Over The Horizon!

Realizing the New Normal: Where are we at and where are we going? 

It seems we get so caught up in our lives, and what we are doing in the moment, that we lose focus on what is happening around us and what is coming at us. Sometimes it is good to break, get "altitude" and see over the horizon to gain perspective.  

The New Normal: Change
Our world is changing at speed never before experienced. Transformative innovations historically have taken hundreds of years to impact society. Accelerating exponentially, today that "innovation, transformation, impact" cycle is condensing to ten year increments.  Just like vinyl records to 8 tracks to cassette tapes to CDs to downloads to live streaming or black and white TV to color TV to cable TV to satellite TV to HDTV, "things" are changing dramatically. As "things" change they impact us.  Our choice is remembering that these "things" are tools, implements, and practices that have unlimited potential for good, but also for bad. We are in the beginning of a great awakening. We must choose wisely!

From the "Printing Press" to "Digital Devices Connected to the Internet" 
We humans continue to grow and evolve. With each "growth ring" comes maturity, new tools, new thinking  and a new way of looking at things.  

The "printing press" provided for the replication of writings in mass quantities. This accelerated the exchange of thinking and elevated the ability to reading and writing to being crucial.  Innovations in mass production of text went from the "printing press" to movable type, later the typewriter and complemented advances in paper, pens and pencils. 

For those who could not read, or write, it was an embarrassment to be ashamed of and hid. In schools the direction and priority was to "learn to read so you can read to learn".  READING is a developmental step forward. Abitude in MATH is the next step!  

Our 21st century technological and information age is grounded not only in the ability to communicate. For digital devices connected to the internet, augmented and virtual reality, robotics and the operating systems to make them go, MATH is crucial. 

Looking back over my career as an educator, reflecting on parent-student academic conferences, parents were greatly concerned when their children could not read or was not reading at "grade level".  It always amazing to me when parents were told their kids were deficit in math, moms and dads responded "that is OK I am not any good with math either".  

The ability to read IS important, but so to is math.  If "READING is dreaming with open eyes" then "MATH is the thinking behind what makes dreams reality".   Equally important is Music and the ARTS. The ARTS defines and expresses what makes us human. Together they form a "three legged stool" that if in balance, enables us to reach our potential. It is the trifecta of imagination, creativity, and expression.  

As we break, get "altitude" and begin to look over the horizon, it appears learning in the 21st century is multi-facistated and not linear.  It is connecting and creating concepts and knowledge holistically, applying learnings to real world problems and challenges.  It is personalised, differentiated, instruction connecting passions and abilities, leveraging technology to bring together practitioners and like minded. 

Exciting things are on the horizon!