Today's lesson takes us back in history as we witness and experience what British Prime Minister during World War Two, Winston Churchill's was quoted during a difficult time in world history,"Those who fail to understand history are doomed to repeat it.", and we will find that the events of the past will have an everlasting effect our lives today.
In the fall of 1918 a global disaster struck known as the most devastating epidemic in world history. This disease 'pandemic', known as the 'Spanish Flu', was estimated to have killed more than 40 million people world wide . . . unlike any seen in recorded history. The influenza epidemic was so severe that the average life span in the US was depressed by 10 years (Starr, 1976). The physicians of the time were helpless against this powerful agent of influenza the affected one-fifth of the worlds population. The pandemic came under control as the medical and scientific communities developed new theories and applied them to prevention, diagnostics and treatment of its' patients.
A similar 'Pandemic' is gripping this nation today! It is spreading easily from victim to victim and no cure in is sight. It's prevention and treatment is possible, but many individual refused to seek a cure. This 'disease' can trap people into a comatose state in which may paralyze them for years to come. It's easy to catch this disease and difficult to rid yourself of its' gripping hold on you. Unlike the pandemic of 1918, this disease doesn't seem to have a cure. This disease is excepted throughout our society and the scientific and medical communities have no control of this 'virus' as it looms everywhere out of control. This pandemic is called . . . MEDIOCRACY. Yes, mediocracy is the disease that is running ramped throughout our society and in our SCHOOLS. Mediocracy is not concerned with the quality of content of a culture ( or school), but it does care to some extent about appearances (window dressing - looking good on the outside). Our schools need to do better to equip you with the tools you will need to avoid this contagious disease called mediocracy.
I recently viewed an ad campaign from Kaplan University that makes a statement that the traditional higher education system (college) doesn't always meet the needs of today's adult learners and they claim in their ad to 'customize' their education to meet their needs, and by providing resources and support to help them succeed. The ad is a 60-second commercial dipicting a professor standing before a lecture hall of students and apologizes to his class that their educational experience does not have to be limited to the classroom and that it is 'time' to change the institution to the needs of 'your needs' (students).
This promotional ad campaign for Kaplan University actually speaks volumes of education today, not only for the traditional higher educational system, but for all schools K-12. The 'time' is now for change and the future of our nation falls on schools to begin TODAY. Our destiny is not written for us, but it must be written by us! Students, we owe you more than what you're receiving from your public schools. It is time we adapt to you instead of you adapting to us by 'writing' your destiny.
What is your destiny? What do you want from school/education? How do you learn? What are we doing to foster your learning styles? How is our instruction adapting to you? What is your "Personal Manifest Destiny" (How you want to expand your mind and capabilities)? Be a voice TODAY! Let us (schools) NOT repeat history by failing to meet the needs of our precious commodity . . . YOU!