we need to go beyond “learning-in-advance”…
“Learnng-in-advance” no longer delivers what our two billion kids need.
All over the world, the cries for education reform are growing louder.
Reforming “learning-in-advance,” will not get us where we want to go, because the world now needs something new.
We are victims of our own success.: The entire world now has a very fixed idea of what an “education” is—years of learning-in-advance—because sthat is what we all got. We will not change that idea meaningfully by trying to fix it incrementally.
We need to move past it, understanding it is outmoded for our kids’ future (leaving some of the old in place, perhaps, for those who still demand it.)
… to Empowerment, Accomplishment & Impact.
Today “learning-in-advance,” once very useful, now stands in our way.
Nelson Mandela’s 20th century cry that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” is now outdated thinking.
Like horses for transportation, we need to think of “learning-in-advance” as an old concepts left over from a time of lesser human capabilities. It was useful for a long time, but it no longer is.
Ironically, in the 21st century, the more we pursue “learning-in-advance”, the worse off we will be — because “learnèd people” in the 20th century sense, is not what we need.
We need to empower all our youth …
Learning-in-advance in classrooms does not empower. It helps only some, in some situations.
But everyone needs, and benefits from, empowerment….and so does the world.
We must bring up our young people to understand that when they see a problem—or see something that is not right in their world—they can not only figure out why it is is wrong, but join or build a team, and fix it.
We need to show adults that they CAN empower young people in this new way, and not just tell they what we think they should know or do.
… to become good, effective, world-improving people …
We now have less of a need for people who are “educated” in the old academic sense (although we do need some academic researchers.)
What we need now is billions of good, effective people who do things that improve their world.
We must tell our young people their goal is not to “be educated” but to become “good, effective world-improving people who can get things done.” • I Can • I Choose • I Accomplish • I see my Positive Impact.
We need to show adults how to help young people do this.
… who accomplish positive, real-world projects, and “get stuff done” in the world.
The best way to empower kids to get stuff done and become good, effective world-improving people is through accomplishment of real-world projects.
Completing real-world projects lets kids understand not just that they CAN get things done, but HOW to get things done.
This understanding comes from doing real, world-impacting projects over and over, hundreds of times, as the means of becoming an adult. We need to guide each young person in the direction of finding projects meaningful to them, and getting those projects done successfully.
The metric for these projects–Measurable Positive Impact (MPI)—seeing a “before and after difference—is far more meaningful than any grades, degrees, or competencies.
All kids should grow up building a resume of real-world accomplishments.
I CANI
When I see a problem, I can begin fixing it—by forming or joining a team and taking action.
I CHOOSE
I choose to becvome a “good, effective, world-improving person.” I choose to work on realizing my dreams, fixing problems I see, and helping others I care about.
I ACCOMPLISH
I will no longer be deprived of my power to accomplish in the real world—at any age. I can do things now. Years of learning-in-advance is not a pre-requisite.
I HAVE IMPACT
I see the results of my accomplishments as actual improvements in the world. Because of my actions, things are better—as you can see!.
Why we can’t just reform Learning-in-Advance
Doing that will make no difference, because Learning-in-Advance ITSELF is the problem. Reforming it by adding incremental changes is only “putting new icing on a stale cake.” That is why so many “reformers” fail—or succeed only in tiny measure—and are so frustrated.
Today, too many people are invested in the continuance of Learning-in-Advance. Too many make their living (or good profits) from it. Too many parents still think their kids need it.
The world’s Learning-in-Advance systems have built up very strong defenses for self-protection. And reforming “Lerarrning-in-Advance,” will not get us where we want to go, because the world now needs something new.
The entire world already has a very fixed idea of what an “education” is — i.e., Learning-in-Advance — because so many went through it. In a sense, we are victims of our own success. We cannot change that belief meaningfully by trying to fix it incrementally.
We need to move past Learning-in-Advance, i.e., beyond “education” as the world now knows it. To do that, we promote an alternative, more empowering system for young people growing up—Empowerment, Accomplishment & Impact, that is now emerging around the world.
(The current system can remain in place for those who still want it.)
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