Albert Einstein once said Everybody's a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree It will live it's whole life believing That it is stupid Ladies and gentlemen of the jury today on trial. We have Modern-day schooling Glad you could come not only does he make fish climb trees, but also makes them climb down and do it [10-mile] run Tell me school. Are you proud of the things you've done?
Turning millions of people into robots. Do you find that fun? Do you realize how many kids relate to that fish swimming upstream in class never finding their gifts thinking?
They are stupid believing. They are useless. Well the time has come no more excuses [I] call school to the stand and accuse him of killing creativity Individuality and being intellectually abusive.
He's an ancient institution that has outlived his usage So your honor this concludes my opening statement, and if I may present the evidence of my case, I will prove it Proceed exhibit a here's a Modern day [phone] recognize it Here's a fall from 150 years ago big difference right stay with me Here's a car from today and here's a car from 150 years ago big difference right. Well get this, here's a classroom of today, and here's a class we use 150 Years ago Now ain't that a shame and literally more than a century nothing has changed yet. You claim to prepare students for the future?
! But what evidence like that? I must ask do you prepare students for the future or the past?
I did a background check on you and let the record show that you were made to train people to work in factories Which explains why you put students in straight roles nice and neat tell them sit still raise your hand if you want to speak give 'em a short break to eat and for eight hours a day tell him what to think. Oh! and make them compete to get an [A].
A letter which Determines product quality hits great a of meat. I get it back then times were different. We all have a past I myself am no Gandhi, but today We don't need to make robots-zombies.
The world has progressed and now we need people who think creatively innovatively critically independently with the ability to connect See every scientist will tell you that no two brains are the same and every parent with two or more children will confirm that claim So please explain why you treat students like cookie cutter frames or snapback hats giving them this one-size-Fits-all crap [Judge: Watch your Language] Sorry your honor but if a doctor prescribed the exact same medicine to all of his patients The results will be tragic so many people would get sick yet when it comes to school. This is exactly what happens this Educational malpractice where one teacher stands in front of 20 kids each one having different strains different needs different Gifts different dreams and you teach the same thing the same way. That's horrific.
Ladies and gentlemen the defendant should not be acquitted this may be one of the worst criminal offenses ever To be committed and let's mention the way you treat your employees Objection overruled. [Judge:I want to hear this]. It's a shame Mean teachers have the most important job on the planet yet.
They're underpaid No wonder so many students are short change let's be honest Teachers should earn just as much as doctors because a doctor can do heart surgery and save the life of a kid But a great teacher can reach the heart of that kid and allow him to truly live See teachers are heroes that often get blamed, but they're not the problem. They work in a system without many options on the wrights curriculums are created by policy [makers] most of which have never taught a day in their life just obsessed with Standardized tests they think bubbling in a multiple-choice question will determine Success that's Outlandish in fact these tests are too crude to be used and [should] be abandoned But don't take my word for it. Take Frederick J Kelley the man who invented standardized testing who said, and i quote, And I hoped these tests are too crude to be used and should be abandoned ladies and gentlemen of the jury If we continue down this road the results will be Lethal I don't have much faith in school, but I do have faith in people And if we can customize health care, cars and Facebook pages, then it is our duty to do the same for education to upgrade and change and do away with school spirit 'cuz that's useless unless we're working to bring the spirit out of each and every student that should be our task no more common core instead Let's reach the core of every heart in every class sure math is important, but no more than art or dance Let's give every gift an equal chance I know this sounds like a dream but countries like Finland are doing impressive things they have shorter school days, teachers make a decent wage homework is Non-existent and they focus on collaboration Instead of competition, but here's the kicker boys and girls their educational system outperforms every other country in the world.
Other places like Singapore, succeeding rapidly schools like Montessori programs like Khan academy there is no single solution But let's get moving because while students may be 20% of our population They are 100% of our future so let's attend to their dreams. There's no telling where we can achieve This is a world in which I believe a world where fish are no longer forced to climb trees I rest my case.
