Landscape vs. Racetrack

On the first day of school, we metaphorically line up all students on a racetrack, provide them with identical equipment, and point them toward the graduation finish line without considering their readiness for the race, the suitability of the equipment or the desirability of the destination. Recent attempts to improve education have focused on differentiating the equipment but have maintained the same vision for the overall process with little regard for either the individual student or the landscape in which the race takes place.

What are some of the current obstacles to more personalized “landscape” thinking when it comes to students’ learning journey? Are there systems that need to shift so that you can take students from where they are to their own best horizon?

How might we need to rethink our ideas about standardization and “success” in order to move away from the racetrack? What definition of success might help your school move toward more varied ideas about what students need?

How might “landscape thinking” help you achieve more equity in your classroom?

Check out these additional resources:

Get the Book: The Landscape Model of Learning by Jennifer D. Klein & Kapono Ciotti

WATCH: Discovery Mindset