How do you view your role in the “learning revolution?” – SCN Encourager
This isn’t meant to be a trick question.
But it kinda is.
At least for me.
Because sometimes when you’re in the midst of it – and have been for quite awhile – it’s easy to miss the tremendous progress that is taking place day-by-day and week-by-week in our schools.
I was reminded of this by unexpected source.
Of course, I heard it in a podcast.
(Cindy claims our neighbors heard it too.)
But I was surprised to recently hear two top tier “sales” experts, in what was supposed to be a discussion on “killer sales presentations,” begin talking about their children’s schools.
I had to turn up the volume.
Now… while I wasn’t surprised (like you wouldn’t have been) to hear them praise the dedication and talents of children’s teachers, I was surprised to hear them wonder aloud if our schools were receiving the support they need.
“You know,” one salesman said, “It’s been ten years since Sir Ken Robinson gave that #1 all-time most viewed TEDx talk about creativity and our school systems.”
“Hey, I think you’re right,” said his counterpart. “I remember really being affected by Robinson’s presentation the first time I saw the video. I have to think Robinson was a catalyst for the changes that are occurring in our schools. It’s great so many of our schools are preparing students differently today.”
Huh?
This conversation is in a podcast about marketing and sales?
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
Plus I was more than a little embarrassed because I knew I had never actually watched this inspiring and challenging video all the way through myself.
Pathetic.
Anyway, I listened closely as the two salesmen shared another way Robinson enlarged their perspectives.
“I’ll tell you one thing,” said one. “You can’t bring up Robinson without also questioning if our emphasis on high stakes testing misses the boat. We may be doing more harm than good.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well,” the salesman continued. “I have to agree with Robinson that we over do it with tests attempting to measure “How smart is this child?” when instead we should really be trying to discover “How is this child smart?”
Hmmm.
You’ve got to give those salesmen a lot of credit.
According to the them, understanding the difference between Measuring vs. Discovering when it comes to the education of our children is critical.
And no doubt it is.
I only wish it didn’t take a business-oriented podcast clean out the cobwebs in my brain.
I also hope that Sir Ken Robinson’s next TEDx talk isn’t a rant about how listening to sports talk on the radio gets people like me in this condition in the first place.
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