Why School?
Do we want our kids to be great test takers or do we want our kids to love learning? In my personal life and as a teacher, I never did very well on tests but I have always been motivated to learn about things that align with my purpose. I love to explore this abundant life and in this era, information can be obtained with one single click. Richardson called this, “fingertip abundance.” Will Richardson presented two different types of reform in the book titled “Why School?” The first is called the “better way” and the second, “another way.”
“Better Way”
First, lets explore the “better way.” The “better” way is “seeing schools as places where technology is increasingly a tool to better deliver content, where a growing emphasis on passing the test becomes a business proposition, one tied to competing against other countries, schools, classroom, teachers and students.” (Richardson, 2015) Primarily businessmen and policy makers wrote this approach with the emphasis on competition and scoring. It is a quantifiable approach that can be easily identified, scored, ranked and compared.
“Another Way”
The second type of reform is called “another way.” Unlike the first approach, this policy is not created by businessmen, it’s “co-created by thousands of connected educators around the world, who recognize a different future for their students and understand deeply how technology and the web can enhance learning, both in and out of the classroom. (Richardson, 2012) This approach is a lot more difficult to quantify because the approach focuses on the world we currently live in, not the world us adults grew up in. A lot has changed, information is now one click away, one “how to” YouTube video away, etc. Reading books would take us days, weeks or even years to finish. Students can now access audio books and finish them in a couple of hours. However, this approach is not simply about taking what’s needed from the web, it’s about asking questions, collaborating and developing habits of a lifelong learner. It’s not about learning facts and testing that knowledge, it’s about developing creativity, persistence and the skills for patient problem solving.
I side with the second approach, ‘another way.’ As a teacher, I don’t teach kids the way I learned or how I learned in elementary school. I’m teaching them how I learned most recently in college. Today’s youth has access to the world at their fingertips and they need to learn how to navigate and collaborate through today’s world. I not only interested in teaching my students the essential skills they will need for next year but life skills as well, todays 21st century life skills. Yes, it’s not easily quantifiable but it’s pretty amazing seeing students reach a conclusion that I never thought about. There are so many ways to reach a certain outcome and I believe this approach embraces and celebrates that uniqueness.
Unlearn/Relearn
Richardson also brings up the point that information is constantly changing; therefore educators should evolve as well. He talks about six unlearning/learning ideas for educators: share everything, discover-don't deliver the curriculum, talk to strangers, be a master learner, do real work for real audiences, and transfer the power. I believe I’ve committed myself to share everything; I constantly share my story, teaching strategies and what I have learned. I constantly talk to strangers, whether it’s in person, reading books, networking on social media or YouTube. I always strive to learn from others.
I like to believe I am a master learner, constantly looking for something new that will energize and engage my students. Personally, I cannot deliver the same lessons year after year; I constantly modify and tweak to fit the needs of my current students. The challenges will definitely be to discover-don't deliver the curriculum and transfer the power. Transferring the power and not delivering the curriculum can be difficult because as teachers, we’re natural leaders and the specific needs of our students need structure. However, I’m up for the challenge to adapt and change. Lastly, I’m very excited to add, do real work for real audiences. I think it’s a great idea to add real world experiences to my students’ homework instead of math and vocabulary worksheets. This was definitely an “ah-ha” moment for me and ideas are starting to flow.
References
Richardson, W. (2012). Why school how education must change when learning and information are everywhere / Will Richardson. New York, NY: TED Conferences.