Originally posted in our April 2022 Top of Mind Newsletter.
The landscape of learning and school has changed. And even with things beginning to open up, something isn’t quite the same. For example, in this piece from This American Life back in March 2022, we hear honest stories from the key players of public schools. What’s different about these interviews than much of the articles and videos we often see is the focus on how much may never return to normal.
From a principal in Wyoming to math and English teachers across the country, we hear stories of how the typical flow of school isn’t simply disrupted; it’s gone. “I think our relationship to what school is [is broken],” one teacher said. Another family shared their workaround for a mom working during the school day while her daughter stayed home for school online.
The common thread between these stories is the total paradigm shift, despite wishes for a return to the past. The numerous alternatives we have found out of necessity, positive or negative, make the future of learning and the institution of school uncertain.
So, what does this have to do with entrepreneurship or mindsets? As we’ve discussed in previous Top of Mind issues, school structures are not always conducive to entrepreneurial discovery. They also are not always creating space for students to reflect on why they are learning or how they best learn. So perhaps, if school really is out forever, we can find a more flexible, engaging path for each student to flourish. Perhaps, as we think of new paradigms in education, we can consider the benefits of entrepreneurship, for all, in our plans.