Secondary Education

We are living on the edge of a new technological revolution that will rival industrialization: Artificial Intelligence. Whether you’re excited or concerned about the impact that AI will have, it is clear that we will see fundamental changes to the nature of our economy and society within our lifetime. It’s possible that important occupations today will almost completely disappear within the next 10 to 20 years, and almost everything humans do will be affected in some way. What our children need more than anything else to face these challenges is adaptability, resilience, and the skill of self-education.

 

We need a new education system that doesn’t pretend that it knows what the questions and answers are.

 

At the same time we must acknowledge a deeper problem in our society. Our education system has failed to prepare our population to think critically, to ask the right questions, and to engage meaningfully and compassionately with the world. We need to prepare our children to be not just good workers but good people and good citizens.

 

Before making any of these observations I would have advocated for an education system that shifts the focus from teacher-directed academic achievement to student-driven whole child education that includes an emphasis on responsibility, critical thinking skills, and self-education. Curiosity, motivation, resilience, engagement, and strong communication skills are essential in the real world, and so often missing from our young people coming out of school. While academics are important and should not be neglected, I have argued for years that we should shift our focus toward these personal skills, that they are equally as important if not more important than the academic ones. However, with the political, social, and technological turmoil on the horizon it is no longer a should, it is a must.

 

Our children cannot and will not succeed or find happiness on math scores alone.

I imagine two primary modes of learning at our school: self-directed academic learning and project work that simulates real world working conditions and environments as much as practical. Basic academic skills like math, english, science, and social studies would ideally be pursued first through independent study using textbooks, learning programs, and online resources, and augmented by support from peer tutors and content area specialists. Such academic learning should be seen as a foundational hurdle that can be tackled at a pace appropriate for each student rather than the central focus of school and a process that must be engaged in by all students uniformly. It should also be considered primarily the responsibility of the student, with the adults providing support and encouragement rather than being the driving force of learning.

 

The more substantial part of each student's day should be their involvement in clubs and projects that introduce them to realistic responsibilities and, as much as possible, real world challenges. This could include a theater group, an engineering lab, a functional student government with real administrative responsibilities, team sports, maintenance of the school grounds, tutoring, cooking, small business ventures and more. One can easily dream big with such a vision, but even on a small scale our students can find challenging work in local community theaters, sports leagues, hobby groups, after school activities, and part-time jobs. There are many possibilities when you discard the notion of a rigid schedule of academic classes. The faculty would act as mentors, advisors, and cheerleaders, encouraging our students to push themselves in whatever challenges they set for themselves and helping them overcome the obstacles they face. The goal is real responsibilities that engage and elevate the work our students do, with the oldest students having significant and meaningful responsibility and choices.

The first step in this process is to get as many people involved as possible. We need parents, investors, educators, partners, and anyone else interested in our vision. With that in mind we’re planning to hold an open house some time in early 2025. Please, even if you’d just like to chat about our vision, sign up on our form here. You can also feel free to contact us directly if you’d like to discuss investment or partnership opportunities.

 

Thank you for your interest in our school. Let’s make the future remarkable.