Well, I won’t mince words: NAIS blew it. When offered the chance to have a “Design the Revolution” conference-sponsored showing of Most Likely to Succeed, the new documentary on innovative responses to the present and future education design landscape, the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) gave the offer a quick sniff and turned the opportunity down. And that’s a shame. Sure, the conference was over a year in planning and shifting the program around to accommodate the film would have been daunting; I mean—good lord!—the programs were already printed. But shouldn’t NAIS model good teaching and adaptability? And really, doesn’t every good teacher seize special moments, change the plan, and invigorate the educational environment when opportunity knocks?
Inside Peek: Newton North High School’s Innovation Lab
After two snowy days at the NAIS Conference in Boston, the GLP team spent the last afternoon touring Newton North High School’s classrooms and Innovation Lab. The Graham Gund designed school is located 20 minutes—and a world away—from the NAIS “conference-speak” of design innovation. Here is the “real deal”: energetic kids, bubbling flasks, tangible projects, and inspiring educators.