There has to be a better way . . .

So much of the mechanization model of organizations is alive in education and schools in the United States. The political environment that surrounds our schools frustrates me to no end, as I fear it really holds us back from making true progress. It's like viewing the fractals and trying to affect change from the middle -- when we need an entire paradigm shift in education. We need to rethink what it means to be a "teacher" and a "student." We need to rethink the idea of what a "school" is. Some of our conversation today touched upon how schools are starting to take on additional roles in servicing children and families - with healthcare and food programs, etc. What about having schools that instead of focusing on academics as their primary concern, they are focusing on the general well-being of the child and his/her family? Can you imagine sprawling complexes of related services open to a common area courtyard? In this community center called "school" children's needs would be met allowing them to be open to learning. Does learning need to occur in a classroom? Think about how learning occurs in a tribal culture. Through working and living alongside more experienced members of the community . . . observing, questioning, trying, doing. It's flexible. It's not preconceived. It's based on real-life needs and interests of the learner. Is there a place for learning basic skills and what we think of as more "traditional" learning? Perhaps, but I don't think that is what true education is. We need to start asking bigger questions and not take for granted the paradigms that envelop us as being the only, or the best, way. We need to step away from the chaos that is our current model of education and see the patterns that have been put in motion -- we need to get to the true "cutting edge" in order to affect real change.