate and Gwen to the podcast.

[1:09] Nate tells the origin story of the Always Ready for Learning initiative as well its three projects: the Parabola Project, the Coaching Network, and the Strategy Lab.

[2:34] Gwen shares how she and Bellwether get involved in this project and why they were personally compelled by it.

[4:25] Nate shares about the districts they originally focused on when beginning this project.

[6:02] Which services to Gwen try to quickly mobilize and offer to these partner districts with the Strategy Lab?

[7:33] Was there any learning between these districts? Were they learning together about shifting their education to remote and when/how they might go hybrid or in-person?

[8:32] Gwen elaborates on how the networking between districts was one of the most powerful tools for learning and growth.

[10:34] Nate explains the Real-Time Redesign toolkit.

[11:46] Would Gwen say that the toolkit is still highly useful for not only the participating districts but other districts as well right now?

[12:57] Nate shares his predictions and hopes for what may be better or different in the fall with their partnered districts as a result of the work they’re doing.

[15:22] Gwen shares her hopes and predictions for the fall as a result of the work that they’ve done with their partnered districts.

[16:56] Does this COVID-19 era mark the end of the individual practitioner and the beginning of teaching teams and embracing new strategies and tools around personalized and competency-based learning? And if so, does Gwen see this as a permanent shift going forward?

[18:40] Does Nate think that many of the districts that they’ve worked with will continue to have an online or virtual learning program post-pandemic?

[19:49] Does Nate believe we will continue to see enriched online programs that incorporate more project-based learning and more community connections, as well as more hybrid programs that stick around long-term, post-pandemic?

[21:04] Does Gwen have any predictions for new models that she thinks we’ll see in the fall or beyond?

[21:58] Where to find more information about the Strategy Lab and the Real-Time Redesign toolkit.

[22:44] Gwen shares some parting words to districts and leaders curious about the projects.

[23:02] Tom thanks Gwen and Nate for joining the podcast!

[23:19] The districts that participated in the Strategy Lab share their thoughts on the process and answer the questions: 1. What was the most powerful part of the Strategy Lab cohort? 2. What are they piloting as a result of the Strategy Lab and the Real-Time Redesign process?

[23:34] The Chief Academic Officer of Indianapolis Public Schools, Dr. Warren Morgan, shares his thoughts on the Strategy Lab cohort.

[26:55] The Director of Academics at the Austin Independent School District, Suzanne Newell, shares her thoughts on the Strategy Lab cohort.

[30:42] The Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment at Renton School District, Bob Ettinger, shares his thoughts on the Strategy Lab cohort.