A Conversation with Dr. Zhao

On Friday, December 11th, a group of about 25 CASE members joined a live webcast with Dr. Yong Zhao to discuss the book.  Dr. Zhao used his webcam to dial into our webcast from Beijing, China.  It was Saturday morning for him while were getting ready to head to dinner Friday night.  In this recording, the video from Dr. Zhao's webcam did not come through but an audio recording of his talk with us is captured here.

Access the webcast here (via Adobe Connect)

Dr. Zhao made a convincing case for individualizing our learning experiences, assuring quality opportunity for students and expecting personal responsibility in our students rather than obsessing on raising test scores.

In short, it sounded like Dr. Zhao was encouraging our American schools to be more... American. 

Come hear more by attending the CASE Winter Leadership conference and hear Dr. Zhao in person on January 22nd, 2010.

Knowledge that has the most worth

The most intriguing part of this chapter (for me) was the list of Core Assumptions... Ah!  Now we are getting to the heart of it.  After citing a number of sources for the skills and knowledge of the 21st Century, Dr. Zhao gives these assumptions:

1. Cultivate skills that are not available in other places and cannot be rendered obsolete by machines.
2. Creativity is essential.
3. New skills for a global culture need to be developed.
4. Problem solving and critical thinking are more important now than ever before.
5. Emotional intelligence is now critical including the ability to manage one's own emotions and intolerances but also empathize with others.

Given these assumptions, consider what changes need to happen in classrooms.  It would seem that the very nature of standardized (or teacher-proofed) courses would be in direct conflict with assumption number one.  Personally, I cringe when I read how a software program is marketed to "develop creativity" in young people.  Young people might express their creativity using a software program, but the program doesn't build creativity..

New skills around global citizenship are essential and can only be developed if we get out into the global culture.  Assumption 4 pretty much drives a nail through that whole worksheet concept, doesn't it? ... problems at the end of the chapter, worksheets, a research paper and a test doesn't cut the mustard any more.

Developing an ability to empathize and understand others can only be developed by interacting with others.  Again, we've got to get outside our walls... and our comfort zone.  I think it was said best by our East Elementary School Principal, Greg Sumlin, when he told me "We are learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable."  Not sure if he was quoting someone else, but that's a good one!