GlobalMindED K-12 Track speaker Dean Fusto, President of Brandon Hall School and founder of Teach Learn Lead, has experience working in a vast array of educational environments, both nationally and internationally. These experiences have granted Fusto a unique perspective that inspired him to bring interconnectedness to educators around the globe. Through Teach Learn Lead, educators all over the world seeking professional development are given access to the latest educational research. Fusto is a past recipient of the National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship and an EE Ford Fellowship from the National Association of Independent Schools. He has published several books and, in 2017, established the Center for Global Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurial Studies at Brandon Hall School. His work in education is unique, and I felt it was important to hear his perspective on the issues we face in education.
1. You have experience working in boarding schools, K-20 public schools, independent schools, and international schools. What are some qualities that can be taken from each model and collectively used to fill in educational gaps in the United States? What can the United States learn from education systems in other countries? What could international schools take away from the American school system?
As a connoisseur of the art of school design, I am absolutely in awe of all the models that comprise the educational continuum. Many people limit their thinking by defining "school" by a set group of descriptors and schema. On www.teachlearnlead.org I assembled a collection of a few dozen types of schools that aren't necessarily mainstream in design, curricular delivery, and mission. As your question points out, I have been fortunate to work in several different types of schools, and there are lessons to be learned from each. This question is impossible to answer because each of the school types you enumerated can be analyzed at such depth, and I am of the belief that no two schools are alike. Each environment has its own culture that is mostly dependent upon the successful articulation of a mission and vision, and the daily commitment of the leadership, faculty, and staff.
In terms of filling gaps, boarding schools have such an opportunity to provide a truly holistic or whole child experience. In boarding schools, our students are committed to living in an educational community that sees them as scholars, athletes, global citizens, artists, and parts of a mosaic that foster and cultivate an exemplary learning community. In boarding, children benefit from adults who see them through multiple frames. This multi-perspective view of a child helps prevent stigmatizing or limiting potential.
There are no limits to the lessons that can be learned by both US and international systems. Social media has made it possible for schools to engage across borders, languages, and time zones. Idea exchanges, online edu-chats, and tapping into the collective wisdom of professional educators throughout the world are essential modalities that ensure fresh perspectives on learning.
2. In 2013, you founded Teach Learn Lead, a global edu-library. Why do you think it is important to connect educators around the globe?
To say "important" is an understatement. I believe connecting to educators around the globe is actually a key to the survival and sustainability of a culture of improvement and innovation that education needs. The edu-library had very humble beginnings. It started as my attempt to pull together all the resources I loved into one central location. It evolved into a globally recognized brand once I started to reach out beyond my own need for daily educational inspiration. I began to use the interplay and interconnectedness of various social media platforms to share articles and research briefs that I curated daily. I discovered that there was a real hunger from K-20 educators and school leaders worldwide to engage, seek wisdom, and learn from one another. The exponential growth of www.teachlearnlead.org continues to be so fulfilling. Connecting educators from around the world brings camaraderie, espirit d'corps, and strong bonds between people...this creates opportunities for new thought, collaboration, and change that always places students at the forefront.
3. What is the future of global education?
To explore the future of global education, we really need to define the term. On the one hand, it is an expansive concept that encompasses the marriage of a skill set and a mindset. In addition, it is an awareness of how connectedness with others can ultimately lead to a healthier and safer world for everyone. I foresee the proliferation of two movements in global education: first, discovering frontiers for global collaboration that transcend even social media's reach, and second, the resurgence of cross-cultural studies and training in our schools.
4. Along with teaching, conducting research, and running a school, etc., you have designed a number of service, learning, and experiential trips for students and teachers. Why are these important, and how do these experiences outside of the classroom invigorate a student’s academic journey and a teacher's career?
When designed thoughtfully and purposefully, experiential and service learning trips are powerful and transformative. I have designed myriad programs both domestically and internationally. There are several essential features of successful programs. First, quality experiences create authentic opportunities for deep connections between cultures. Second, relationship and commitment are integral parts of the whole. For example, many of the international service trips I designed involved ongoing involvement with a particular region, country, or orphanage. I am not a fan of the "one and done" model of service. Finally, design thinking is vital to the lifeblood of a program that has the power to inspire students and teachers.
5. Globally, many students face geographical, physical, and social challenges that often impair their academic journey. Many organizations send teachers into third world countries, in order to provide access to technology, health care, and STEAM. What are some ways students, parents, organizers, and service teams can help set up a permanent framework to ensure that every student’s needs are met? What are some ways institutions, such as governments and existing educational systems, can be included in order to guarantee a more permanent and successful education system?
This is an area of education where design and commitment must be at the center of any sustainable program. The hallmark of a permanent framework is to first recognize the impermanence inherent in the work. When establishing programs of this nature that have the power to impact lives, there needs to be a mechanism in place for constant scrutiny and assessment of the goal, vision, mission, and outcomes. In terms of including several sectors of society such as government and education, I believe that clarity of vision and purpose, ongoing dialogue, and collaboration on problem solving are crucial. Any challenges are best addressed when ongoing and systemic opportunities for cooperation, partnership, and inclusive problem solving are in place.
6. Through the Center for Global Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurial Studies that you founded at Brandon Hall School, students and faculty have been given the opportunity to strengthen and develop their leadership skills. Why is leadership so crucial to a student’s academic journey, their global work skill set, and their success in college and beyond?
Leadership is a muscle that needs to be exercised incessantly. The Center for Global Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurial Studies will provide students daily opportunities to engage with a variety of leaders, and to look at the concept of leadership through multiple lenses. Students need to experience leadership from the ground level so that any theory they learn is clearly anchored in real-world contexts that matter to them. The skills they will learn and hone will also be globally situated in that they will collaborate in real time with peers from all over the globe. Having these opportunities at a young age will position them for anything they might encounter in college and life.
Fusto’s commitment to advancing educators and students globally is necessary in our changing world. You can hear Dean Fusto speak about issues in education at the 2017 GlobalMindED Conference.