I’ve never let my school interfere with my education.-Mark Twain
Wikipedia: “the word "education" is derived from the Latin word ēducātiō ("A breeding, a bringing up, a rearing") from ēducō ("I educate, I train") which is related to the homonym ēdūcō ("I lead forth, I take out; I raise up, I erect") from ē- ("from, out of") and dūcō ("I lead, I conduct").”
Education is hence meant to prepare us for “leading” life. Instead it seems to be merely preparing us for a job, which is now being promised to be taken away by robots. Often education is associated just with knowing about things and accumulating knowledge.
“Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life.” — Sandara Carey
Does our school system instil wisdom to make a life of our own which is respectful of others and the planet? It seems we have been failing students to enable this making of a life in the most humane way possible.
The real question is then “what do we really want from our education system?” A system and an experience to support a sense of responsibility, stewardship, and awareness to make choices that align with our values; a place where to broaden our minds and where failing is necessary to learning. A school needs to be a possibility for progress as a society. Not only for smart technologies (and technologists), but to help us progress as humankind.
Progress is only possible when we embrace the role of being lifelong learners.
Being a lifelong learner comes from inquiry not from providing answers. The emphasis is therefore shifting to teaching the skills of learning. Some governmental bodies, like the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, have even proposed compulsory lifelong education.
My personal interest is bringing the arts and humanities into business education. Why? Because business has a unique and indispensable role to play in driving progress. We must redefine the role of business in society. If we do, the most important development will be the progress that advances all of humankind (while respecting the planet).
That’s why we’re creating the first ever Master of Business Arts program to transform not just what people learn, but how they learn, and the business model that powers it. The arts are about being fully alive, in the moment, where all our senses are enlivened and working. Thanks to the arts we access the dialogue and co-creation of practices, processes and tools that support our progress - evolution - while shifting the current business model designed on the premises of an assembly line. What we do depends on who we are and on the “quality” of our being.
My question to you is, "What kind of school do you want to go to?" Go beyond book and theory teaching. Let’s create a new and more human education where there is an equal partnership between rational/emotional; intuitive/deductive; creative/logic and, where there is an emphasis on the progress of being a whole human.
RNEWB offers a robust diversity of experiences, talks, workshops and programs that use storytelling, poetry and heARTistry in an innovative and yet practical methodology. Our work has guided leaders and teams to reach their goals, tap into their creativity, broaden their awareness and improve trust within the organisations they lead. For more information please feel free to get in contact.