Monday, July 22, 2013

EDAD536 Day 1 Reflection

I appreciate thinking that rocks the boat, not for the sake of "rocking the boat", rather for innovation's sake, for progress, for transformation of thought. The TED cast with Sir Ken Robinson did just that.

Choice Quotes:

"Life is not linear, it is organic."
"Education dislocates people from natural circumstances."
"Reform improves a broken model...we need to be transformed."
 "College does not begin in kindergarten."
"A 3 year old is not 1/2 of a 6 year old."
"Fast food is standardized...standardized education destroys our mind the way fast food destroys our body."
"Our children spread their dreams beneath our feet...tread lightly."

My Thoughts:

Evolution happens for the sake of survival. We adapt to stay relevant and alive in our environment. Transformation is change that seeks to enhance life verses to simply avoid death.

The quotes from Abraham Lincoln struck me (as so many of his quotes do) because he was a man who suffered a public cause on a personal level, a man in the midst of conflict, leading a movement to outlaw what 1/2 the voting nation had become dependent on. He spoke of "the dogmas of our quiet past", how "we must rise with the occasion...think anew, act anew...become dis-enthralled."

This was true in the 1800s and it is true now.



4 comments:

  1. Christy-Thanks for your insights and thoughts. Love this: "Transformation is change that seeks to enhance life verses to simply avoid death."
    Great to have you in class and look forward to the continued rich conversations!

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  2. Become dis-enthralled. Yes. How do we identify what we are taking for granted? Who's voice will challenge the assumptions upon which current practice is based?

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  3. P.S. Loved your quote about running... sounds like it applies to education, too.

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  4. I love the way he mock-responded to the "Kindergarten is college" comment: "No, it isn't."
    The metaphor "standardized testing is like fast food" frames the issue well. It's fast, minimal, and easy. But, it's not very good for you. Especially, if it's all you ever do. It scares me. What are the still-unseen consequences for our current generation of kids that will rear their ugly heads some timer in the future?

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