The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

You've heard it all before - "we're at an educational crossroads". The truth is that now, more than ever, we really are.

The truth of that crossroads isn't necessarily what we think it is. It's not about technology. It's not about our teaching methodologies. It's not even about the curriculum itself. This crossroads (henceforth referred to as "the Revolution") is about the very heart of education itself.

We live in a world where you can "Google" just about everything. Or you can use DuckDuckGo if you value your privacy, but they're not sponsoring this blog - so nevermind. While we certainly are responsible for directing the attention of our students towards information society has deemed canonical, but ultimately, in terms of factual knowledge, teachers no longer serve in the role of "knowledge keepers". For many this can be a frightening feeling, being a teacher has taken on an entirely different meaning. Some may even see it as a demotion or a threat to their profession. I am here to tell you that is the wrong interpretation of what is happening. Let's look at an historical example first and then ways we can thrive in this new Revolution.

For centuries priests were knowledge keepers. They were the only ones capable of reading the Bible (as it was written in Latin) and therefore the only ones capable of explaining what was right and what was wrong. This is, of course, a much more dangerously powerful role than that of a modern teacher, but hold some parallels nonetheless. When the Bible began to be translated into "common tongues" it resulted in a more religiously knowledgeable populace. All of this arguably led to the Reformation as the Christian populace realized that they were capable of interpreting their holy book on their own. This provoked panic and severe outrage within the church. Priests were losing their authority and their position as knowledge keeper. Their reaction cause an even greater number of people to lose their faith in these former keepers of knowledge.

We are not priests, but we are in a similar position to the priests alive in the 14th Century. Our power as knowledge keepers is waining. We must find our new role and I firmly believe it is an even better one than what he had before this revolution began. We must return to what teachers of ancient days were - guides. We are companions on a journey with our students. We know the way because we have walked it before, but we do not walk in the lead. Instead, we stand side-by-side with them, offering advice, suggesting new ways to look at the journey, and offering our first aid services when required. Education in the 21st Century calls for more Aristotle and Alexander and less one room schoolhouse teacher. We must ask students to think critically, develop empathy, and strive to create. As Mark Twain once said, "reports of [our] death have been greatly exaggerated." YouTube channels, Khan Academy, and online academies can never replace the tutelage of a passionate, real-life educator. I just hope we are willing, because as Gil Scott-Heron sang, "you will not be able to plug in, turn in, and cop out...the revolution will not be televised."