Throughout the United States of America, as far as any school goes, the number one cause of systemic school and student failure is by far the gross lack of direct executive function skill development. In addition, the ingrained and harvested culture of a 'top-down' merit system leads to teacher discouragement and eventually, a significant continuous brain drain of great Educators, as well as a stifling of presently-employed public school teacher innovation. In fact, many Educators either leave the profession or are increasingly opting to teach students directly, rather than through the confines of a school's educational policy.I believe that the educational policy culture and mindset that lets Educator AND student innovation thrive is the one that will offer up the leaders of tomorrow. The traits, hidden talents and flare in human beings cannot flourish in an educational model that values common standards, over innovation, creativity, and experimentation. A great example of a student given tools and then let run and innovate in a tremendously successful manner is Mr. Bill Gates. Though he and I have very different viewpoints when it comes to abortion, vaccines, world population control methods (check out his 'off the wall' TED talk on global population control), and how to best help economically poor people, Bill Gates slammed it out of the park, as did his Teachers in not trying to tell him what would be learned all the time, or how he had to sit and listen, but they gave him tools and independence. He became an instant entrepreneur in training. The speed of learning, experience, and accumen went quantum.
People are smart, just give them the tools and strategies and we can replicate the learning environment that is conducive for students to make dramatic shifts in what it means to be educated and successful.
Sadly, the current national edu-policy reality construct severely undercuts any possibility of this actually happening.
As 'We the People,' how about we say thank you to Washington D.C. for their common core standards proposal and tell them that we'll get back to them?!
"Hey, thank you, Charlie-boy, I really appreciate all this common goals for all the children of this nation's families. In fact, I hear'ya on the whole international thing. We don't want to fall behind. I get it. I get it. Listen, thanks again. I'll call you, don't call me."
This is our American experience. We DON'T need to be ok with having common thinking, common actions, common innovation (oxymoron?). The government should be like a quiet, steward who is subservient to the families and individuals of the United States of America. We are smart too. We can think for ourselves. Is their common sense in making everyone as common as possible? A point stressed by Mr. Gates is that his teachers seeked to also learn from the students. The coaching feedback loop was incredible, fluid, and focused on innovation 100%
These situations may or may not be known and understood by the educational policy makers on the community, state, national level, and international level (soon to be more so). Rather than have their finger on the pulse of the communities many of these aloof educational policy makers come with special interest agendas that are not representing what I would call an effective and efficient educational pedagogy that mirrors what leading edge Educators have been modeling and teaching successfully for decades.
I can see from my vantage point many of the small measures that are traditionall lacking in all schools. For example, meditation, or quiet, tool relaxation time should ocurr twice a day in school. Acupressure, and other practical, easy to use self-regulation tools should be practiced also, like gardening, chess, and dancing.
I can see from my vantage point many of the small measures that are traditionall lacking in all schools. For example, meditation, or quiet, tool relaxation time should ocurr twice a day in school. Acupressure, and other practical, easy to use self-regulation tools should be practiced also, like gardening, chess, and dancing.
Empowering Educators directly with the terminology and examples of activities associated with executive function skills is one easy, first step that begins to open a doorfor any Educator who picks up these 'EF' lenses. By the use of these special glasses, the Educators increasingly focus directly into attempting to integrate the words, mindsets, and activities which can be well-connected into their current way of teaching. The EF words are regularly tweeted @coachbill007, and my blog posts are replete with various activities that can get you started to think in the right, general direction.
Not paying educational professionals based on performance discourages innovation and instructional creativity. It is like all of a sudden, things start becoming more like Cuba! The official doctor wage for all kinds of doctors is now $67 a month! Educators who work for themselves need to be performance-based because their livelihood depends on it, and they are able to dramatically increase how much money they make, solely on the basis of them rendering succesful learning outcomes on a consistent basis as they grow their private practice. Small thought: Many of the initial Cubans who fled the onset of the Castro command and control system went on to be successful as innovators in America. They had/ have that success-oriented, entrepreneurial mindset that is so healthy. They switched from what would be a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. They recognized the opportunity for growth vis a vis incoming communist system where everything was made common. I think the garbage pick up men make as much as the doctor of thirty years. That is super innovative!
Being able to experiment, take feedback, put new ideas into action is to innovate. So should we focus on building kids to have common skill levels across the board, or should we focus on giving these kids tools and strategies, provide instructional and coaching guidance letting them be the actual next renaissance in the world?
Public schools are not incentivized to take initiatives, think outside the box for too long, (or get rid of the box), have true educational freedom or feel the need to go above and beyond to be creative and experimental in the learning approach.
Public schools are not incentivized to take initiatives, think outside the box for too long, (or get rid of the box), have true educational freedom or feel the need to go above and beyond to be creative and experimental in the learning approach.
The proposal..
This can be had by sending the message through on-going town hall discussions that it is time for 'down-top' kinda thinking when it comes to the education of the children of each family across the nation.
I vouch for outflanking the government push for common this and common that when it comes to educating our kids. I vouch for them sitting at a common table with parents, not just special interest international groups. I vouch for the parents of the nation to have host 'town hall' discussions on what is being reflected here. The government and its councils can come too. But only if they promise to leave their security guards outside. Otherwise, some of the Dad's will have to escort them outside.
Outflanking common core standard relevancy by making a move towards training/ empowering ourselves as individuals and parents across the country to be home executive function skill coaches needs to be a cornerstone in moving forward. The family is ground zero for this kinda of... entrepreneurially-minded training.
This would catapult our nation of families into a new renaissance of empowered individuals that come from strong families with healthy values and principles. That is what has held America together, not the fighter jets, aircraft carriers or our military presence around the world. If we want to bring our A-GAME and avert the effects of any economic downturn we have to allow human beings to be unleashed. The development and awareness of our executive function skills platform, plus leading-edge Educator trademarks develop a success factory that creates new success everyday.
Imagine... millions of innovators innovating our way out of this economic recession.
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