Degrees of Optimism

I married into a family who always sees the glass nearly full. If your unemployment was about to run out, they’d say don’t worry, another door will open soon. If someone was sick, they’d say that in time things will get better. This certainty in a better tomorrow has sustained them through many of life’s tribulations . On the other hand, they have always been very satisfied with the status quo, waiting for something better to come along rather than working to make it happen.

For too long in education, we’ve looked at the nearly full glass. We continue to teach and measure the same content standards and congratulate ourselves when one group’s scores go up one-tenth of one percent. Sure, over time, those will add up to tenths and whole numbers but how long can we be complacent while we wait for that? One projection for 100% proficiency at the current rate of growth is the year 2166.

As we wait, the world is changing rapidly and so are our students. Children are growing up in a technologically connected global network of information and services. They prefer to be engaged in discovery rather than as passive observers. Yet many schools, classrooms, and teacher look and act like they did a generation ago.

Changes in goals, standards, and desirable learning outcomes will drive schools towards 21st century outcomes. These outcomes need new metrics to assess critical thinking, creativity, communication, and productivity. It’s time to fill the glass with more than hopeful optimism.