Part II of “Our Unpleasant Truths” — How Do Educators Get Unstuck? | Will Richardson | 3 Min Read

Part II of “Our Unpleasant Truths” — How Do Educators Get Unstuck? | Will Richardson | 3 Min Read

Read Part I of Our Unpleasant Truths – Where Have They Delivered Us?

If you want a clear sense of just how deeply wedded we are to the traditional rhythms and practices of school, even in the middle of an incredibly disruptive pandemic, the “home virtual lockdown” has to win “best of show.”

As Dan Kois writes in Slate, his daughter was expected to practice hiding under her own desk, in her own bedroom, “to prepare for the possibility that someone might try to shoot her, someday later, at her school.” His reaction is not surprising:

“I thought the virtual shooting drill was totally bizarre and wanted to know why it happened. After all, the only upside to this otherwise disastrous period of remote education is that at least there is a zero percent chance that my kid will be shot in school, a possibility that usually preoccupies me, and her, way more than is healthy. So why wouldn’t schools take the opportunity to just … not … bring it up for a while?”

Dan Kois

Great question, isn’t it?

This strange anecdote aside, there’s…

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Will Richardson

A former public school educator of 22 years, Will Richardson has spent the past 15 years developing an international reputation as a leading thinker and writer about the intersection of social online learning networks, education, and systemic change. Most recently, Will is a co-founder of The Big Questions Institute which was created to help educators use “fearless inquiry” to make sense of this complex moment and an uncertain future. In 2017, Will was named one of 100 global “Changemakers in Education” by the Finnish site HundrED, and was named one of the Top 5 “Edupreneurs to Follow” by Forbes. He has given keynote speeches, lead breakout sessions, and provided coaching services in over 30 countries on 6 continents. He has also authored six books, and given TEDx Talks in New York, Melbourne, and Vancouver.