Will We Do What It Takes to Improve Public Education?

By Sam Chaltain

Want to imagine a different path to improving public education in this country? Take my 15-minute challenge.

First, find a partner. Then, take four minutes to reflect and write silently on your most meaningful personal experience in a learning community. It could be a club, a church group, a school, a course, or something else. The only criteria are that it was a transformative experience, and that real learning occurred.

Next, you and your partner take four additional minutes to share your stories with each other. While one person is speaking, the other will be listening actively and taking notes, in hopes of identifying what attributes made the experience being described such a successful one. After both of you have shared your stories, take a minute or two to identify the parts and qualities of your experiences that were the most...