Redefining the “experts” in education reform might be the key to success | Matt Candler

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The right kind of education reform will happen with people instead of to people. Part of this requires redefining who the "experts" are in education. It might be beneficial to loosen control on the part of those that train principals and teachers.If educators can view themselves as hosts to the conversation of what schools could look like, the movement for change becomes more courageous.

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MATT CANDLER

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TRANSCRIPT:

[levonja]

Having graduated in discourse analysis and pedagogy, I can proclaim with utmost assuredness that he said absolutely nothing of value.

[EugeneKhutoryansky]

If teachers communicate with the students in their classrooms in a way anything remotely similar to how this guy communicated in this video, then I can see why our schools are in such a dire condition.

[Tyrbjoerdal]

One education method in 5 steps. 1 Show how its done. 2 Let them gradually try more and more. 3 Step back and observe, mentor and coach. 4 Lastly allow them to "teach" you so you know they know how its done. 6 Always be ready to challenge the method to improve the method and to improve yourself and others.

[Gulgathydra]

*Next Week On Big Think:*
Michelle Thaller renounces astronomy and converts to astrology, because their lived experience tells them they are right, and it turns out that the future was told by the stars all along.

[KitagumaIgen]

Spectacular fluff - cotton candy without the cotton, and the candy

[loc]

This comes across as very wishy-washy.

The way you reform or rather improve education is though doing research into the best way to teach kids, using that to inform your approach and though the removal of political interference.

[violet-trash]

Five minutes of saying nothing. This guy is better suited to selling pyramid schemes.

[albirtarsha]

God bless the kids and the teachers as education experts very gradually fumble through to finding a better way.

[RogerWazup]

So many of these videos seem to be glorified commercials disguised as TED talks.

[soundknight]

"Re-define experts". Strange.

[invox]

"Who coaches an education enterpreneur?" - THAT's a simple question?
WTH is an "education entrepreneur" would be my question.

[OmniphonProductions]

Right around the 2:30 mark, he talked about "hosting the experts". I really like that. In many Science vs. Religion discussions, I keep pointing out what PhDs in various subjects have to say about Big Bang, Evolution, etc. An acquaintance recently asked me, "And your PhD is in?" I told him I don't need a PhD to know that for any given topic the best place to turn is those who've dedicated their lives to studying _that_ topic. In that respect, any good teacher...or leader...should be in the business of facilitating dialogue between those who've studied and those who haven't. Now, that said, the idea of students and families being in control of their own educational path seems inherently antithetical to that goal...because as Dunning Kruger demonstrates, most people don't know enough (about anything) to recognize who is (or isn't) the best source of information on any given topic, _and_ their preconceptions are likely, at some point, to lead them in the _wrong_ direction.

[silversolver]

Is anyone in education aware of the major changes coming in the next few decades?
Is anyone in education considering teaching kids to think?

I ask because those who cannot think for themselves are going to suffer the most from the major social upheavals on the way. The short age of full-time employment—max 200 years—is near its end and society will revert to how it was before the Industrial Revolution.

When I hear about educators looking to introduce thinking—analysis, comparison, research, theorizing, evaluation etc—into schools, then I'll take notice.

[PetarStamenkovic]

I hope this isn't what it sounds like- rejecting the idea that there is truth and that there is the right way to get to it. I hope experts that think that 2+2=4 don't get fired in favor of "experts" that think that math is a tool of white, patriarchal oppressive regimes and that 2+2 is what you feel like at that moment, like your gender is.

Defining experts as people who don't know what they're talking about is a very, very, very bad idea and will bring nothing good. So I sincerely hope I misread his keywords of "oppression and positions of power."

[gregmartin]

Upskilling and mentoring is what it is about the planet is overloaded with knowledge. The real learning begins with identification of personality traits and empowering the natural abilities within that interest. The existing system only allows 15% of the population to excel as it only suits a narrow range of personality, with most kids moving into university absolutely confused with what they want to do. This identification in most cases can be easily assessed between 5 and 10 years of age. This is when we need to begin to empower their natural abilities. By the time further education is required, not only will they know their true identity, they will also be brilliant :)

[fokkenhotz]

no i think that school is better in a social setting there is so much you learn in school besides school stuff.

[zakleclaire]

Why does this kinda shit always seem like some kinda con? It feels like some kinda corporate capitalist somewhere is trying to figure out a way to produce more efficient workers for the world he envisions to perpetuate his life style and the social class divide. Could just be really annoyed with the way this dude presents himself. Feels WAY more like a salesman than an educator.

[MikeClohset]

If teachers/children/PARENTS all worked together success, SUCCESS, SUCESS!!!

[cybersekkin]

This is a great dumbing down video. It essentially takes teachers out of the schools and replaces them with knowledge administrators/marketers. The end gets to the point that they invite in corp mouthpieces who "teach" the kids what the businesses want them to believe. This is a huge mistake.

[geezzerboy]

Wow Man. Could I please have the name of your Dealer? I like to buy a bit of whatever it is you are fucked up on.