CURMUDGUCATION: Rules for Tools

CURMUDGUCATION: Rules for Tools:

Rules for Tools

Tom Vander Ark is as prolific as hell, so I have to admire his tenacity and energy, but every time I read his stuff, I'm driven to conclude that he's kind of a tool.

I don't intend to make a personal judgment-- for all I know, he's a delightful gentleman. But he often seems to achieve the near-perfect expression of the corporate tool approach to the education biz. This is unsurprising-- Vander Ark has been the executive director of education for the Gates Foundation, an education venture capitalist, and the head of a retail chain start-up. 

If you want a taste of Vander Ark's corporate tool approach to education, you can check out his latest thoughts at Buffington Post-- "21 Things Education Leaders Should Do Right Now"

Well, actually, twenty-one things ed leaders should do in the next 180 days or so. Vander Ark has broken the Things into three groups of seven. 

First Ninety Days

1. Make good first impressions. Visit every school.

2. Check out your leadership team. Get rid of anybody necessary in order to build a "high trust, high capacity team."

3. Hone your personal narrative. (Seriously-- this is how Vander Ark writes). "You'll have a hundred opportunities to share your story during your first ninety days," particularly if you don't waste time listening to people.

4. Open your political capital bank account and make initial deposits. He's talking about making CURMUDGUCATION: Rules for Tools: