I recently came across a post about the driverless future that will have an extensive impact on all our lives. I would encourage you to watch this six minute video.
There were a few things that stood out to me while watching this video. However, I think the most prominent point that I continue to reflect on is the far reaching impact of autonomous vehicles. These autonomous vehicles are suppose to reduce the amount of accidents each year. This in turn will decrease the amount of community helpers we will need such as law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics, etc. Furthermore, we won't need as much capacity in hospitals which means fewer nurses and doctors.
This doesn't take other autonomous travel into consideration. For example, check out this article about autonomous pizza delivery. If that doesn't start to paint a picture of where we might be going, check out this video:
So far these examples have been grounded to Earth....literally. What about autonomy in the skies? Check out this article in the New York Times or watch the video below about a drone saving two swimmers in Australia.
Why?
With a rapidly changing world, we continue to rely on an antiquated system for equipping kids for the future. When you start thinking about where the economy is headed:
Why do we still teach......
Why not start teaching.....
What are your thoughts on what we should start teaching? What about what we should stop teaching? I know this will ruffle some feathers and spark some strong feelings, but why can't we start having conversations where we focus on what is best for kids and not "this is the way it has always been done".
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One of my favorite shows growing up was Curious George. I loved how George was so curious about the world around him. Be like GeorgeI have been reading Launch: Using Design Thinking to Boost Creativity and Bring out the Maker in Every Student written by John Spencer and AJ Juliani. There was a statement in this book that resonated with me. "Every child is born with natural curiosity. It is not something we have to teach, but it is something we must cultivate and nurture." (Juliani and Spencer 2016). Do the following really cultivate and nurture curiosity?
You might be able to argue that some of the items listed above do cultivate and nurture curiosity, but I would argue that the theme that emerges is one of teacher dictated experiences that promise to squash curiosity. George's curiosity is intrinsically driven and not forced by initiatives or standardized curriculum. His curiosity mirrors true learning in which the drive to understand the unknown leads to falling flat on one's face (failure). However, The Man in the Yellow Hat (teachers) is there to support George so he can learn and grow from those failures. Cultivating CuriosityI will put myself at the front of the pack for those needing to cultivate and nurture curiosity. My classroom is by no means exemplar---yet! Juliani and Spencer provide some tips for growing the curiosity in your classroom (Juliani and Spencer 2016):
What's NextMy goal from this post wasn't to point fingers. It was an attempt to promote conversations about the types of cultures we are creating/fostering within our classrooms, schools and districts.
You are the architect of the culture present in your current setting. Don't be a squasher. Be a catalyst for curiosity! |
Andrew FenstermakerInstructional Technology Coordinator | Innovation Coach | Google Certified Innovator | Presenter | Blogger | Adjunct @UiowaEducation | Owner @kids_f_i_r_s_t |