"Schools are in a period of transition," Dr. Ted Spear said. "I see the current school system as an aircraft carrier that is being retrofitted to become a luxury liner." Spear sees the change in education as an exciting opportunity if the question of purpose is brought into the discussion. Spear will give an educational address titled Making sense of schools: five things we need to understand about education in the 21st century on Wednesday, February 15, at 7 p.m. at the Silk Purse Gallery on 1570 West Argyle Avenue in West Vancouver.
"I will present three models of education," Spear said. "The first is the model of the factory school. We've had this model since the beginning for the 20th century and it is still prevalent mainly because of the forms of assessment." He explains that this model makes sure that students fit into the socio-economic system. "The second model caters to the individual. The buzzword is 'personalized learning' and this is the ascendant model," Spear said.
He is not surprised that this model is on the rise and says, "This is the zeitgeist of our time. Everything is about the individual and about personal choice." And even though Spear agrees that paying attention to every student's learning style is important, he thinks that an education based on individual desire is too narrow an approach.
There is a third model of education that, to Spear, has been overlooked. "It's the classical model of education. It's a fuller expression of what education can be. The first model is mere training for jobs and socialization, the second is simply about meeting individual desires, but, with the third model, we have the opportunity to give the students a perspective on the world," Spear says. "My aim is to change the conversation about education and get people to ask 'why' before asking 'how.'"
In his address, Spear plans to provide a commentary on the current situation of schools including trends in digital teaching and learning. He said, "My point is that technology is here to stay, get used to it. But it can be either a distraction or an enhancement to education. Technology gives us tools but it is up to us to what purpose we are using them."
Spear also hopes to provide some guidance to parents. "My first few points are philosophical in nature but I will also say a few words on what options are available to parents. I have noticed a difference in how parents approach education. On one side, there are parents who encourage their children to work [within] the system, to get the best marks in order to create the best possible future choices. Other parents state that they just want their kids to be happy. They say that they don't care what marks they get or what goals they have."
"Parents are the first educators of kids. I would like them to think about where they are in this continuum. Are they pragmatic and want their kids to succeed within the system? Or do they just want them to be happy as individuals?" Spear makes the point that if a school did a good job in education, the two might not be mutually exclusive and education might enable the kids to succeed in a meaningful way and thus find happiness.
And even though Spear expresses disappointment in the current and the ascending models of education, he sees cause for optimism. "There are a lot of people out there who really care about education," he says. "There is a robust discussion. What is going to emerge can be more powerful if we have a conversation about the purpose of education. If we avoid this conversation, we miss yet another opportunity."
Returning to his analogies, Spear said, "My point is that both aircraft carrier and luxury liner, once you launch them, are difficult to decommission. And stretching this analogy even further, I would like to see education as a tall ship. The difference is not just that it is easier to maneuver, the difference is that the tall ship knows exactly where it is going."
Spear has a doctorate in philosophy and education from UBC and over 20 years of experience as an educator. He is the founding head of school at Island Pacific School located on Bowen Island. He has worked as middle school principal at Mulgrave School in West Vancouver and has taught in Northern Manitoba, Haida Gwaii and Vancouver. There is no charge for his address to parents, teachers and educational administrators at the Silk Purse Gallery but seating is limited. For information, please email [email protected].
