The Formative Five - Chapter 1
Thinking About Tomorrow
Book Study
This is a struggle for me...and I embrace change. However, I am having a hard time breathing. I feel like rapid change (that feels like crazy) is the new norm. There are no more plateaus anymore. No more of change, adapt for a while, change, adapt. Now it's change, change, change, change, pick something to adapt to for a minute then change again. Which makes me realize my strategies for adapting no longer work. I have to develop different skills to help myself not go crazy - and being a hermit at home or in my classroom isn't a strategy that is working effectively.
We can't predict the weather 5 minutes from now so how do people think about the future and what students will need? This has always been a tough skill for me. I agree with Peter Drucker: "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road with no lights while looking out the back window." I am clearly not a futurist - thank goodness there are those that can think in those ways. I just listened to The Wall Street Journal on Dec 30 about thinking like a futurist. I would have never imagined bringing back the dead (and I don't mean the zombie craze) - Redd Foxx touring again (from the grave) - NYT article. The question out there about who you would invite to dinner if you could talk to anyone from history always made me roll my eyes. There are many people I would have loved to have a drink with, but seriously...they can't! But now, the question isn't IF but WHEN. This changes everything! But I'm getting distracted.
In this chapter, Hoerr shares his predictions of six trends that will inform our efforts with students and how we need to prepare them for tomorrow's world (and breathe) then how the Formative Five success skills (SIEGE) play a prominent role in curriculums. What if I don't do this right and students can't make it as happy productive adults! This keeps me up at night.
Contextual Prediction 1: The Earth Will Become More Fragile
Empathy and embracing diversity will be very important as we have to make personal sacrifices for the good of the many if we are going to protect our environment. We will have to "develop self-control in making decisions that require staving off immediate gratification in exchange for a better future" and grit since there is no easy solution to this complex problem. The inner hippie in me is fighting with the diva need for convenience and comfort. How can I help students with these skills so that the future of the world is brighter? Hence the bags under my eyes.
Contextual Prediction 2: Technology Will Touch Everything
The ability to exert self-control will be critical. Integrity and embracing diversity will play critical roles as new technologies are created and opportunities to interact with people we don't know increase.
How is Jeff going to function with his flip phone and an aversion to anything automated (other than Keurig) going to function? Embrace diversity have empathy.
Contextual Prediction 3: Diversity WIll be in Our Faces
It's clear in the implications for the Formative Five embracing diversity should be a prevalent skill. Whether face to face or online, empathy and embracing diversity are going to be central to success for students in their relationships. Hoerr also protends that integrity will be crucial as people need to foster trust among one anther.
Education Prediction 1: Educators Will Broaden Their Understanding of Student Growth, Thereby Expanding Their Responsibilities
Our focus will be on teaching students how to solve complex challenges by managing themselves (integrity, self-control, grit) and their relationships (empathy, embracing diversity). p29 Hoerr predicts that determining the questions to be solved and data to be used will become more of a curricular and instructional focus. Ummm, yup, that's already here. Now we need to get better at it - and understand how the Formative Five play a bigger role.
Education Prediction 2: School Choice in Various Forms Will Be Standard and Will Have Major Implications on How Schools are Organized
"Schools of the future will need to pay more attention to creating positive relationships among consumers (students) and customers (parents)." HALLELUJAH! Can I get an amen!
We are going to have to sell ourselves. Is that a bad thing? Why wouldn't we strive to be the best at what we do? Why shouldn't we market ourselves so consumers and customers know that we are what they need.
Education Prediction 3: Technology Will Change How an dWhat We Teach - and Will Make Diversity Increasingly Valuable
Teachers will need to design activities which require "in the flesh" human interactions as reliance on handheld devices become more prevalent. Ha! The pendulum is swinging back already 1:1 connectivity back to human "in the flesh" connections. Hopefully we find a balance - enter the Formative Five.