Inspiration — we’d all like to find it. But it can prove elusive in the rough and tumble of the daily grind and countless challenges in our nation.
Sometimes it takes listening to an inspirational leader, someone who inspires not just by what they say, but also by their accomplishments and example.
One of the most inspirational champions of educational change is coming to Idaho with a message for the state’s teachers. Sal Kahn, founder of the Kahn Academy, will address teachers statewide Tuesday from Boise via video cast.
The message? The importance of continuous improvement in an ever-changing educational environment.
Its theme of “a free world-class education for anyone, anywhere” provides thousands of short video tutorials on subjects ranging from simple and complex math to art history — delivering more than 136 million lessons to more than 6 million students per month — at no cost.
It all began with a quest to tutor a family member living in another state, something made possible with Internet technology. From this noble and humble beginning, Khan now delivers a mind-boggling number of lessons on a regular basis, earning him the title of “teacher to the world” by his most famous pupil, Bill Gates.
Why should Idaho teachers care?
Because the Kahn Academy is a perfect example of the explosion of new educational opportunities and resources available to all. To be clear, his approach will not replace the teacher, the classroom or the power of a positive learning relationship between teacher and student. But Kahn Academy does provide a powerful tool — a free tool — for teachers and students to enhance the educational experience.
As new technologies and tools flood into our schools, the greatest challenge may be to pick and choose those that best fit each learning environment and context. Technology will be a part of the classroom of the future. Education will continue to change and rise to the challenge of meeting current and future student needs. Our obligation to teachers, parents and students is to help them find the best tools and utilize them in a way that positively impacts student learning. Change is often challenging, even painful at times. But the rewards are potentially immense.
Kahn’s vision of “anytime, anywhere learning” is particularly powerful. A student with a computer may view an algebra tutorial to supplement his regular instruction at the time and place of his choosing. Learning is no longer limited to an 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. experience confined by the walls of a physical classroom. The world has become the classroom, and teachers serve as the valuable guides, mentors and shapers of students as they grapple with learning in an environment where nearly any piece of information is at their fingertips within seconds.
Learning is no longer a “one size fits all” proposition. With technology, the pace and structure and style of learning can be tailored to the individual student — under the careful guidance of the teacher.
Ultimately, the primary mission of our schools is to prepare our children for life beyond high school in the 21st century. That world will require the ability to seek accurate information, effectively analyze and solve complex problems. It will require skills in communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. We must embrace change and tap into powerful tools and resources in order to collectively, as an educational community, succeed in guiding Idaho students toward success in a changing world.
That is inspiring.
Kinnaman is Co-Director of the Idaho Leads Project and Director of Improvement Support to States, a partnership between the Center on Innovation and Improvement and the Boise State University Center for School Improvement and Policy Studies.