The document summarizes key concepts from the book "The Power of Pull" regarding a push vs. pull approach to education. It advocates adopting a pull approach, which allows students to attract relevant resources and take an active role in their learning through technology. A pull approach engages students more than a passive push approach and outdated teaching methods. The document encourages embracing pull in moderation by trying new techniques that work best for each teacher's students.

1. Leading from the Edge:
The Power of Pull
Casetta
Brown-Gunn
IT 652 – M5A14
Word Count: 1026
Hagel, J., Brown, J.S., Davison, L. (2010). The Power of Pull: How Small Moves,
Smartly Made, Can Set Big Things In Motion. New York, NY: Basic Books.

2. Why should Big KIPPsters care?
At the Knowledge Is Power Program, we have a KIPPism that says, “If there
is a better solution/way, we find it.” There is a better way to teach our
children, and if we aren’t careful to quickly adapt our lessons, methods,
and the styles in which we present curriculum; we could hinder the
progress of our students. In The Power of Pull: How Small Moves, Smartly
Made, Can Set Big Things In Motion, authors Brown, Davison, and Hagel
write that, “Pull is about expanding our awareness of what is possible and
evolving new dispositions, mastering new practices, and taking new
actions to realize those possibilities” (5). Frankly, the world is ever
changing and the ways that taught and prepared students in the past are
no longer working. We have to make a change, and that change needs to
be from that of a push mentality to one of pull.

3. Push vs. Pull: What is the big difference?
Push Pull
Definition: In The Power of Pull: How Small Moves, Smartly
In The Power of Pull: How Small Moves, Smartly Made, Can Set Big Things in Motion, pull is defined as
Made, Can Set Big Things in Motion, the push an approach that works on three levels that build
approach is described as, “forecasting needs and then from each other. “At the most basic level, pull is the
designing the most efficient systems to ensure that ability to attract people and resources when we need
the right people and resources are available at the them. At a second level, pull is the ability to attract
right time and the right place using carefully scripted people and resources to you that are relevant and
and standardized processes” (Brown, Davison, Hagel, valuable. A third level of pull – the ability to pull from
2010, l. 277). within ourselves the insight and performance required
to more effectively achieve our potential” Brown,
Davison, Hagel, 2010, l. 277).
Summary: Summary:
Basically, we’re accepting what is being presented to Basically, we take the time develop a Dream Team;
us – product, media, educational materials, etc. – people that love what they do and have a common
because a group of people that have studied our goal. The product and or resource being offered to fit
habits said that we would. We are often “pushed” to a demand was created with a unique individual in
accept the supplies that we need. “We consume mind, not from a factory that made millions of the
media that have been packaged, programmed, and same product to give to many people.
pushed to us based on our anticipated needs” (Brown, Reminds me of: a model that was factory built based
et al., l. 277). The power of push takes away our on a customers’ selections
control as if we’re robots and tells us what we should
do and why. We have allowed the power of push to
run us long enough, it is time to implement the power
of pull.
Reminds me of: Standard models assembled on an
assembly line – supply & demand

4. What we can no longer ignore…
The world is changing, but are you willing to? Think about it, what worked for our grandparents
could never work for us. Admit it, we don’t shop the way we used to nor do we book flights in the
same way that we did twelve years ago. Face it, technology changes our interactions. Why won’t
we allow it to change how our students achieve?
vs.

5. The Big Idea
Pull = Technology Push = anything that is outdated
Technology is fun and engaging; it has a way The outdated way to teach: mini-bus
of meeting the very specific needs of each curriculum that includes many different
consumer (students). The fact that it can skills without mastery tracking and using
differentiate to the many different ways in heavy and outdated books to present facts
which students learn not helps cut planning (which lead to awesome rote
time for teachers, but it provides memorization).
enrichment to students that they may not This approach does not allow students to
otherwise receive. It offers hands-on co-facilitate their learning or much
curriculum to students that are more often participation, what it does allow for
than not, off-task. It enhances the learning students to grow more disengaged, dislike
experiences of the students that finish early school, stunt their creativity, and for
and are more advanced. Pull Fun, engaging, teachers to continue resisting change and
mobile, popular, capable, engaging our proceed as if the world around them is not
students’ minds more often than we think digital.

6. What used to work was push and admittedly it was easy because it
was predictable and passive; it didn’t take much thought on our
parts. We showed up and did what was told; we behaved in
manners that were expected of us. We learned without questioning
and without autonomy.
Push may seem easier, but don’t
we want to think for ourselves?
As we plan for next year, please consider moving toward the power
of the pull. Let our students interact with their lesson, let them plan
it, let them teach it. Allow them to develop a passion for learning
and watch how they develop into lifelong learners.

7. Find your sense of balance
within the pull.
Embracing the pull doesn’t mean use technology every single
day in every single lesson. It does not mean that students are in
control of your classroom. What it does mean however, is that
students are no longer passive participants in their education
rather passionate learners that are “sweating” daily in your
class from the curriculum you teach. Do no feel overwhelmed
with the need to change everything your doing. Try out a few
different things, and see what you like. Implement those things
into your classroom but do not overload yourself. Do what
works best for your students.

8. References
Google Images. http:/www.googleimages.com
Hagel, J., Brown, J.S., Davison, L. (2010). The Power of
Pull: How Small Moves, Smartly Made, Can Set Big Things In
Motion. New York, NY: Basic Books.
KIPP Houston. http://www.kipphouston.org