Why does this have to be the tradition?

Everything that we deem as traditional was created by someone somewhere at some point. It became the tradition, the way to do things. But it circles back to why?

People regularly talk about how the school system is not working, it was invented to train people to work in factories, fall in line take orders, limit creativity.

Then we begin to ask why we are still educating the same way if we know its not the best way.

But very quickly you will pick up on the fact that it is a multifaceted problem.

1. How do you make education individualized but make sure that one school/county/state is creating just as strong of society members?

   1. What do we change our measurement to?

2. How can school individualize when classrooms are 25+ students with 1-2 teachers there to serve?

3. How do you transition from the old model to whatever new model comes without potentially leaving one generation in a limbo of school to career abilities

4. How does it not turn into a free for all?

5. Should it turn into a free for all?????

The short answer: I Don't Know.

My current educator role is challenging the traditional schooling model.

Our learning happens more through play than through traditional pencil and paper. Which is challenging.

For one, I struggle to let go of my traditional educator identity of what students should know academically at what age. "Oh no! He's going to be so behind if he doesn't learn adding and subtracting fractions!"

Will he though?

I have acquired the belief that math serves problem solving more than the actual material they are learning. So then thinking of fractions where does that fall in? Well it is studying likeness and if things differ that need to be the same, what can we do to alter it without completely changing the problem.

Cool.!!

I nerd out over that kind of thinking.

But most 10 year olds won't.

So should they be learning how to add and subtract fractions at this age to better this? Maybe.

The more I challenge the structure, the more I don't know and the more frustrating it can feel.

I am fighting my old beliefs with my new world of teaching.

I am privileged to be in a position to challenge the status quo so extraordinarily.

But so much of me wants to be in a position of teaching the traditional way. Even though I know it is not serving students to be the best PEOPLE. But the traditional is comfort and familiar.

I walk away at age 67 with a pension. Probably wishing I did something different with my career but sucking it up for security.

This is walking into the unknown every day. Not sure if I will feel or see the rewards in a typical fashion. And every day wondering "Is he even learning, growing?" The short answer though, is absolutely.

I think as I continue to post I am going to look at the more specific areas that I see such varying differences in; and maybe through this space, I'll find clarity.