DIG Pilot

In a week-long experiment educators familiar with the Dayton experiment condensed what was known to work into a video ready practice.

It all began on previous Monday, 16 March. Everything closed that day. Schools, stores, our old life.

For over two years, on the third Monday of each month, we gathered at a rooftop bar in McMinnville. A time to laugh and share stories, knowing that simply being together was important. A meeting of school leaders who had been inspired by Jami's work in Dayton to reimagine learning in their schools. Ward and I would join to listen and learn.

The announcement on Thursday of the previous week notified everyone that we were all shutting down because of covid. We knew that we still wanted to meet the following Monday, so we quickly set up a Zoom meeting so that at least we could gather virtually.

But there was a different feeling that evening as these school leaders were facing the unknown of how they could quickly develop a strategy for keeping the students learning despite the schools being closed.

We knew that we needed to learn into this unknown. So we christened ourselves 'The Amazing Nerds' and quickly spun up an experiment – we would asked Jenni to guide us in a one-week journey where we would become her students to directly experience the magic of The Dayton Practice we had witnessed in her classroom. We agreed to meet in two days then, and then, on following Friday, we launched.

Dayton Junior High and High School, Dayton

LaCreole Middle School, Dallas

Tumwata Middle School, Oregon City

Willamina High School, Willamina

We did not expect what happened in this experience. We sensed something powerful being unleashed in each of us. Something that might hold important meaning for others.

We each had a story to tell on our demo day, a story of personal meaning. Each story we heard, felt, then formed into a collective meaning. One that was powerful.

At that moment, we committed to shape this learning experience into something others could experience. Jami committed to bringing this experience to her new school, Jenni and I committed to creating a framework that she could use.

In a week's time, Designed InGenuity (DIG) was created.