Why education today,ALL of it, gets an F!

Posted on | December 16, 2009 | No Comments

We are in an education crisis today.

You know it.

Teachers know it.

Students know it.

Governments know it.

So, you ask, if the crisis of education is happening in front of or eyes why are we sitting on our hands and taping our mouths shut?

1. fear of change

2. change = admission of fault

3. new=unknown

4. suggests a complete societal re-think.

By now many of you have seen the TEDtalk by Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining real case for creating an education system that fosters the creativity we need as opposed to the systems  of education we now have.

I think the problem is really a HOW-TO issue.

Yes we need more creativity in all levels of education today, but how do we do that without compromising the whole activity?

Maybe we are not listening to our clients the students and their future employers?

Maybe we are not engaging enough with the environment, the changing multifaceted environment we are part of?

Terry Deary, the author of Horrible Histories has a model for revising teaching and engagement  worth thinking about, too bad few outside of the UK do!

I had a conversation with the executive producer of the stage plays of Horrible Histories as produced by the Birmingham Stage Compan on Nightline and there is no question that these people are on the front of a wave of education re-conceptualization.

Listen to this interesting conversation about the application of history and the stage in an educationally relevant context, this is also very entertaining.

So, where do we go from here?

I think we all, teachers, parents, business people need to do one (small) thing to change the way we educate and really apply this thing whatever it is now… try the idea.

I am going to help start a little podcasting service at a school close to me to allow the students to promote the things they are learning about.. create radio plays of the content!

Your turn.

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