Education's 'Death Valley'

I'm not always the best at coming up with topics to blog about.  Oh, there's plenty to think about during the course of practically any given day but blogging, to me, isn't just about getting my thoughts down on paper... or monitor.  Ideally I can provide just a little bit of direction for myself AND for whomever may have happened to find their way here.  I'm going to try to do that a little more consistently.

Today, I'm going to focus first on a TED Talk by Sir Ken Robinson.  I've seen a few of his messages before and I am deeply appreciative of his ability to address some of the complex issues of education with some much needed humour.

For those interested, the nearly 20 minutes is well worth the view.

In this talk, he identifies THREE principles where human life flourishes.

1. Humans are naturally different and diverse.  The simple realization that each of my own children are quite different from one another was a helpful reminder of this concept.
2. If you can light the spark of curiosity in a child, they will learn without any further assistance.  Curiosity is the driver of achievement.
3. Human life is inherently creative.  "We create our own lives."

Here are some other key points worth considering, whether you are an educator, parent, or member of the school community at large.

• There isn't just a problem with those who don't complete school... What about those who become disengaged from the whole process and don't really get anything out of school?
• There are plenty of initiative that try to solve these problems.  They just aren't always able to cope with the prevailing school culture.
• Real education has to give equal weight to STEM, Humanities, Physical Education, the Arts, etc.
• ADHD is not the epidemic we think it is... anyone would get bored and fidget if having to do "low-grade clerical work" all the time.
• Great teachers pass on information, but they also "mentor, stimulate, provoke, and engage."
• Are we really teaching if there isn't any learning going on?
• There is a place for standardized tests but they are not the only means to determine success.
• Too often we emphasize a "culture of compliance."
• High-performing education system individualize teaching and learning together.
• Professional Development isn't a cost.  It's an investment.

It's pretty hard to disagree with most of what was said here.  The observations are certainly sensible enough and there were more than a few times I found myself uttering an agreeing "Hm..." as I watched.  I have a lot of questions about how to deal with the totally apathetic and uncaring, and I wonder about how I can have a role in establishing and maintaining a clear school culture.  I suppose, though, that asking questions is the start of the whole process.  Whether or not it actually turns into something will depend on a great many things from policy and curriculum design, to local leadership, and ultimately, to teachers in the classroom.

The picture at the top of this post is from an event mentioned at the end of Robinson's remarks.  I won't spoil it here but it is an interesting observation.

~Mr.T