It’s time to go beyond “Education”…
“Education” no longer delivers what our two billion kids need.
All over the world, the cries for education reform are growing louder.
Reforming “education,” 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, Because so many received one. We will not change that idea meaningfully by trying to fix or shift 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, the words “education,” “learning,” and “achievement” all stand 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Mandela’s 20th century cry that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” is now outdated thinking.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 “education,” “learning,” and “achievement” as old concepts, left over from the 20th century and before. They were OK for their times, but are no longer as useful.
Ironically, in the 21st century, the more we pursue education, learning and achievement, the worse off we will be — because “educated people” in the 20th century sense, is not what we need.
We want to empower our kids . . .
Pre-structured education in a classroom benefits a relative few, and only personally.
Everyone needs, and benefits from, empowerment….and so does the world.
We must bring up our kids 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 imagine a solution, join or build a team, and fix it.
We need to show adults that they can empower kids in this new way, and not just tell kids what we think they should know or do.
. . . to become good, effective, world-improving people…
We don’t need as many people who are “educated” in the old academic sense (although we do need some academic researchers.)
What we really need is billions of good, effective people who do things that improve their world.
We must tell our kids their goal is not to “be educated” but to become “good effective world-improving people who can get things done.”
We need to show adults how to help kids do this.
…who accomplish positive world-improving things.
The best way to empower kids to get thngs 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. We need to help adults guide each kid in the directions of finding projects meaningful to them, and getting those projects done successfully.
The metric for these projects–Measurable Positive Impact (MPI)–is far more meaningful than any grades, degrees, or competencies.
All kids should grow up building a resume of real-world accomplishments.
Empowering
When any of the two billion kids sees a problem, we want them to begin fixing it—by joining or building teams and taking action.
Becoming
We want all two billion kids to become not just “educated” in the 20th century sense of knowing stuff, but “good, effective, people who improve ther world.”
Accomplishing
We want to no longer deprive kids of their power to accomplish in the real world—at any age—by insisting on “education,” as a pre-requisite. Kids can do things now!
Impact
Kids’ having a positive impact on their world is our ultimate goal. No one but each kid benefits from what he or she “achieves,” but we all benefit from what kids accomplish!
So why not just “Change Education”?
We can’t. It’s impossible. Thousands have tried, and failed (or succeeded only in tiny measure) and left frustrated.
Too many are invested in its continuance. Too many make good money (or their living) from it. Parents still think kids need it.
The world’s education systems have built up very strong antibodies for self-protection.
Reforming “education,” 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 already has a very fixed idea of what an “education” is, because so many went through it. We will not change that idea meaningfully by trying to fix or shift it incrementally.
We want to move past “education” as the world now knows it. We support an alternative, more empowering system for kids growing up—one that is now emerging in the world in many forms.
(We can leave the old in place, perhaps, for those who still demand it).
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