Necessities

I have at least one conversation a day that invokes the sentiment - "young people these days are lazy and don't even know how to..." Fill in the blank - with read cursive, write (by hand), spell, do math without a calculator, etc. (the list really goes on and on...)

Let's first consider what I believe are indisputably the top ten necessary qualities of any successful person.

1. natural curiosity 
2. observational skills 
3. playfulness
4. problem-solving ability
5. open-minded and flexible
6. willingness to learn through trial and error 
7. empathy and kindness
8. good listening skills
9. fiercely themselves
10. and interesting 

You will notice that none of these have anything to do with academics. And none of them can be taught. Every item on that list is something we are born with - we are all innate scientists - uniquely brilliant natural learners with our own interests and talents. 

Now let's examine all those "should-s" dictated by society. Many of them are relics of a bygone age before we had the world in our pockets. Do young people need to know how to read cursive - no. But they can if they want to. Do they have to memorize spelling words and grammar rules? Nope! I am miserable at spelling and grammar despite eight grim years of those detested spelling drills, but I still write prolifically - without (many) mistakes. Do they need to learn about - x,y, & z? Not unless it is something they want or will need for what they plan to pursue - in the future. And even then, they can study those things when they make that determination.  

Our lives are brimming with adaptive, assistive technology designed to allow us to do the things we otherwise would not be able to - with new stuff coming out daily. We can calculate anything, travel anywhere, anytime in history (virtually) to learn the culture, create cool stuff, listen to music or books, watch anything we desire, and look up random sh*t - just because we are curious. We no longer need to rely on some informed individual disseminating the info from the front of a classroom, to be memorized and subsequently regurgitated on an exam and then forgotten.

Anyone can acquire the knowledge they need and want - in any modality that works for them - from anywhere. There are no restrictive boundaries. The only requirements are to have the skills listed above and the flexibility to adapt.

The world will always be evolving, despite the folks who shout from the rooftops, "but, but, but they need to learn... because I had to." 

To them, I want to say, "did you learn to sign your name by spitting chewed-up pigment around your hand to make a hand print?" No, because we big-brained humans developed new technologies throughout millennia - and we will continue to do so. 

Weekly Creative Meditation

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Kiddos at both Centers continue to cruise along happily exploring new ideas in the new year.