I needed to post this video here in this blog because I felt it was one of the most moving things I have seen in a long time. The significance of this has a connection with Eddie Obeng's presentation, "Smart Failure for a Fast Changing World." This week was one of the most significant weeks in American history. The turbulence of the global scale of information was hurled upon us during the past several days. The tragic shooting in Charleston, S.C. profoundly shocked the Nation. The Supreme Court's ruling on Health Care, Fair Housing, and Gay Marriage, the passing of a global Trade Act....and most amazing...the removal of the Confederate flag from public properties throughout the South were events which affected and were affected by major shifts in thinking within our society.
We are no longer able to live in regional isolation. The line of learning has to keep up with the pace of the world. This week, many Americans felt the shift in consciousness. I found myself wishing I was in school right now so I could share all this with my students. I hope that they are aware right now, in their summertime bliss, of what is changing in their world. We are still grappling with inequality, racism , poverty, and ignorance, but we, as a society, are being forced to examine ourselves much more intensely than ever before because the mirror is being held closer and closer. The old tired ways of teaching our children are obsolete, and it is up to us to figure out how to help our students adjust and become comfortable with the turbulence of change that is out there.
Smart failure is what we have to embrace. It takes courage to try new things and step out on the edge. In fact, as Obeng stated, sometimes if you do this, you get fired. Our students have to learn that they can try new ideas and risk failure because there are so many ideas out there and not all are "smart." We need to help them figure out how to choose their own truths.
We are no longer able to live in regional isolation. The line of learning has to keep up with the pace of the world. This week, many Americans felt the shift in consciousness. I found myself wishing I was in school right now so I could share all this with my students. I hope that they are aware right now, in their summertime bliss, of what is changing in their world. We are still grappling with inequality, racism , poverty, and ignorance, but we, as a society, are being forced to examine ourselves much more intensely than ever before because the mirror is being held closer and closer. The old tired ways of teaching our children are obsolete, and it is up to us to figure out how to help our students adjust and become comfortable with the turbulence of change that is out there.
Smart failure is what we have to embrace. It takes courage to try new things and step out on the edge. In fact, as Obeng stated, sometimes if you do this, you get fired. Our students have to learn that they can try new ideas and risk failure because there are so many ideas out there and not all are "smart." We need to help them figure out how to choose their own truths.