I have not posted many of the books I have been reading this summer for a couple reasons. First, I have not read much as I have been immersed in action and application. Second, many of the ones I set out to read just were not worth my time.
Until I read this book. This little zinger packs a mandatory read in just 77 pages. This book explores the problem with education but instead of doing nothing but complaining and pointing fingers(which is the case on most books about education these days), Dr. Bertram showcases how things have not changed and how to make it happen.
The book is not a step by step plan, but more of a call to action. It is time that we admit that we need to move. We need to do things that all know must be done. The status quo is not working. Over the last thirty years we have not see the change we need to see. This does not mean starting from scratch. It does not mean that what we are doing is wrong. Rather, it is time to stop being okay with what are doing and pushing things to the next level.
The need for a STEM focus, a change of teaching and learning, and helping to make the irrelevant relevant goes beyond just student engagement. We are talking about our students being able to be qualified for the jobs that are open. We are talking about developing our own citizens to help the country, the budget, and production of life to allow us to continue to be at the top and creating ideas that need creating.
I talk all the time in my Young Engineers of Today class that we are so eager to spend countless hours and unlimited budget for sports, weekend tournaments, equipment, etc. for athletics, but we must be able to help our students see that STEM is what will allow them to find employment, function in life, and be successful. I am not suggesting no sports as I played sports through college, but we must find a balance. Many don’t want to spend time and money on STEM and we need to. It can be just as fun as sports if done right.
I won’t quote all my quotes I marked(I will in future blog posts), but this one stood out to me the most.
[shareable cite=”Thomas Friedman”]In China, Bill Gates is Britney Spears, in America Britney Spears is Britney Spears[/shareable]
The point of this quote is that we get what we praise. It is time we start to honor education like we do celebrities, sports, and entertainment.
Please read this book. It will open your eyes. It will make you think. It will challenge you to step up your game. I will admit I did skim through quickly the Project Lead the Way push in the end chapters as I don’t believe in pushing programs. However, the rest of the book will share simple ideas that we all know needs to be done in education. It is time to step up and quit accepting that we are a nation under taught.
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