Creativity is the new literacy, and I’ve got an anthem brewing over here… But what fires me up is that I’m not alone. So many of us are feeling this anthem right now. Times are changing. The old methods of memorization and rigid exams for a diverse student body is not working for today’s world. Those times were for the factory. But what now? The average US college student graduates with about $27,000 in debt. For what? Students in the arts graduate with the highest level of debt. For what? Student debt now outpaces credit card debt. For what?
The good news is, for those of us who came up through the traditional education system and always felt there was something off with that path, we are rapidly approaching a new era of freedom (wisdom) to learn about what excites you first…not “later” after you’ve been chewed up and spit out by the system.
Our attitudes around education and learning need to shift. It won’t happen overnight, but I applaud this spoken word piece.
I’m impressed, I need to say. Actually not often do I encounter a blog that’s both educative and entertaining, and let me inform you, you could have hit the nail on the head. Your idea is excellent; the difficulty is something that not sufficient persons are talking intelligently about. I’m very happy that I stumbled across this in my seek for one thing relating to this.
Thanks Chase, I really needed this. I’ve been on forced rest for the past week due to a panic attack and anxiety I’ve built up leading the last exam of my BAC (soon to be mechanical engineer when I eventually take that exam). It’s good to put things back into perspective.
Screw the grades, screw the papers. Hard work, knowledge and mastery, that’s what matters.
That being said, I do have to mitigate the **** everything attitude that song has in a few verses. a) Learning stuff is amazing. b) Stuff you don’t like won’t hurt you, and you might actually enjoy it/find use for it with an open mind. c) Pythagorus’ theorem is the bomb.
I’m a teacher. High school. I teach physics (we shoot a potato gun and learn formulas), math (we learn pythagorean), chemistry (we learn terms and mix math with complex concepts), and I teach photography (1/3, design principles, shutter speeds and f/stops). I’ve fought with school counsellors b/c they say I can’t mark homework b/c it is then marking behaviours. Then I say – what does a test measure? Study habits, did they come in for help, distractions/fighting at home, school drama, poor work habits, exam anxiety.
Some people are lazy. Some people make excuses. This video misses the mark on one fundamental, unbelievably important point.
The joy to learn. The joy of learning. The joy of wonder. That there is no reward without effort.
When I look at a flower I see the beauty. Beauty in it’s visible colour. That it also emits in the UV spectrum to further attract bees and honey birds to cross pollinate. I know that pollination allows for variation, so I pick up on the benefits of genetics. I understand the physics and math that surround it’s structure and the biochemistry and energy it needs to survive – grow to tall to be noticed, maybe puts too much energy into growing an will fall over to be lost. I see mothers enjoying the same scent that they use to attract, only to laugh, in a weird way, that we are sniffing the sex organs of plants. Economics, environmental foot prints, photographic opportunities… flowers are not just flowers.
Math isn’t just formulas.
My job isn’t to motivate students. I will never hold back, however, my enthusiasm for learning and for the beauty behind what is easily dismissed.
The artist is absolutely right… I have forgotten more than what I want to admit. The system isn’t perfect by any means. But when I assign 15-20 questions of math, or physics, or chem, or assign a photo assignment… I am not asking them to cut off a finger. We need to quit making excuses. The sciences, mathematics, fine arts, athletics, whatever… demonstrates the beauty behind the curtain. I highly encourage people to follow the passions.
The most important thing we have on this planet is time. Use it wisely. And if it means that you have to study something to get you where you want… find the beauty within the material and quit making excuses not to find a way to enjoy the ride, quit complaining, and put better funding in education. Whether it’s formal, or informal, education in any form is the reason why we are where we are.
And as for letting grades define us? Almost every kid that fails my class is simply b/c they chose not to do the work. Lazy. Not doing homework, playing video games instead, not asking questions, would sooner try to pull out their cell phone in class, not come in for help, not stay engaged, make excuses to hate the material, not have proper modelling from parents. Smoking pot. Family issues. Mental issues. Crappy circle of friends. Immaturity. Learning disabilities.
But there are always solutions to the problems. Yes there are shitty teachers, but there are far, far, far more of other good ones that super duper care and want to make a difference.
As a general observation, any kid that puts in the minimum gets through. Don’t tell me math isn’t neat or that you won’t use it. It’s not about that. I’ll bend over backwards for any kid that wants to take the first step. I’ve never had to use so much of what I’ve learned it’s crazy. But it not only gives me more confidence in my abilities, the far greater value has been being given the deeper perspective I have of the world that surrounds me.
Sorry for the blabbing here. Lets call it for what it is though. Just do it. Learning is neat. And it sure gives us a better perspective of the world. And I still smell the flower. And I giggle. And then try to photograph the little fucker in a weird way.
Hope this makes sense. Now back to marking and quit procrastinating.
Thanks for reading.