To hell with what the tests say and college acceptance letters express; the world is at everyone’s fingertips.  Hierarchy, protocol and chain of command are no longer barriers to success.  Because of this new reality, we cannot keep pushing the same, archaic k-12 philosophy and model of education.  Things need to change in our classrooms because the gatekeepers are gone.

Author and entrepreneur, James Altucher, explains we are living in a Choose Yourself era.  Artists are sharing work online, musicians are putting out albums and music videos via YouTube, and authors are self-publishing books, bypassing publishers completely. If you have a dream and a willingness to do what it takes, it can come true on your own terms.  Hard work and innovation are the new prerequisites to move ahead.  To help students navigate this kind of reality, James Altucher’s book, Choose Yourself, should be required reading for incoming high school freshman.  Less expensive and much more effective than an economics textbook, Choose Yourself is a $2.99 download on Amazon.

By using social media and the Internet, students can bypass those who used to be in control: publishers, marketing agencies, and venture capitalists. Students can even bypass the education system all together by using YouTube.  Don’t believe me? Type anything you want to learn in the YouTube search bar and you will receive a complete education in the form of a 5-10 min “how to” video on that topic.   I became a video editor in 4 min 13 sec by watching a YouTube video for FREE.  Students know this; YouTube is their search engine.  Educators should embrace this and create a space for students to start revolutions, share ideas and even build businesses by using these platforms in an effective way.  Instead of pushing old ideas all day, spend a portion of the day allowing students to choose themselves and hack their growth.

In his book Growth Hacker, another $2.99 download, Ryan Holiday explains, using email, social media, pay-per-click ads, blogs, and platform APIs eliminates the need for commercials, TV appearances and other expensive approaches to marketing.  In the past, if someone had an idea and zero money, she would have to pitch that idea to those who have the money to make the idea a reality (i.e. Shark Tank).  For her idea to come to fruition, someone had to select her idea and throw money at it.  Only then can that idea be produced and marketed. Today however, if someone has an idea, a computer and a willingness to be creative, consistent and adaptive, she can choose herself to do all of the marketing, developing and executing.  Growth Hacker should also be on the required reading list for incoming high school freshmen.

Instead of teaching students to fall in line and go with the flow of standardization, we need to show students how they can become anything by using free online resources.  They can become writers by creating blogs, radio hosts by using podcasts and iTunes, and filmmakers by using YouTube.  Their work and ideas ideas can be shared with the world via social media; networking can be accomplished through Facebook groups and Google Hangouts.

Most school districts are fighting the notion students can choose themselves.  They continue to push the hieratical model where students work hard, pay their dues and maybe someday after all the hard work, they might obtain an adequate job where the dues paying process starts again.

Those in charge of education policy in states and districts disguise their ineptitude with social media by starting Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives.  In classrooms students can use their own devices for required reading.  As if allowing students to read boring material online makes that material less boring.  Congratulations k-12 education, BYOD is a nice start, but nowhere near where we need to be regarding technology use in our classrooms.  Students have been bringing their own devices for years.

Growth hacking and choosing ourselves supersede any BYOD initiative.  We need to tell students, bring your own device, not to read an online textbook, but to create your own reality, hack your growth and ultimately, choose yourself.  It’s a new world; you are the gatekeeper to your future.