While at a conference recently, I had an opportunity to hear Dr. Yong Zhao for the third time. From the University of Oregon, he is an internationally known scholar, author and speaker who has focused much of his work on the implications of globalization and technology in education. Among his many books, he has written one called, “Catching Up or Leading the Way” where he focuses on the US’s insatiable desire to match China’s tests scores despite our collective and historic inability to do so- the US has always produced poor test takers. Given such data, Yong Zhao suggests an alternative for our educational system and its continuous push for more testing.
Perhaps understandable at this point, I always enjoy hearing him and I think that what he has to say is worth listening to.
Here is what Yong Zhao had to say about choosing a school.
1) Schools should engage children in such a way that they learn: 1) the knowledge to do, 2) the social aptitude to be and 3) the proper ethics to contribute to their community and world.
Globalization has created such opportunities for us to easily connect to a worldwide community, we need to remain aware of our most immediate one. Your school should be a social community for you and your family.
The world is in an Age of Abundance. As such, it requires that people possess many different talents. Fortunately, the US has historically “produced” innovative, creative and entrepreneurial people, an achievement not easily accomplished nor maintained through endless standardized test batteries.
Children should be exposed to all types of opportunities within their educational settings without requirements to do so.
Lastly, Yong Zhao shared the idea that our educational system needs to adopt a new paradigm- one that supports personalized education and student autonomy.
Interestingly, The New School Montessori already works from this paradigm;) I expect some other schools do too. Hope you find one. Happy shopping.
posted by Eric Dustman