A Blast from the Past

I wrote the following email rant/manifesto to colleagues three years ago.  I still feel the same way and am excited that much of what I've experienced in my personal and professional life continues to validate this thinking today.

I am revisiting and redistributing this message today based on a parting shot from a fellow warrior and colleague:

"You're not happy unless you've got a rocket strapped to your ass."

Maybe you're right Simon, maybe... 

1. The Simpsons revolutionized cartoons because they were able to take something kid-friendly (animation) and infuse it with satire and social commentary for the adults.  In addition to gaining a broader audience, the kids were exposed to concepts that were a little far-reaching.  It was done, however, in a way that “guided” them contextually to an understanding of the world they weren’t getting from The Flintstones, etc. 

2. Bell curve:  Some of our kids are ahead, some behind and most “ours for the manipulating”.  This middle bunch is easily-managed and is, therefore, one of the main reasons we haven’t had to evolve.  This mainstream group is not going to complain or stray from the norm.  These make up our A & B student population.

3. The outliers at the low end will always force us to take notice and make accommodations (albeit to their detriment at times = codependent, enabled).  They have issues but aren’t being tapped for their strengths either.

4. Those out in front of the curve are bored and many times disciplinary issues as a result.  They will bend but will not break and they recognize bullshit when they see it.  These are our influential leaders in society (whether they are in organized crime, in indie bands or leading TED talks).  I’m generalizing, but they don’t care as much about traditional motivators such as money, grades, etc.  They are likely to corrupt but are less likely to be corruptible themselves.  Risk-takers.

5. All the universe’s info known by humans is at our fingertips.  Seriously, do you understand what this means?  Not only is info doubling every 14 minutes (hyperbole) any kid with a smart phone can access it 24 hours a day from almost anywhere.

6. Middle school-aged children are heathens.  They eat with their hands then wipe them on their shirts.  They are schizophrenic in the sense that most of them bounce between pathetic dependence and willful independence; both are instable.  They need guidance. 

7. We need clear standards & benchmarks that are heavy on skills (research, connecting, perspective-taking, communication) and much less on data.  An example of this would be studying revolutions (why they happen, what happens during and as a result of) as opposed to simply the American Revolution.  There are revolutions happening all over the world today.  Do they have similar components and dynamics; can we make predictions to avoid/replace them?  Are they necessary for a society to develop (like a wildfire, for example)?

8. We have to move away from the “manager of information” model as teachers.  “Managers of people and problems” is probably more like it.

9. I still don’t think we can do this within traditional schools.  It’s risky; it’s chaotic at times and it defaults to “madness” more than “method”.  Those that take on this (r)evolutionary challenge must be a little crazy, very confident in their classroom leadership and part of a community of like-minded professionals.

“When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called a Religion."
— Robert M. Pirsig (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values)

I do think we are closer.  It is hard to move out of a comfort zone, though.  "School" is a well-established industry with established and accepted methods for protecting the status quo.  Three years (really, more like 20 years) later I'm still excited about learning in schools mimicking real world, inside-out learning through interest, struggle, failure and skills vs. following directions and "playing the game".

So, no, it's not a "maybe".

I definitely like it hot, rockets strapped to my ass and all. 

Anyone else?
 

Thoughts (of the day) on the Self-Transforming Mind

Hi Kids.  Today's You Tube comes to us from Robert Kegan.  He has a neat theory which weaves together human's increased life span over the past century, the increased complexity of the problems we face as a species and our brain's ability to handle these problems as a function of being around longer.  It reminds me of Piaget's stages of child development as well as this.


Anyway, check it out: