BFTP: Love, balance, and critical thinking

I wrote the post below nearly 5 years ago. My observation "I can't help but feel the country, if not the world, is ever more polarized and less centered" is more accurate than ever today...

The most important word in our language is love. The second is balance — keeping things in perspective. - John Wooden

As a long-time advocate of balance, I like the graphic above. In my article, Change from the Radical Center of Education Teacher-Librarian, June 2008, I suggested that "radical centrists" in education, adopt to the following principles if one is to truly make change...

1. Adopt an “and” not “or” mindset.
2. Look for truth and value in all beliefs and practices.
3. Respect the perspective of the individual. 
4. Recognize one size does not fit all (kids or teachers).
5. Attend to attitudes.
6. Understand that the elephant can only be eaten one bite at a time.
7. Make sure everyone is moving forward, not just the early adopters.
8. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”
9. Believe measurement is good, but that not everything can be measured.
10. Know and keep your core values.

As I read the papers, listen to NPR, and even read friends' and relatives' Facebook posts, I can't help but feel the country, if not the world, is ever more polarized and less centered. "If I can't get everything I want, I don't want anything at all!" is the mantra of the decade.

Schools that produce believers rather than thinkers are failures. Schools that produce graduates who are capable of exhibiting, empathy, thinking critically, developing multiple "right" answers, and changing one's beliefs based on evidence are successful.

It doesn't feel like we've done a very good job. Yet.

Original post 1/18/16

Comments

[Stephen Downes]

I think the diagram tells us more about the nature of words than it does the nature of ethics.

[Doug Johnson]

Mr Downes,

I have missed your voice and insightful commentary! Are you still blogging or writing where I can read you? Please let me know.

Oh, indeed ethics are expressed by our actions, but we discuss them through our words. And our words often reflect our ethical beliefs.

All the very, very best,

Doug

[ranga]

I think the world has been as such since many decades and only thing which changed is the emotions of people are too high than before. Being a teacher i worry that the students and children should not be affected by this.

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Ranga,

As teachers, we need to help our students look objectively at issues. And yes, today's emotional politics make this more important now than ever.

Thanks for the comment,

Doug