It
has been an honor and privilege to serve on Governor Burgum’s Innovative
Education Task Force. During the past year I have seen first-hand what schools
across North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota have been doing to change
instruction and impact student learning in a more meaningful and engaging way.
My
biggest take away from this year of study and discussion, is that no two
schools are the same. Each innovative school undertaking is underpinned by the
composition of the community, the learner and families they serve, and the
creative ambitions of their staffs. Therefore, there is no cookie-cutter
formula for success. However, there are commonalities.First, each innovative community understands that the factory model of instruction no longer works for their learners, their community’s future or the global economy. We can no longer place learners in neat rows, lecture all day, and require rote memorization. Education needs to now be rooted in problem solving, critical analysis of the abundance of information available to us, communication skills, collaboration skills and creativity. We need to prepare our learners to be creative problem solvers for today. Waiting for them to be ready tomorrow is too late.
Secondly, innovative schools have successfully reimagined what school could be. The 8:00 to 4:00, bell-driven, mass-production model isn’t going to work in today’s global and rapidly changing world. Today, the moment students memorize or learn something, there is new information available to either prove or disprove a long -standing belief.
For example, let’s consider the “planet” Pluto. I, like many adults over the age of 25, memorized the planets in our Solar System. We knew and understood without a doubt that there were nine planets orbiting the sun. This “truth” survived 75 years, almost a century, and it is now been reputed by science. Do we hold true to our educational experiences and science texts that teach that Pluto is indeed the ninth planet, or do we embrace new understandings and scientific achievements to impart current understanding on our learners? How many more “learned or memorized truths” will be changed in our children’s futures?
Finally, these innovative schools understand that learners come to school with differences in readiness, backgrounds, experience, cultures, family dynamics, and talents. We need to allow learners different pathways to a successful future that recognize their diversities and celebrate them. By treating all learners the same, we do not provide equity. However, by providing all learners the tools, skills, choices, autonomy, and voice in their learning process and by encouraging them to be creative problem solvers in their own futures, we provide equity. And, in doing so, we build stronger communities, as well as state and global economies.
I would like to close with two questions: Is the way we were taught “good enough” for our learners today? Do we want a “good enough” learner experience for our children and future leaders, or do we want an outstanding learner centered experience?