Don’t call education ‘broken’
Do you like the state of education in your country? I wonder how many do. (If you know of a source of statistics, please share with me!) Now, if you don’t, that’s fine. If we are dissatisfied, we have the motivation to improve it.
But PLEASE don’t say that education is ‘broken.’ That’s simply the wrong way to look at it.
The problem with the word ‘broken’ is that it implies that it was once shiny, new, and functioning perfectly. And when was that? in 1869? 1919? 1969? But given the complaints we generally have, it’s clear that we’re actually unhappy with the way things have already been for some time.
Even worse is when commentators complain about something that has already changed, such as expecting students to sit quietly all day and listen to the teacher. Yes, that may still be the prevailing model at university, but it’s hardly the life of a modern elementary student. (I wish I had had a reason 35 years ago to ask a range of retirees who were teaching in 1919 what it was really like.)
So, for crying out loud, why isn’t anyone trying to fix education? we hear some people ask. But really, it seems to me there are far more ideas than any system could possibly implement all at once. So here comes a fired-up would-be reformer trying to convince an administrator to implement this or that new idea or program, only to be told no, we’re already piloting a new program. Or three…
…or that it would only be possible with more funding, which isn’t available…
Don’t like the state of education? Don’t whine about it being broken. Instead, please find an initiative (eduScrum, for example) and support it at least by spreading the word, if not by learning about it and how to train others.
