Education

Reconsidering the Impact of Systems

By Christina Dragonetti / June 17, 2024 / 0 Comments

In this guest post, Dr. Doug Stilwell explores a transformative encounter with a student on the dual nature of systems, and how his thinking shifted.

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Education at a Crossroads: The Perils of Competition in K-12 Education

By Christina Dragonetti / November 2, 2023 / 3 Comments

The aim of this article is to specifically address the topic of competition among schools and districts as a means to improve the performance of the education system. (Hint: it doesn’t work!)

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The Golden Gate Bridge in the fog with a single pelican flying over.

The Joy and Irony of a Leadership Career

By Christina Dragonetti / July 31, 2023 / 5 Comments

In this guest post, Dr. Doug Stilwell reflects on his long career in education and shares the impact of Dr. Deming’s teachings on his work.

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Large red industrial fishing ship sinking from the back of the boat with the front end sticking up in the air.

Best Efforts on a Sinking Ship

By Christina Dragonetti / April 24, 2023 / 2 Comments

In this guest post by Ruthie Russo, she uses the metaphor of bailing out a sinking ship to show how traditional improvement efforts in education are missing the big picture – and harming students and teachers in the process.

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Young children sitting on a carpet in front of a teacher who is reading a book to them.

Joy in Learning: Deming in Education (part 1)

By Christina Dragonetti / August 12, 2022 / 0 Comments

Dr. Deming believed everyone is entitled to joy in work, and extended that to education as well. David P. Langford has worked to implement Deming in schools and education systems around the world, and in this first of two posts about his work, Christina Dragonetti relates how he got started and the impact of introducing the Deming philosophy – based on joy in learning – into classrooms.

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Empty classroom with desks facing a teacher's lectern, desk, and blackboard.

Are Best Efforts Ruining Education?

By Christina Dragonetti / May 16, 2022 / 2 Comments

In this guest post, Taylor Lux views the American education system through the Deming lens, finding significant shortfalls in spite of educators’ best efforts.

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Organizational Metabolic Health: Understanding Resistance to Change

By Guest Post / August 2, 2021 / 9 Comments

Guest Post by Dr. Doug Stilwell, Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership, Drake University. Over the past couple of years, I have been informally researching the relationship between the food we eat and our health. Over the course of my learning, I have made a connection with  organizational effectiveness. At first blush, this may seem like quite […]

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Restoring Joy in Mudville

By Guest Post / July 24, 2020 / 94 Comments

Professor Doug Stilwell of Drake University examines the connection between intrinsic motivation and joy in learning and how the systemic structures in our educational system can hinder it.

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