If It’s Not About the Grades, then what kind of Learning Beyond Schooling?
Modern schooling still subscribes to the notion that “If it [skills/learning] isn’t measurable, it doesn’t matter,” but this is totally outdated! According to Seth Godin, real work that matters, that is purposeful and fulfilling, relies more on “soft skills” than “hard skills.”
I believe that knowing oneself deeply by practicing tools for self awareness (introspection, writing, yoga, meditation, et al) and developing more soft skills is what parents and educators should be focusing on instead of the achievement and quest for grades for (overpriced/over-valued) college that merely shows the ability to play the game of traditional schooling well (temporary ingestion and synthesis of information and limited hard skills).
Educators need to let go of the content-coverage-curriculum mindset and make education about authentic learning: problem-solving, cooperation (rather than competition), an open exchange of ideas (crazy ones especially), character-building practices (honesty, integrity, patience, resilience, determination, self-control), mistakes, more mistakes, and play, as well as healthy dialogue.
Valuing balance, adapting to rapid change, and building our sense of security in a foundational sense of authentic humanity (our own and others’) is the education necessary for the future. AI and robots will take care of the “hard skills,” so perhaps we humans should spend more time “being human.” Each of us will be healthier, better prepared, and empowered for an unpredictable future in both measurable and immeasurable ways.
