Tofu is not Cheese: Reimagine Education without Schools During Covid19 (1)
Introduction
“Tofu is not cheese” is what I said to a group of educators of ESF Quarry Bay Primary School (QBS), a school in Hong Kong that is determined to turn the Covid-19 crisis into an opportunity for reimagining education. Tofu is not cheese so we should not expect it to smell or taste like cheese nor should we need to pretend it is or make it taste and smell like cheese. The message I was trying to convey is that we should accept the fact that schools are closed and we don’t need to pretend we can make online education the same as face-to-face schools. Instead, we should make the best out of the new situation. In my last blog post, I expanded the idea: Online education cannot replace all functions schools play in our society but it can do a lot more than being a lesser version of face-to-face schooling.
During the last few weeks, I have engaged in conversations with educators and education policy makers in many different countries around the world. I have been deeply touched by the universal commitment and dedication to giving our children the best education experience possible during the pandemic. I have been equally inspired and encouraged by the actions of many individuals and organizations to rethink what education can be and should be in the future.
Not to return to the same education after we return to the same school seems to be a widely shared desire among the innovative. But unfortunately the dominant desire outside the small group of innovative educators is to return to the same school and the same education. The majority of governments and education leaders are managing the crisis instead of taking advantage of the opportunities within the crisis. I plan to write a series of blog posts to discuss the opportunities and suggest some possibilities for taking advantage of the opportunities. I start with rethinking the curriculum, the what of education.
Stop and Rethink What’s Worth Teaching and Learning
We have a rare opportunity to examine what we have always been teaching (or trying to) for a number of reasons. First, Covid19 has forced the cancellation of many high stakes examinations students have been CONTINUE READING: Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Tofu is not Cheese: Reimagine Education without Schools During Covid19 (1)