To solve a problem, first formulate a problem.
What does the process look like for a Poly student to become a leader who knows how to frame the question she wants to ask as well as how to employ many tools to answer it?
To create, first envision.
How can Poly open opportunities for every student in this community to imagine, explore, and show enterprise in designing his own path toward meaningful accomplishment?
To learn, first do.
Where can experiment and risk-taking become more prominent features of Poly’s curriculum so that a student grows more able to take chances where her results are uncertain and the depth of her true understanding is cultivated?
Follow along and participate during Poly’s journey of
exploration over the next year to two.
Use #POLYSolves on Twitter and see posts here
Latest Insights
Three lines of code by Richard White, Upper School science teacher
I was walking down the hall at school when one of my students called out to me. “Mr. White! I’ve got a program that calculates prime numbers in only t
10 November, 2017
Latest Podcast
Innovation at Poly:
PODCAST EPISODE 1
What we’re watching
Do schools kill creativity?
WHERE GOOD IDEAS COME FROM by Steven Johnson
What we’re reading
Bringing Innovation
to School
By Suzie Boss
Short-medium, journalist reporting/observational format, lots of ideas and examples from K-12.
Creating Innovators
By Tony Wagner
Well-known author, lots of interviews with young innovators about schooling, some examples and specific suggestions. Nice treatment of Olin College of Engineering.
Innovator’s DNA
By Clayton Christensen
Not written for educators per se, more for corporate, but a readable, fascinating overview of the five core skills of innovators: Associating, Questioning, Observing, Networking, Experimenting.
What we’re seeing
On our campus
Poly faculty enjoy a professional development session February 17 on the innovator’s mindset.
San Francisco visit
Over two days in February, the POLYSolves steering committee traveled around the San Francisco area to visit . . .
Atlanta visit
Faculty who participate in an upcoming tour of Atlanta-area schools will elaborate on their findings here.
A Whole-School Initiative
Faculty steering
committee
John Bracker – Head of School
Sharon Thompson – Assistant Head of School
Jenine Almahdi – Lower School (Second Grade)
Suzie Arther – Lower School (Math Specialist)
Maite Bernath – Upper School World Languages (Spanish)
Tom Berrian – Middle School Science
Alice Lyons – Middle School World Languages (Latin)
Nathan Stogdill – Upper School English
Richard White – Upper School Science
Lawrence Zellner – Upper School English and History
About our consultant
Jonathan E. Martin
“As a former 20-year California independent school educator myself, I’ve long held Polytechnic School in the highest esteem, knowing of its excellence in college preparation, whole child development, arts, and athletics. So it gave me great delight when Poly invited me to assist the school in this enterprise to enhance the education of its students in their creative problem-solving and their innovative and entrepreneurial skills and habits.” – Jonathan E. Martin
