schools template

[Philipp Schmidt]

I've been speaking to people about starting more Schools and having a template to define the focus and purpose of a school would be really useful. Is this a good idea? Is it something the Schools working group could put together? [Do we have something like this already?]

Context:

* There is no need to have each school redefine the values if they are the same as P2PU - and it would be good to have some level of consistency across schools. 

* P2PU is all about collaborative learning environment, openness, etc. Each school would merely apply the same values and methods to a particular focus area: X, Y, Z ... 

* I think the template would need a nice paragraph at the top that frames the values and how the school extends them (to be completed by each school). And then a few suggested headings that describe what the school focuses on, what it hopes to achieve, etc. The structure would be highly amendable of course to take into account the specifics of each school.

Best _ P

[lila bailey]

I think what might be most useful is a "Schools Readiness Checklist" or something of that sort, that asks questions about mission, focus, values, work flow, committment, needs for support from P2PU, and so on. This could help those who are interested in starting a school to think through issues we think are important before getting the label "School" at P2PU.

 

Is that what you see the template as doing, or do you have a different idea about the purpose of the template?

 

-Lila

[Alison Jean Cole]

Not sure how necessary this is? Perhaps we can use the questions asked/supplied by SoSI in their grant application to frame guidelines. Wouldn't want to box a school into formal boundaries.

ALISON
p2pu.org/users/alison

[lila bailey]

Well I think Philipp was saying people are actually asking for some kind of guidelines. I don't think we need to have formal boundaries, except for a minimal floor of expectations associated with being called a "School." The grant application is pretty in-depth, and I was thinking of something much more light weight, something that would help people in thinking through all the relevant pieces that they may not have thought of yet.

 

But I'm not totally sure what Philipp was envisioning for the template.

[Alison Jean Cole]

Ah, ok.

I think the basic minimum "what is a P2PU school" + values + what support schools get form P2PU would be enough.. additions?

[Philipp Schmidt]

On 15 April 2011 06:33, Alison Jean Cole <alisonj...@gmail.com> wrote:

Ah, ok.

I think the basic minimum "what is a P2PU school" + values + what support schools get form P2PU would be enough.. additions?

That covers it. I'd structure as a "This is my school" template though. Just provide the default content around values and P2PU, so not every school has to redefine what their values are - if it's a P2PU school we assume that the core values are the same ... and they can add to that.

Did you volunteer to do the first draft? ;-)

P

[lila bailey]

Alison I'm happy to work with you on an early draft. Do you want to take the first crack at it?

 

Do you guys think a readiness checklist would be helpful? I like the idea but if no one else thinks it's useful I won't give myself more work to do...

[lila bailey]

It could also just be called "So You Wanna Be A P2PU School" and give a list of things to consider if you're interested.

[Philipp Schmidt]

I was thinking more along the lines of a document that describes what the school is with some default text about P2PU included (something that could be linked from the school's "about" page). Checklist is also useful, and there is probably a lot of overlap between the two.

P

[lila bailey]

Sounds good. I'm happy to help on either or both. I'm quite slammed at the moment, so if someone else wants to take a stab at first drafts, that would be great. Otherwise I will have some time in June between jobs to catch up on less time sensitive P2PU projects like this one:-)