What an Inspiration

I had heard that Tony Wagner was a forward thinker, but with limited knowledge of the field of educational innovation I didn't expect to be wowed when I signed up to attend his lecture. Wagner, a Harvard University Professor and author of four books on fostering change in education, was originally scheduled to speak here after Hurricane Sandy but was unable to come due to the storm. His visit was rescheduled for Wednesday, December 5. He spent the day meeting with teachers, parents, administrators and members of the Board of Education and completed his visit with a talk for the community on Wednesday night.

He recently published his fourth book, "Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change The World" and has been on the road to share his insights. According to Wagner, educators have spent the last 30 years thinking about how to bring up the worst performing students while neglecting educational innovation for all. In a world where courses can be taken online and degrees earned without attending school, Wagner is examining the value of education and what should happen in the classroom to create innovators for tomorrow.

To find out, Wagner has interviewed today's business leaders to discern what skills are essential to success and he is convinced that critical thinking and problem solving are foremost. He also believes that those who will thrive have the ability to collaborate across networks and lead across disciplines, are agile, adaptable, innovative and entrepreneurial. They are effective speakers and know how to infuse their writing with a clear voice and perspective.

The big disconnect for Wagner is that many schools in this country, including some of the most prestigious high schools, are singularly focused on conveying content and preparing students for tests. In his view, these schools fail to encourage the skills that students will need most to succeed on the job and in the world.

Contradictions abound ... Wagner points out that:

• The current culture of learning celebrates individual achievement but innovation is a team sport.
• Students are now rewarded for specialization and compartmentalization of knowledge but innovation demands a problem-based interdisciplinary approach.
• The current culture of schooling creates a passive experience with kids sitting at desks and guessing what's on the teacher's mind when the emphasis should be on creating not listening.
• Students are now penalized for failure and discouraged from taking risks, creating a culture of compliance... however innovation requires risk-taking, failing and learning from mistakes.

In Wagner's view, our prevailing mode of education leaves many students bored and unmotivated. He believes that teachers should help students unlock their passion for learning and encourage risk-taking and creativity. Classrooms should be safe, supportive environments were students can experiment rather than being marked down for failures.

He also believes that throughout their school years, students should develop digital portfolios of their work that can supplement a transcript that shows only grades.

Wagner applauded the Scarsdale Schools for taking bold steps toward innovation in learning. He credited Scarsdale with dropping the test-centric AP curriculum and substituting an AT track that incorporates the values he supports. He also praised the school for developing initiatives that foster critical thinking skills for students at all grade levels such as the Capstone Projects.

Earlier in the day, Wagner spoke to the staff of the high school at an after school meeting. Over 200 teachers signed up to see him, and registration for the event had to be cut off due to limited space in the room. Wagner reviewed presentations from Scarsdale teachers who have received grant funding from the district's new Center for Innovation to pursue projects that further the district's objective to integrate critical and creative thinking skills into many areas of the curriculum. More details about these projects will be available in the coming weeks on Scarsdale10583.

Wagner is a dynamic speaker and a visionary with revolutionary ideas that will make you reconsider what you value in education. If you missed Tony Wagner's talk and want to learn more about him, watch his TED talks here: 

Photo credits: Jerry Crisci and Vicki Presser