"Re-Imagining Society First, Education Second"

In my previous article I discussed my thoughts on alternative education. Somehow the concept of doing what is right for both the kid’s needs for their future, not our present was a wild idea for some — coffee house conversations were amusing for you’d think I’d said something profound.

But, it’s not profound, and I’m not even the only one who thinks that we need a better way to educate the next generation. John Abbot of the 21st Century Learning Initiative noted this in a piece from 2014.

Because disaffection with the education system reflects a much deeper societal malaise, it’s imperative that we first figure out what kind of world we really want: a world populated by responsible adults who thrive on interdependence and community, or a world of “customers” who feel dependent on products, services, and authority figures, and don’t take full responsibility for their actions? The answer, he says, will point to the changes needed in all three pillars of education — schools, families, and communities.

What kind of society do we want?

We involves a lot more than you and I. This involves the people who have come before us and those that will come after us. It includes home life, business life, and how we interact with each other in the open areas between. What do our elders want? What do we want? And what do our kids want?

To find out, ask those you care about. Ask the ones you care about because you are more likely to listen to their words and measure them against your own desires. That area in the middle? That’s the next step.

Kids POV

I work with kids between the age of 8 and 18 on a regular basis. I work with them and teach them a variety of required knowledge according to some pretty high standards that we are always seeking to improve. When I asked them what they envision the future world looking like for them, I hear a few themes:

Don’t know what I want, but I don’t want to end up with miserable life like my parents.
Don’t want to ever have to grow up.
Want to make an impact and improve the world.

Parents POV

When I turn around and ask their parents the same question it reflect their values, experiences, and fears. It’s a lot more complex of a conversation for the parents — and probably any other adults. It just so happened that most of the people I asked also happened to be parents. Here are the themes in their answers:

Want their kids to be successful and not in want. Some expect them to follow specific paths.
Want the world to be peaceful, without strife or identity wars. There were other high ideals as well.
Want less stress, better health, more money, and more happiness.

Sounds pretty familiar, eh?

Society & Business

This is a hard one to answer because it depends on who in society you ask and what business you ask. I have friends across the social and political spectrum, as well as contacts in a range of markets. We all have our ideas of what would make an ideal future. I sensed no real themes from my contacts in these areas simply because they were so diverse.

Morals and Expectations

Again, this is a tricky area to start reflecting on. The particulars of any family or culture are going to change based on what the individual you ask values most. For example, if you ask someone who values family most, the answers will be based around family. A career oriented person like myself will answer far differently.

There isn’t a right or wrong, necessarily, but there is a happy medium and a lot of give and take. I’m not a party animal, and I don’t normally hang around with that type. They would find me dull and not want to hang around me, either. Does it mean it’s wrong? Well, as long as nothing is harmed in during the party, nope. 😉

Obviously, the introspection isn’t going to happen with a minimal survey.

“It is essential to view learning as a total community responsibility,” [Abbot] says, and to expect no short cuts. Children need to be integrated, fully contributing members of the broader community, so they can feel useful and valued. (It is not just the children who need this, he adds; healthy communities also need children.)

The key word in this is community. We all need to work together. Think small town mentality where you know your neighbours, can help each other out, and rely on one another in a pinch — without getting into one another’s faces about minor differences or even major belief disparities.

This is not a rhetorical question. This is a legit question to hear from you and open a discussion: