"A Different World!"

Thirty years ago the US was "The Super Power" in the world in the minds of almost every american boy/girl. What happened? When I was a youth growing up on the tough streets of Compton, California there was no doubt in my mind that the United States of America was the most-powerful and most-intellectually advanced country on the planet. In 2009, as these thoughts became challenged with reality, I began to think about some of the insights of Stephen Covey and Peter Drucker. In The 8th Habit "From Effectiveness To Greatness" Stephen Covey explains what he describes as nature's voice in The Hunting/Gathering,Agricultural,Industrial, Information/Knowledge Worker and the Wisdom Ages. Covey said that "with each infrastructure shift (or age change) over 90 percent of the people are downsized or left behind." Given what the United States spends on education, its relatively low student achievement through high school shows its school system is "clearly inefficient," says Barry McGraw of the Paris Based Organization for Cooperation.

I tend to agree with Mr. Mcgraw's statement because we have observed the internal erosion of our current educational system over the past decade. The Educational System in the United States in my opinion has not made the "infrastructure shift" or change that Stephen Covey so eloquently articulates in his literary works. Instead of asking the very youth who are in the educational system what needs to change, we take it upon ourselves to enact legislation that threatens to remove funding from schools if significant measurable academic improvements aren't made in a specified amount of time. Standards and consequences are necessary if excellence is to be achieved, however, excellence cannot be achieved if the axe of systemic examination and evaluation is not laid to the root of the problem.

Our Educational System still thinks the same way it did fifty years ago. The methods of teaching that worked then are out dated now. The Educational System needs to understand that youth are engaged the most when the material being presented to them is relevant to every fiber of their lives. For instance, history class can be enhanced by creatively embellishing stories of land discovery and adventure with economic principle and value. From a business standpoint, someone invested in Columbus' trip and he had to use his oratory abilities to persuade them to do it. Not only did Columbus persuade them to invest but he also boarded the ship, set sail and accomplished his mission. This is an excellent historical opportunity to teach our children that Columbus never would have made it if he didn't believe in himself. He also believed that he was born to explore and that's why he enjoyed it so much. Now that's history with a twist of "lime." (lol)

We must begin considering curriculum that guides youth into "gift discovery and development." Once you tap into an someone's gift you can teach them virtually anything. Why? Because, it's something that interests them; better yet it's what they are born to do. Marcus Buckingham calls it "strengths revolution." He simply says "deal to people's differences." One day, before it's too late the US Educational System will get its head out of the Starbucks cup long enough to smell the stench of antiquity and hear the voice of creativity.

Creativity will permit us to breathe life into an irrelevant and outdated infrastructure. Creativity will permit us to embrace the winds of change and challenge as we together embark on a journey that we must take if this country is to regain her position of prominence and prosperity that she once held. When she was the trophy that every nation desired to be, the movie that third world people's longed to see and the leader that the world welcomed her to be. If we are to leave our children a legacy of effective leadership - we must act now. Fortunately, we don't live in a cocoon, therefore we must prepare our children for the global marketplace. When he addresses our nation’s children President Barack Obama is prepared to encourage them to show up to school and pay attention to their teachers. I agree with our President everyone has to do their part including PARENTS, TEACHERS, and THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. If we continue doing school-as-usual we will continue to deem current academic outcomes as unusual. In my generation I am observing the breakdown of the economic and educational system. The real issue may not be the parents, teachers, or the students it may be that we’re using a system that was not designed to meet the demands of 21st century education. Things aren't the same "it's a different world!"