As I was walking into a classroom yesterday at #Círculos@ALA, the power went out.  That’s exactly what a teacher loves – power outtages.  Throw into the mix over 30 middle school students.   On Friday.  Just before Labor Day weekend.

To top it off, in walks me, the assistant superintendent for teaching and learning.  This is exactly how a teacher wants to spend a Friday.

The teacher in question happens to be one of our most talented competency-based teachers and thinkers in the district, and perhaps on the planet.  I’ll leave her identify anonymous until she reads this and gives me permission for the big reveal.  In fact, I was just sitting in a vendor demo yesterday, looking at a system of competency-based assessments and feedback built by a large ed tech company and thought to myself…this (insert amazing teacher) has already built that.  On her own.  In her spare time when she isn’t teaching.

In any case, I’m always amazed when a teacher has built such a culture in his or her classroom that the learning just keeps moving forward.  Students know what to do.  Power outtage?  No problem.

I walked a few doors down.  Same thing.  The teacher’s original plan involved a digital presentation.  Power outage.  Throw that plan out the window.  Okay, circle up for some academic dialogue.  While we might be known for our blended learning and competency based systems, we certainly know how to go old school.