If Only...

A clip from Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the Learning Revolution!

To piggyback on his agricultural metaphor for education...Can you picture what a diverse, wondrous garden this type of framework would produce? What a dynamic, beautiful, and intriguing future to experience. If only each individual could flourish through the discovery and embrace of their own unique and distinctive God-given gifts. Unfortunately, those that find success in their talents, usually identify their passions and gifts somewhere other than school because the boxed curriculum, prevalent in today’s classroom, buries most characteristics that offer individuality.

Like I stated in my previous post, if our education system only fosters one type of intelligence, we are severely limiting the possible future for our kids and their capabilities. It is already evident that our world is transitioning into a time of innovation and creativity, while the industrial days are long gone. If only our schools reflected this.

Ken Robinson (guy in the video) has a great mind for rethinking the way we educate. In his book, The Element, Robinson suggests three principles for an education that allows students to flourish while experiencing their gifts: eliminate hierarchy of subjects (value every type of intelligence equally), create transdisciplinary curriculum (don’t separate subjects), and individualize education. This is a hard concept to visualize since the schooling I’ve experienced didn’t involve any of these characteristics. I'm working on what this realistically looks like because our kids deserve it, plus the possibilities are exciting!

The ideal school?

The most efficient path to achieve discovery is through inquiry. Here I go…

Is there a school or learning community that is set up to meet the demands of Jesus’ calling? In Matthew 5:13-16, we are called to be salt and light. Can we provide a school that allows our children to explore their relationship with God in the continuous discovery of whom He has made them to be and also experience authentic opportunities to be a light bearer? Can we bring kids up in the way God has planned and at the same time allow God to orchestrate his purpose in each individual.

Currently, we have the public school system in great need of salt and light. In separate confines we have some private Christian schools where the "salt" is being taught to bring out the best in the world around them and the spark and kindle are provided to fuel the "light". BUT, are these lights displaying their greatest capacity in the darkness?

I envision a learning community who encourages each individual in their own journey, while students embrace their God-given uniqueness through authentic interactions with the world around them.

Here we will have the Curiosity to Inquire, Determination to Discover, and an Eagerness to Apply!

It’s been said, “What gets measured, gets done.” Our public schools are putting limits on what we can do through their standardized assessments. Our form of measurement must allow for the whole child to shine, not just in how they can communicate one limited type of intelligence with pencil and paper. Might our students' development and growth be limitless!