Imagine

Humanity dates back 2.6 billion years, yet has seen the most dramatic change it’s ever known over the last 200. In two centuries, the global population has grown from one billion to over eight billion people. The World Health Organization predicts by 2100 that number will grow to 11 billion. With this increase in human life we’ve seen a terrifying rise of factors that have the greatest impact on global health. CO2 concentration, loss of rainforest and woodlands, species extinction, water usage, energy consumption, ozone depletion, foreign investments, and global temperature increase has reached proportions so great scientists are warning environmental degradation could lead to a irreversible collapse of the global ecosystem in this century. Additionally, the need for poverty solutions, access to water and sanitation, disease prevention, disaster relief, advocacy for human and gender rights, food security, and global waste solutions worldwide has never been greater.

Conversely, the last 200 years have brought the most significant and life changing inventions of our time into existence. The Industrial Revolution brought about fundamental changes in agriculture, textile and metal manufacturing, transportation, economic and political structures. While the technology boom is reshaping the entire structure of how we play, learn, communicate, research, connect, and create. Think about extinct creatures being brought back to life, driverless cars, animal cloning, artificially intelligent computers, and fully functioning all terrain military robots. Sound like science fiction? Well, it’s old news. These things have all happened in the last two years.

With all this rapid change occurring we need to ask ourselves: what is the purpose of education? And, how can that education support this frontier of change? For decades the purpose of education has been two-fold: to prepare children for citizenship and to cultivate a skilled workforce. While still relevant, the ‘why’ of education is shifting beneath our feet. We are living in a new, complicated world that is struggling with complex and life-critical issues the likes of which no one has encountered before. The true purpose of today’s educational system should be to develop leaders, visionaries, and problem solvers.

We need people who can provide real solutions for clean energy; environmentalists who can protect the planet. We need politicians who can effect change for the betterment of society. We need historians who can remind us of the lessons our past can teach us and ensure we don’t make the same mistakes. We need filmmakers who can document and educate; we need designers who can shift perception and generate life-changing ideas. We need inventors, entrepreneurs, humanitarians, scientists, astronomers, physicists, engineers, architects, authors, curators, programmers, coders, and software developers. We need people who have an innate passion for life, for learning, and a deep sense of respect for humanity. We need people who desire to leave a positive and impactful footprint. But, most importantly, we need healers. We need people who can approach these critical issues from a foundation of prayerful reflection, pure-hearted intention, and strength of character.

Therefore, our challenge is to adopt a new paradigm for the 21^st century. Our task as educators is to dream big, reinvent schools and take education into the new century. We need to be courageous for the sake of our children, the students in our schools and the welfare of the world. Let’s re-imagine schooling.

Imagine a school where all students are excited by what they learn that they can hardly wait to begin the day. Imagine having only a few discipline problems because the students are so engaged. Imagine self-directed students collaborating on thematic, interdisciplinary, project-based units that are research driven. Imagine a challenging curriculum designed around deepening understanding where teachers teach for transfer; a curriculum that is highly relevant, articulated, intellectually demanding and one that meets the students’ needs. This is a learning environment where knowledge is constructed and connected to previous experience.

Imagine a school where children get a firm grounding in academics and use their knowledge to promote a democratic society. This is a school where issues of social justice are at the heart of the curriculum so that children may benefit from the rich history of people who didn’t settle for the status quo. They have a voice and are confident and skilled innovators and believe in their ability to lead for good.

Imagine a school where students collaborate with others around the world learning to solve issues in an ethical and harmonious manner. Students understand their ethical responsibility. Imagine a school where service learning around topical issues forms the core of the curriculum. Students learn about the environment through meaningful, rigorous real life projects where they are the scientists, the politicians, the environmental lobbyists, the international relations experts. This is a school where people are inspired by students being creative, thoughtful and innovative. Students are generating new thinking around issues directly affecting the planet. Learning experiences are focused on developing as well as implementing student-generated solutions to local and issues students have identified and taken on as a challenge.

Imagine a place where ‘green’ is actually taught and demonstrated in the school through overt practices (sustainable buildings, vegetable gardens, water tanks, monitoring electricity consumption) that are driven by the students at all levels. Imagine a school where students have full access to technology and are taught not only how to be media literate but are given the space to create. Imagine a school where students see no borders. They design environmentally sustainable buildings, making films and documentaries for others to learn from, posting projects on YouTube, collaborating with young people and experts across the globe via social media to solve problems and complete assignments.

Imagine a school where teachers are engaged in rich discussion around their own teaching practices; where ideas are shared and thoughtful reflection is part of the culture. Imagine a school where teachers plan in teams, observe each other in action and provide useful feedback. Imagine a school where there is a strong connection between research and practice. This is a place where teachers are taking cognisance of educational research and applying it to their work, but are also conducting action research projects around their teaching and other initiatives. Assessment becomes a performance of understanding through application of knowledge in real life and novel contexts and self and peer assessment form an important part of daily learning. Teachers are acutely aware of the world the students will be inhabiting so they inspire passion, engagement and relevance. They teach for understanding and transfer so that knowledge and skills are applied.

Imagine a school that fosters a culture of inquiry where all learning prepares students for the now and the future not a world passed by; a culture where curiosity is instilled and sound moral values are expected and modelled. Imagine a school where every child has realised their unlimited potential and their capacity to be good, kind, creative and brilliant; to be a dynamic force for positive change in the world.

Parents, students, leaders, educators, imagine.

Picture source: https://angelicview.wordpress.com/2013/04/