Johnathan Chase, Learning From Lyrics
Many education reformers are determined to test, rate, and sort children to identify and reward those students who lead the pack rather than nurture, respect, and support all learners to cultivate future pack leaders.
This misguided obsession on continually evaluating and comparing student performance using a narrow set of numeracy and literacy skills will leave our children unprepared for the social and emotional challenges and “tests” of adulthood and employment.
“Imagine two wolf packs, or two human tribes,” Mr. McIntyre said. “Which is more likely to survive and reproduce? The one whose members are more cooperative, more sharing, less violent with one another; or the group whose members are beating each other up and competing with one another?”…
This does not mean that alpha males are not tough when they need to be. One famous wolf in Yellowstone whose radio collar number, 21, became his name, was considered a “super wolf” by the people who closely observed the arc of his life.
He was fierce in defense of family and apparently never lost a fight with a rival pack. Yet within his own pack, one of his favorite things was to wrestle with little pups…
One year, a pup was a bit sickly. The other pups seemed to be afraid of him and wouldn’t play with him. Once, after delivering food for the small pups, 21 stood looking around for something.
Soon he started wagging his tail. He’d been looking for the sickly little pup, and he just went over to hang out with him for a while.
Of all Mr. McIntyre’s stories about the super wolf, that’s his favorite. Strength impresses us. But kindness is what we remember best…”
“Tapping Your Inner Wolf”, Carl Safina 6/5/15
Education reforms are mistakenly focused on rigorous standards and standardized testing to measure how students compare to each other instead of providing vigorous learning experiences and diverse opportunities for students to test their limits.
School should be a safe environment for students to practice and learn how to care for others. People must first learn to care, if they are going to care to learn.
Ensuring that children are college and career ready begins with activities and experiences that help students learn to be compassionate and caring ready.
Empathy is not just important in the classroom. The ability to empathize in the workplace has a direct impact on performance and the ability to lead and inspire others.
by MindMake via MindMake Blog
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