When learning is focused around the belief that the most profound ideas in the world are those that we already agree with, we condemn everyone to the status quo.
If we can admit that things can always improve, then we have to remain open-minded enough to imagine a tomorrow that does not necessarily resemble today.
Wishing tomorrow to be just like yesterday won't ever make today a better place.
The preferred future should never pragmatic.
Great point Joe. I was watching Ken Robinson last night (again) on his TED talk about Do Schools Kill Creativity? We condemn everyone to the status quo because we have indeed ingrained in our children the fear to fail. We should be cultivating the desire to learn and to question the world around them. However, our current system rewards those who have scored higher on tests, and exams instead of those who showed growth in the short period we get to spend with them.
ReplyDeleteI guess the short answer is no. If schools are to remain relevant, we must change and adapt. However, our greatest challenge is not likely to come from other educators but from the general public. They all went through the system, and for better or worse, they understand the system as they know it. They are comfortable in this paradigm.
I could be wrong in this. Any thoughts?
Hi Joe,
ReplyDeleteI have found that one of the best ways to challenge the status quo (or, at least, my status quo) is to hang out with people who don't always agree with me. This takes a different level of energy, and I don't always walk away feeling as pumped if I had spent that time with people on the same page, but it always inspires me to look at things differently.
I'm all for inter-tribal rivalries, but I'm never closed to sitting down with those who think differently for a cold beverage!