This could be education’s moment, but it won’t be

The push to innovate a 100-year-old system

Education should never be the same after the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders end. Unfortunately, I’m afraid it will be the same. Even after COVID.

When the smoke clears and we can all go outside again my greatest fear is that school goes back to business as normal. Because normal has not been working out too well for education.

I heard the predictions. I did. I heard the people say that Americans would embrace digital learning, AI, adaptive learning software, and new innovative teaching practices. I wanted to believe that. I want to believe that. So deeply I do. But I also see what is happening.

Creating the normal in the now

I have seen the push from edtech companies, schools, Google, Facebook, Zoom, and so many more to support teachers at this time. I think they are doing a great job of supporting teachers. They are really trying hard to do so.

While I believe that teachers and schools and students need support right now, I also believe they need a push.

I have watched the existing technology used to support traditional, remote schooling. I will not complain or speak negatively about that effort.

But I will say what I wish I saw: More innovation.

I love to dream. I really do. So I will dream, right here on the screen. Here is what I hope that we all do…

Now is the time to think differently

We have an opportunity to push the boundaries of school and learning like never before. We have an opportunity to be creative and different. So this piece is not a commentary. It is a call to action. It is my charge to you all who read it.

I challenge you to innovate.

What does this look like?

For all of us this means that we must do five things:

1. Challenge our thinking. Expand our minds and our thoughts. Start thinking differently about school. About what it is, could be, and how it works.
2. Experiment with new methods. Try new ways to present, teach, learn, engage, and interact with students. You will not have 100% success so you will need to do one more thing.
3. Constantly iterate. Be ready to change when the project or experiment fails. Learn from that failure and use the learnings to create new methods.
4. Focus on growth, not grades. This is a unique time when grade books mean very little. So while that is the case we should see this as an opportunity to encourage students to make progress and growth their priority above getting a letter or numerical grade.
5. Prioritize love of school. If you are a teacher or a school leader, you have a chance at a major reset. While the world is standing still, use this as a chance to collect as much student feedback as you can from students about EVERYTHING you do as a school. When students want something changed, actually change it. That way, they are much more likely to love being at school when they return.

It is my belief that, if we do these things successfully and consistently when we are allowed to leave our homes, we may see a new educational landscape. We may see new schools created that serve students in the ways they deserve. We may see a world where kids actually love school. We may see the world change.

I would love to believe that this little article will change the world of education forever. I would love to believe that.

I would love to believe it.