Edu-Consequences

Yong Zhao at the BCSSA BCASBO Fall Conference 2014

Front row seats at the BCSSA/BCABO 2014 Fall Conference to listen to Yong Zhao from the University of Oregon.  Yong’s enthusiasm, critical mind, and light hearted humour brought light to the purpose of education and “Are we doing a good job?”  Three points I would like to highlight from Yong’s engaging presentation: (1) Quality education would prevent our children from living in our basement.  This is so true.  What are we doing in education that prepares students for the real world?  This would a measurable outcome.  (2) Every time we solve a problem, we create new problems.  Yong calls them “side effects”or edu-consequences to change.  These outcomes are unintended.  (3) Entrepreneurialship in schools.  Students as entrepreneurs would cultivate their creativity, curiosity, and autonomy… thus shifting education from a place of compliance and mediocrity to a place of excellence and greatness that is focused on student strengths, not deficiencies. Thank you Yong and nudging us a bit further to shift the paradigm.