Education (aka Politics) vs. Learning
I get up early in the morning, make myself a cup of chai, and watch a show on Netflix. Sometimes it's just a good mystery, like Murdoch Mysteries, sometimes it's a great new drama, like Madam Secretary (although that show only reinforces my hatred of corrupt political systems. I'm being redundant -- take out "corrupt" in the last sentence.)
This morning, I watched half of Hacker Wars, and I learned a lot. I understand better the motivations of many hackers who question how our country operates. They are imprisoned for putting the information out there, and for hacking into systems in the first place. One guy in the movie said it right -- once upon a time, if a hacker hacked into a major corporation's emails, he would have been hired by that company. That would seem a very American thing to do.
Instead, if someone exposes vulnerabilities in systems today, he is arrested. Doesn't sound like an American thing to do, does it? I guess it is, though.
I've reached the point in the movie where they mention the link between hacking and terrorism. I will be interested to see what they have to say in that regard when I watch the rest of the movie tomorrow.
Like almost everything that is worth contemplation these days, I've changed my mind on the issue of hacking and understand that it is another way to make a political statement, that's all. I'm not minimizing it, but I'm tired of trying to make meaningful change through political processes when we don't have to do that, at least not as far as learning is concerned.
Many years ago, I worked for the NM Legislative Council Service, the Legislative Education Study Committee, and the Public Education Department over an 8-year period. I was a job hopper but it paid off.
When I first started working for the State, it was a hugely interesting experience but after about five years, I tired of it all. New Mexico politics is just a big stupid game, and I didn't want to play anymore. I felt like I had to, however, because it is true that everything is political. You can't escape it. Even after I left to other jobs, I felt that I would have to play the political game to be successful.
Politics or learning?
Education is a political term. To change our education systems, we have to go through political processes or we have to revolt against them.
If we look at it as learning, not education, it becomes clear that it doesn't take laws to learn. It doesn't even take money. We learn just by breathing. So let's play up that fact.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. All we have to do is guide our kids in their learning. No laws have to be passed. No laws have to be broken. This isn't a revolution. It's not another political endeavor. It's a community endeavor.
We can gather as teachers, students, parents, community businesses/organizations, and people who care and start a conversation about learning.
That is where the XQ Super School Challenge comes in -- yes, it's a competition but it's also a start. The Challenge provides the framework and support that we need to start those important conversations.
So I plan to grab this opportunity -- our chance to speak up about learning and maybe even implement something good for our kids. If you care about learning, too, join the XQ Super School Challenge. Share your ideas with others who care as much as you do. We don't have to win the challenge to make it worthwhile. We might just come up with something pretty great.
This morning, I watched half of Hacker Wars, and I learned a lot. I understand better the motivations of many hackers who question how our country operates. They are imprisoned for putting the information out there, and for hacking into systems in the first place. One guy in the movie said it right -- once upon a time, if a hacker hacked into a major corporation's emails, he would have been hired by that company. That would seem a very American thing to do.
Instead, if someone exposes vulnerabilities in systems today, he is arrested. Doesn't sound like an American thing to do, does it? I guess it is, though.
I've reached the point in the movie where they mention the link between hacking and terrorism. I will be interested to see what they have to say in that regard when I watch the rest of the movie tomorrow.
Like almost everything that is worth contemplation these days, I've changed my mind on the issue of hacking and understand that it is another way to make a political statement, that's all. I'm not minimizing it, but I'm tired of trying to make meaningful change through political processes when we don't have to do that, at least not as far as learning is concerned.
Many years ago, I worked for the NM Legislative Council Service, the Legislative Education Study Committee, and the Public Education Department over an 8-year period. I was a job hopper but it paid off.
When I first started working for the State, it was a hugely interesting experience but after about five years, I tired of it all. New Mexico politics is just a big stupid game, and I didn't want to play anymore. I felt like I had to, however, because it is true that everything is political. You can't escape it. Even after I left to other jobs, I felt that I would have to play the political game to be successful.
Politics or learning?
Education is a political term. To change our education systems, we have to go through political processes or we have to revolt against them.
If we look at it as learning, not education, it becomes clear that it doesn't take laws to learn. It doesn't even take money. We learn just by breathing. So let's play up that fact.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. All we have to do is guide our kids in their learning. No laws have to be passed. No laws have to be broken. This isn't a revolution. It's not another political endeavor. It's a community endeavor.
That is where the XQ Super School Challenge comes in -- yes, it's a competition but it's also a start. The Challenge provides the framework and support that we need to start those important conversations.
So I plan to grab this opportunity -- our chance to speak up about learning and maybe even implement something good for our kids. If you care about learning, too, join the XQ Super School Challenge. Share your ideas with others who care as much as you do. We don't have to win the challenge to make it worthwhile. We might just come up with something pretty great.
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