whyschool Archives - Will Richardson

Yesterday I Tweeted out a link to a video titled “Meet the YouTube Next EDU Gurus,” a video that I found disconcerting on a number of levels, (not the least of which the music.) I know that in one way, the subjects of the video exemplify the participation, transparency, and, at times, creativity that I actually hope my kids aspire to. But what bothered me is that we seem to have reached a “Khanification” of education moment where anyone with a passion can make a video and be given “teacher” status. A moment captured by this Michael Schnieder Tweet back to me:

Which begs the questions, a) what should an education degree or a teaching certificate require when increasingly anyone with a connection can be a teacher of content, and, b) more importantly, what changes when the world begins to accept a definition of “teacher” as someone who knows “how to make and post a video”? (Read the comments below the vid.)

In many ways, I’ve been pushed by Sal Khan’s lack of teaching experience more than by his videos. But now this growing acceptance of non-teachers as teachers of content and skills (and, in some cases, better teachers of content and skills) poses an ever greater challenge for us to redefine the profession. And it circles back around to that question that I pose in the book: what is our value as classroom teachers in a world suddenly filled with teachers?

Here’s a hint: our value lies in that which cannot be Khanified. We better figure out ways pretty quickly to articulate that value in spades to parents, boards, corporations, etc.

UPDATE: Related

It’s with a great deal of excitement and bit of trepidation that I share my newest book, published by TED Books. It’s a 14,000-word e-book only, extended essay in which I try to flesh out the ideas I’ve been speaking and writing about lately, most recently at this TEDx Talk in Melbourne from this summer.

I’m excited because it’s an opportunity, I hope, to spread a different conversation around what schools can be and, I think, need to be at this moment when our access to information and teachers and a whole bunch of other stuff is exploding. I sincerely believe that over the next couple of decades, what happens in schools is going to fundamentally change, and that there are basically two competing narratives around what that change looks like. Right now, the not so wonderful narrative is taking hold. I’m humbly hoping that Why School? can in some way serve as a support for the other more student-centered narrative to take hold.

My trepidation stems from my knowledge that this is not a perfect book, that like everything else that I write, it’s a push of my own thinking. I’m sure there are points that will deserve pushback here. I’m hoping it’s civil. ;0)

I’m loathe to overstate things, but I’m becoming more and more convinced that this is a crucially important moment in the history of schools. I’m constantly reminded of a quote a read a few years ago from Cathy Davidson and David Goldberg:

The future of conventional learning institutions is past – it’s over – unless those directing the course of our learning institutions realize, now and urgently, the necessity of fundamental and foundational change.

Hoping that in some way, this effort advances that conversation.

As always, would love you to share your thoughts, good and bad. Thanks for reading.