Comments on: Only 2 choices for American Students: College and Career.

By: Kathleen Jasper

Kathleen Jasper — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 23:37:38 +0000

You are right Suzan, innovators are scar because they dare to get out of the machine and challenge the regular way of thinking. I sure hope I cultivate an innovator in my daughter. The last thing I want is her to become a compliant drone. Thanks for being here

By: Suzan Harden

Suzan Harden — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 23:03:57 +0000

I love the last two sentences in this essay. We don’t cultivate innovators in schools because innovators are scary people. With all their questions, theories, and ideas! OMG, make them go away! And if they won’t go away, oppress, oppress until you shut them up. Belittle, berate, criticize! Call it “leadership.” But, SURPRISE! The innovators don’t go away. They have such a strong center, they KNOW they’re right and no one is going to convince them otherwise. And here’s the best part–they ALWAYS prevail! (Otherwise, we would still be living in caves.) Here’s to innovation–and the teachers brave enough to do it every day!

By: Kathleen Jasper

Kathleen Jasper — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:48:15 +0000

Thank you so much for reading and commenting, Carla. I agree with you, quick and easy is much better, in most cases, than time consuming and arduous. I am so excited to hear you are writing a book and even translating it into Japanese! Now that is choosing your own path and destiny, and definitely deviating from the two check boxes mentioned in the article. Glad you’re here, Carla.

By: Carla Johnson

Carla Johnson — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 13:41:59 +0000

I feel the same way. When I use my creativity and actually apply what I learned in college, I get reprimanded at work. I’m a third grade teacher, and god forbid, I deviate from the CC$$ aligned math textbook and actually teach a student a quick simple method to solve a math problem like carrying and borrowing, instead of teaching them 5 other frustrating and complicated methods to get the to the same math problem wrong . So now, I’m writing book and hopefully it will be translated into Japanese and become new and innovative teaching strategy over there.

There’s a poster at a school where I used to teach that said, “if you want to predict your future invent it.” So hopefully people like you and me will come up with innovative ideas and get out of this conformity mess. I’m happy there are people like you who are brave enough to write about your problems finding where you belong in the world after college. Many people are not risk takers and not brave enough to do so.