School change: should kids adapt to school, or school adapt to kids?
During a conversation about school change an individual made the comment that we’d be fine if, “The kids would just bear down and be responsible like they used to be!” Interesting thought. This individual went on to say that students from foreign countries, especially emerging countries, come to America and kick our kids butts in school.
As you might guess, I have a different point of view on this. I think that if our kids got their drinking water from a hole next to their house they would be equally motivated to do what ever it takes to change their station in life. Fortunately this isn’t the case.
In an affluent society such as ours we are never going to return to the student behaviors of the past. It’s incumbent upon us as educators to create a system that meets the needs of society in such a way that it also engages our students as they’ve never been engaged before.
The other day while speaking at the University of Kansas to a group of teachers in the process of obtaining their certification to become building level administrators, I was asked if there has ever been a time in our history that our students were authentically engaged on a regular basis. The answer obviously, is no. But it didn’t matter. Our students were being prepared for a completely different society than we have today.
In fact, that’s part of our problem. We are still preparing students for a world of factories and mass production. A world where the most important skill was compliance. If you want to succeed in today’s schools, be very compliant, and act like you care. Guaranteed success.
Unfortunately, graduating from that system doesn’t guarantee success in life. In fact being compliant is the path to a job that has, low pay, high potential for being outsourced, or automated using technology.
The school change we need to make needs to be a thoughtful transformation to schools that prepare kids for their future in the 21st century. For us to attempt to make our kids adapt to our schools is utter nonsense! – Steve Wyckoff
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The point exactly. Also the point that Dr Yong Zhao makes in his book as well. We hope to have him in Topeka a bit later. H
I agree with Steve to a certain point. I think that it is very important for kids today to be disciplined. Not to be confused with compliant in the classroom, disciplined in my view, means that they will persist, they will be doggedly determined to succeed no matter what. In today’s schools, kids are dealt much different hands. Some come to school with much support and caring adults in their lives. They are prepared to learn. Other kids may not be as fortunate. But somewhere along the line, kids have to decide for themselves, whether they are going to succeed, and to what extent. Our schools today have to be able to handle this diversity.
One other observation that I have made is that in today’s workplace, it is essential that a worker be able to solve problems and apply knowledge to a new situation. I know this isn’t a new idea, but I see how the lack of this ability really hampers the ability to respond to a customer’s needs. Many jobs today don’t require someone to just do routine repetitive work. The work requires the employee to be engaged, to think about what they are doing, and why what they are doing matters. Therefore, Steve’s point about authentic engagement is an important one. If we don’t engage learners in school, if we don’t show them why they are learning what they are learning, and how they are going to use what they are learning, how are they going to be prepared to be engaged when they join the work place? I contend that they won’t be prepared. Schools have to change!
Bill Hagerman
The answer is both. Schools should adapt to the way students think and operate today. However, students need to realize the workplace is constantly changing and need to be adaptable to meet future challenges.
I agree schools need to change. In this month’s issue of Fast Company-they profile Apple. They believe the secrets to the success of Apple are:
1. Discipline
2. Focus
3. Long-term thinking
4. A willingness to flout the rules that govern
everybody else’s business
Can this mindset be used in our education model?
What would that look like?