I started a Masters program this fall and have to tell you–it’s a blast. I’m learning so many cool things! Recently we were asked to revisit our “Philosophies of Education.” So I got to play around with this the other night.
I’ve mentioned stuff like this in passing before. But I’ve never formulated (and articulated) what I believe “education” is all about so emphatically.
We had some choices for presentation, and I went with a pamphlet type of thing that we could give to students or parents, which is pretty tough to recreate here, but I think you’ll get the gist.
I imagine I’ll continue to tweek it. I’ve already changed a couple of things even after turning it in last weekend. I’m just that way I guess.
Okay, enough chit-chat.
All the stats and images came from, Shift Happens, over at Slideshare.
Learning is Heroic
According to former Secretary of Education Richard Riley, the top 10 in-demand jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004.
I believe that real, lasting and valuable teaching and learning is a creative process anchored to a framework of ideas about what is possible. We live in unique times. Technology is fueling an information explosion. This has profound implications for teaching and learning. Consider, for example, these two statistical bits from one of my favorite presentations, “Shift Happens,” originally developed by Karl Fisch:
• The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that today’s learner will have 10-14 jobs by the age of 38.
• The amount of new technical information is doubling every 2 years. For students starting a four-year technical or college degree, this means that half of what they learn in their first year of study will be outdated by their third year of study.
It’s statements like these that lead me to believe that teaching, learning, and curriculum should focus less on content, and more on the skills needed to communicate, as well as creatively and critically solve problems.
In order for this to happen, I think our entire educational landscape will have to undergo paradigm shifts that will change the very structure of what we do. We must shake the very bedrock.
Big shifts like this mean risk. They mean venturing into unknown territory. They mean adventure.
10 years ago, who could have predicted Google? Who then could even foresee the problems that search engines would solve? Today, there are over 2.7 billion searches performed on Google each month. Information is expanding and change exponential. Tomorrow’s great thinkers and leaders are today’s risk takers and problem solvers.
They are our hero’s.
I believe we desperately need a new and heroic vision in education. One that can grow and adapt at today’s rate of change. One that leads in the exploration of new ideas. One that not only reads and writes and shares and analyzes information, but that also recognizes, values and nurtures a creative spirit–the spirit of the hero, unafraid of failure, able to take a hit and recover after setbacks, reassess the terrain, learn, adapt and continue on toward victory.
Students need skills that will allow them to solve problems that don’t exist yet—true. But to do this, they will also need adventurous and creative attitudes to be able to adapt to the ever-changing landscape.
Learning has just become heroic. It’s a shift, I know. But . . .
Shift Happens.
The Hero Path
“We have not even to risk the hero’s adventure alone, for the heroes of all time have gone before us. The labyrinth is thoroughly known.
We have only to follow the thread of the hero path.
And where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god.
And where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves.
Where we had thought to travel outward, we shall come to the center of our own existence.
And where we had thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world.”
—Joseph Campbell
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5 responses so far ↓
1 Jake Wisse // Dec 17, 2007 at 5:33 pm
This is fantastic! And a bit scary. I look at our educational system and constantly ask “Where are we going, and who is going to lead us?” The government points at our overwhelmed teachers and schools, but doesn’t give them enough funding. The schools point at overwhelmed parents who were really hoping their children’s education wasn’t going to rely on them.
At any rate, I can hardly figure out 1/2 of my 9 year old’s homework, and am trying to keep up with my 5 year old’s reading assignments. I’m ready to lead them through a paradigm shift of epic proportions! Of course Chris, you are the only superhero I know (see blog header), so I’ll just watch you. What do we do first?
Jake!
I was wondering if you still came around. Awesome!
Where to start? How about this . . . homework. Check out some of these articles by Alfie Kohn about the real effectiveness of homework (they’re grouped alphabetically by subject so scroll down to “homework”).
Read them yourself. Find out if your children’s districts have a “homework policy.” Many do. Then share this information with the teachers, administrators, and school board of your district.
Now dream of a day when all of society and our culture becomes as educated and supportive of real learning as you are.
Thanks for stopping Jake. Your comments rock.
Chris
2 Mrs. Chili // Dec 18, 2007 at 7:16 am
I love it, but it needs some grammatical editing (sorry - I can’t help myself).
Your points about preparing for something we don’t know about yet is an important one. I think this is an excellent argument for more comprehensive and inclusive education paradigms - specialization to the exclusion of other ideas is a dangerous thing. Today’s students have to be nimble and adaptable and really should know a little more about a lot of things than they currently do, I think.
Thanks Mrs. Chili,
I did a little editing this afternoon. The grammatical problems came from a lot of the new stuff I put in after I turned it in. Hope I caught them all. Despite this being a little more informal presentation, I still can’t help but be a little embarrassed when I get caught.
I just read your post about literature themes relating to life. That is exactly what I mean when I talk about changes and risks and challenge being heroic and adventurous. The beauty of lit is that it doesn’t matter what unique problem or experience we are struggling with, we don’t have to reinvent the process every time. We simply need to understand the cycle of change and growth so that we can know at what stage we are.
Because, as Campbell says, ” . . .the hero’s of all time have gone before us. The labyrinth is thoroughly known.”
Thanks again for stopping!
Chris
3 Mark // Dec 18, 2007 at 11:59 am
Chris,
Great writing as usual. I agree, our method of education is limited and flawed. What we are teaching today does not prepare for success in the future. We must have a tremendous shift in how and what we teach. Today’s students are not prepared for tomorrow’s challlanges.
Time to let go of the tried and true and venture into the new and real.
One of the key things we need to teach is that it is good to fail, it is good to stretch beyond our preceived limits and fall on our face, for that is how we grow. We have failed our students and ourselfs by limiting ourselves to a “no fail” mentality.
Thanks for those comments Mark.
But the encouraging thing is that there is a lot of potential. It’s exciting, really–all the possibilities that we have today, and the incredible speed in which change can happen. No other time in our history has innovation ever been so rapid, and pervasive. Some of the stuff I’m leaning in my Masters classes is so freekin’ cool, and so out there that my faith and even a bit of my idealism is beginning to return. What a great time to be alive.
Chris
4 Darren Clark // Dec 19, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Chris, this excellent work. Just excellent.
I’m thinking the time has come where we all need to start doing away with some sacred cows and take a look at the world with a new perspective.
Thanks for piquing my interest as usual.
Thanks Darren,
Chris
5 Jake Wisse // Dec 19, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Absolutely I still come around! I just never know when or where you check your emails, so I can’t badger you when you’ve been slacking! Gonna miss you guys this Christmas-
Jake,
“I can’t badger you when you’ve been slacking!”
Good point.
Christmas–ditto. But I wish you a merry one and all that all the same.
Take it easy Jake.
Chris
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