3 Reasons I am not disrupting the education system
I believe there are three types of thinkers in education. There are the Rocks, the Challengers, and The Outer Edge thinkers. Rocks play by the rules. They love “best” practices and heavily support the traditional school system. Challengers often work inside of the traditional school system but think outside of the box and find creative, new ways to get things done. The Outer Edge thinkers are the ones that are so far from convention that they are often referred to as a genius or a lunatic depending on who you talk to. They are innovators who work completely outside of the traditional system.
The important thing to note about all of these is that they are all necessary to serve kids well. We need all kinds of people working and thinking in education to make sure that kids have an incredible experience in schools.
I, however, am on the far, far edge of the Outer Edge of educational thought. Many people have called me a “disruptive” educator. But I am not a “disruptor” and I don’t want to be. Here is why:
1. Disrupting industries also disrupts people
It has become a badge of honor to be called a disruptor in any field. I mean why wouldn't it be? People like Bill Gates and Allen Iverson, and Steve Jobs and Mark Cuban and Jay-Z are all known as disruptors. To be in that kind of company should be an honor. I believe it is actually…in most professions. In education, disruption could potentially hurt some of the most vulnerable of our population: students.
The tech boom changed the world in ways people could never conceive. People like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Mark Cuban, and others created a new technology that disrupted entire industries. Another way to say that is that they replaced entire industries as well. Industries are the people who work and learn and exist inside of them. When an industry is disrupted, sometimes lives go with it. Often times a new innovation kills an old industry. Just ask taxi drivers how Uber is affecting their relationship with their medallions.
I want to be clear here, I believe deeply in technological innovation. If there is an app for it, use it. If there is a better way to do something, do it that way. I believe in innovation. Especially for education I believe in innovation. In fact, I want to lead in the efforts to innovate education as well. But I don’t want to see the traditional school system die. Because if it does, we may see students without a place to go, even if temporarily. It goes without saying but there are phenomenal, traditional schools with amazing teachers, families, and administrators. I believe there is a better way to educate children. But I believe that my better way and the traditional way can and should co-exist.
I am not a disruptor.
2. Educators should not disrupt but grow
The role of an educator is fundamentally to see students grow. Our role in society is growth. It is to support. It is to motivate. It is to coach. It is to do everything in our power to support students.
I got into this profession to make real and substantial change in the world. I want my students to go off into the world to solve problems, lead, teach, and challenge. I want my words and thoughts to live on as I write and speak in ways that stretch the minds of people and push boundaries. That takes more minds and thoughts and opinions than just mine!
I am not a disruptor.
3. No more dividers
5 months ago I used to take great pride in being known as an “education disruptor.” I liked it. A lot. Then I caught myself. I was having a spirited debate with a friend that you may have had before. One that gets extremely emotional and heated. The iPhone vs. Android debate. As we exchanged rapid-fire texts over this mega-important issue, my wife looked at me and said, “Why do yall even care? They are both phones with different features. They are both better than we had in 2005 right?”
While I met her logic with, “…but you just don’t get it…” she made a ton of sense. I later realized something vital. Apple needs to create a sense of loyalty in order to destroy Samsung Galaxy sales. At the end of the day, Apple doesn’t care about unity. It only cares about Samsung customers to the extent that they eventually become Apple customers. They must draw a line between them, their users, and the other guys with their users. That is disruptive. It also doesn’t belong in education.
I have no need to rally the independent and alt-educators against the public school educators. The Outer Edge thinkers should never draw a line in the sand between them and Rocks or Challengers. We are all working together.
Innovation in education should not draw a line between the good “innovative” schools and the bad traditional schools. Innovation in education should create an ecosystem of different school models ALL seeking to help students grow.
I am not a disruptor. We are not disruptors. We are educators.
