What is the main message of Better Together?

Working collaboratively can lead to greater success and impact.

How long does it take to read Better Together?

The reading time for Better Together depends on the reader's speed, but it typically takes a few hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in approximately 15 minutes.

Is Better Together a good book? Is it worth reading?

Better Together is a worthwhile read offering insights and strategies for effective collaboration and achieving collective goals.

Who is the author of Better Together?

The authors of Better Together are Lydia Dobyns and Tom Vander Ark.

Better Together Summary of Key Ideas and Review | Lydia Dobyns and Tom Vander Ark

Name: Better Together
Rating: 4.4 (17 reviews)
Author: Lydia Dobyns and Tom Vander Ark

Introduction

What’s in it for me? Learn how to create enriched learning experiences that prepare students for life beyond school.

Teachers are under so much pressure to prepare students for exams. In an attempt to get each child successfully across the line, educators are forced to sacrifice crucial learning qualities like engagement, differentiation, and all the interpersonal skills that turn students into successful citizens.

Deep down, teachers know the system isn’t doing anyone any favors. They’re stressed. Their students aren’t engaged. Their principal is panicking about being penalized for the school’s low graduation rate. They feel like hamsters stuck in the wheel.

But there is a way to break the cycle. It can transform any school into an energized learning environment where staff are supported, students’ individual needs are met, and kids are empowered to take ownership of their learning.

So what is this metamorphic resource?

It’s learning networks. They are many and varied, catering to different needs. You just need to find out which one is right for you.

In these blinks, you’ll discover

the unexpected secret to successful online learning;
why learning shouldn’t always happen in a classroom; and
how valuing generosity makes you a better teacher.

Key idea 1 of 8

Connecting educators through school networks creates better learning outcomes for students.

Imagine you’re a teacher struggling to improve student engagement. You’re finding it difficult to strike a balance between getting students interested in lessons and preparing them for exams. And since everyone at your school is focused on test scores, no one has the headspace to workshop potential solutions. If only there were a community that could give you the support you needed...

School networks are one of the most valuable resources for educators. They provide member schools with access to learning models, resource libraries, professional development opportunities, and technological tools. Also importantly, they give teachers a shared vision for learning, as well as access to peers in other schools.

The key message here is: Connecting educators through school networks creates better learning outcomes for students.

There are around 7,000 charter schools in the US. A third of these belong to school networks like the New Tech Network, Big Picture Learning, and the National Academy Foundation. According to research conducted by Stanford University, these schools outperform those that aren’t part of a network. Let’s examine why.

Firstly, since networks don’t rely on an individual leader, they provide ongoing stability. Each network has its own vision for education – like using the Montessori method, for example. It won’t matter who’s at the helm; the vision will outlast the inevitable comings and goings of leaders. Unlike schools at risk of having their agendas changed each time a new board is elected, member schools benefit from consistency. Less disruption means educators have the stability they need to fully implement changes to curricula and learning models.

Secondly, networks are idea-exchanging hubs. Teachers facing similar challenges – like how to support students with special needs – can benefit from each other’s experiences. Or they can draw on a huge pool of classroom tools, adapting them for their own needs. This leads to continual improvement: if a teacher improves a classroom tool, he can add his new version to the network’s library, making it available to everyone.

Teaching is a demanding, often frustrating profession. But a supportive and energizing community helps make it sustainable. Imagine how much you’d benefit from expanding your community from a few dozen to a few hundred, or maybe even a thousand! It may well revolutionize the way you teach.

Key idea 2 of 8

While online learning holds great potential, it isn’t an effective way to teach school students.

Jump onto any social media platform, and you’ll be bombarded with suggestions: Do you know this person? You should follow this group. Here are some pants to match the shirt you bought last week.

So many of our online experiences are personalized, thanks to background algorithms that track our behavior. Imagine what learning would be like if we could customize teaching to the same degree. Algorithms could anticipate what students need and offer them tailored learning plans. If it’s already happening when we shop online, why isn’t it happening in education?

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Key idea 3 of 8

Student engagement improves when learning is personalized and project-based.

In 2012, San Jose’s Katherine Smith Elementary was a low-performing school in a low-income neighborhood. Its teachers focused on test preparation and low-level tasks. As a result, its students weren’t excited about learning, so the cycle of underachievement continued. Less than a decade later the students of San Jose’s Katherine Smith Elementary are flourishing. Empowered and focused, they enthusiastically take ownership of their learning.

So, what led to this extraordinary transformation?

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Key idea 4 of 8

To foster the next generation of innovators, teaching must focus on learning experiences, not results.

Jared wasn’t doing well at his traditional high school in Boise, Idaho. But luckily, he had initiative. When he heard about an unusual school called One Stone, he transferred. Under its nontraditional learning model, which uses design thinking to solve real-world problems, Jared transformed from a struggling freshman into an empowered learner and budding coder.

The key message here is: To foster the next generation of innovators, teaching must focus on learning experiences, not results.

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Key idea 5 of 8

Connecting education to the real world is a powerful way to engage students.

Across the Teton Science Schools network, a number of students aren’t at their desks. But they’re not playing hooky. They’re participating in Field Education programs, which use place-based education to create authentic learning experiences.

In place-based education, students complete projects grounded in real-world examples. For instance, students in a Field Education program tested water quality in their neighborhoods. This type of learning framework not only connects students to their local landscapes, it also helps them reflect on local culture and social practices. While using inquiry-based learning to develop their projects, students see themselves as part of their local community.

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Key idea 6 of 8

A student’s learning experience significantly improves when teachers take responsibility for it collectively.

Think back to when you were in high school. No doubt you had a different teacher for every subject, and each of those subjects was taught in isolation. But this style of learning is contrary to human nature. Humans like to learn within networks.

The key message here is: A student’s learning experience significantly improves when teachers take responsibility for it collectively.

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Key idea 7 of 8

A clear vision of what you want to achieve will help you identify which learning network will work for you.

Congratulations, school leader! You’ve decided to join a learning network to transform education at your school – but there are a number of networks to choose from. They all have pros and cons, and offer different resources and benefits. So, before you pick one, you need to have a clear idea of what kind of school you’d like to create and how strictly you’re willing to adhere to what each network offers.

The key message here is: A clear vision of what you want to achieve will help you identify which learning network will work for you.

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Key idea 8 of 8

To change a child’s learning experience, you must change a school’s culture.

Remember Katherine Smith Elementary School from an earlier blink – the school that was transformed when it joined the NTN? Well, it’s true that the school’s new learning model significantly increased student engagement. But that’s just part of the story. Without a complete organizational shift, the new model would’ve had limited success.

Part of Principal Brengard’s vision for Katherine Smith Elementary was to give students life-changing social and academic confidence. This was particularly important since most of its students came from low-income families who didn’t speak English at home. According to Kathy Gomez – superintendent of Katherine Smith Elementary’s school district – you can’t change a school without a cultural shift.

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