Information Age Education

Pursing Happiness … and Catching It

July 19th, 2007

“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” are among the unalienable rights in the United States Declaration of Independence. I’d like to focus on the latter of these inalienable rights, “the pursuit of happiness”, and how it relates to schools.

Education would serve us better as individuals, a society and a species if students were allowed to not only pursue happiness but actually catch it. Imagine if students were allowed to explore things that brought them joy and they were allowed to share that joy. They would discover their talents and gifts, which would be of immeasurable benefit to all. Instead of being told what is the right or wrong answer, they would be self-directed learners. In the process of exploring, there would be an increased amount of critical thinking, creativity and happiness.

At the moment our current educational system has a hierarchy that was established during the Industrial Revolution. It values math and language arts the most. Science is below that and the arts are at the bottom. The system does not place a high value on creativity or the multiple intelligences. Yet creativity is a valuable “commodity.” In the 21st Century, creativity will be a precious commodity and tool in navigating the ever-changing terrain in and out of the work place. Creativity brings richness to our world, diverse thinking and happiness. Our current educational system is based on a narrow view of intelligence which does not allow many brilliant and talented people to recognize or value their gifts. How many masterpieces never made it to the canvas because some well-intentioned adult told a child, “There is no money to be made in art?” How many brilliant inventions were never made because the creative spirit in children was not honored? Let’s look at education from a new perspective, where the pursuit of happiness is valued. How colorful and healthy would our planet be if children were allowed to pursue happiness in school?

Think about it. Past elementary school how many kids say that what they are studying in school is bringing them happiness. Not many, if any. Of course, kids have to learn, but how we educate and what we focus on can diminish or enhance that happiness. In the one-size-fits all curriculum, there is little nurturing of human greatness. We are educating our children for a world we cannot imagine, yet we continue to teach by this antiquated Industrial model. Creativity is an essential part of our humanness. Creative thinking will be a critical skill to help us navigate the amazing changes that we will witness on our planet in the Information Age. This creativity will come about not by teaching students in lock-step and valuing only one view of intelligence. This creativity will come about by allowing children to explore things that matter to them and that make them happy.

I would love us to get back to the roots of the democracy upon which the United States of Awakening was founded. Let us renew our commitment to our Declaration of Interdependence: “Life, liberty and the attainment of happiness.” Let us have this as a foundational part of our educational system.

You may be inspired by this TEDtalk by Ken Robinson entitled “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” I sure was. It inspired this article.

3 Comments Add your own

1. Andrew Schwartz | July 20th, 2007 at 4:04 pm

What a beautiful, powerful call to arms. Thank you for sharing it!

As an aside, and out of curiosity, have you ever considered the possibility that the government’s virtual monopoly on education may be a primary structural reason for its remaining stuck in the past?
2. Candace Smith | October 3rd, 2007 at 8:42 am

I agree with what you are saying, but we cannot forget discipline. Without discipline, many people’s creativity could destroy the world we’re living in today.
3. Mini | February 2nd, 2008 at 12:01 am

Even I feel the present system of teaching should be reviewed. And the best line in your post is ” We are educating our children for a world we cannot imagine”….just like our teachers could never imagine this information age.