Just like Matthew Emmons lost his chance at a medal in the 3 position rifle event when he shot at the wrong target in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, is there a chance that the U.S. is missing it shot at being a world leader.
For years now, the U.S. has been pursuing standards based and test based achievement in schools. The problems with formulating these measures state by state has led to discussion of a national standard. Who knows the resources that have been spent and will be spent in the attempt to figure out these standards? However, I have a different perspective born out of my ten year old son's fascination with Bill Gates.
Bill Gates is an outlier, but certainly not possible to ignore. My son wants to be the next Bill Gates. I began to think "what is it about his school that would encourage him to be the next Bill Gates?" Then I broadened that question to schools, in general. Phrased another way, "What is it about standards based education that would encourage my son to be the next Bill Gates?" The answer I came to is: nothing. There is nothing about the current measures of education that encourage entrepreneurial, creative thinking.
So, what if we are shooting at the wrong target?
1 comment:
What makes you think that the learning that helped him succeed on standardized tests is unrelated to his success? Creative problem solving requires a solid foundation of fundamentals, which Bill's schools gave him and he demonstrated with the excellent standardized test scores that earned him an admission to Harvard.
When Gates looks at computer code, he does not look at it creatively, he looks at it correctly with skills learned in classes like algebra and sharpened by frequent and regular examinations. He applies his mastery of key concepts, rigorous analysis, and impeccable logic to see things clearly and correctly, and it is that that creates the opportunity to be creative.
Picasso's creativity grew from excellent mastery of painting; Muhammed Ali learned to punch a bag perfectly; Hemingway wrote and polished sentences over and over; Yo-yo Ma continues to practice scales. All achieved genius through the same rote learning that is held in such contempt by people looking for short-cuts to creativity.
When schools say they are teaching creativity, it is time to pull on your boots and start looking for the incompetencies they are trying to hide.
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