Sal Khan is revolutionizing the way we think about
education. He says that our current educational model is based on Prussian
ideas two hundred years old, and this system no longer works because it does
not encourage creative and logical thinking which is needed in our modern-day
information age. He is a proponent of “flipping the classroom” where students
get their information from on-line instruction outside of the classroom, and then the students work with their teachers.
Those teachers now help with the assignments and become mentors and coaches
instead of a lecturers. He believes that learning should be personalized,
students should move at their own pace, and the focus should be mastery. Too
often in a classroom situation, the teacher moves on because of time
constraints, unfortunately before many of the students have learned the
material. It has been interesting for me to see how Khan's model of education coincides in many ways with my view of tutoring.
Khan has written a fascinating book about education and
learning: The One World School House. You
can also view his website at www.khanacademy.org.
After months of preparation, “The Day” finally arrived.
Glue, thread and scissors had been put away. Tables and lights were set up.
Food was made. Friends and family from around the country had arrived. And two
young people stood before God and their community and made a covenant of
marriage. Their parents stood near as the couple wove together three ropes
representing the strength of their individual Christian upbringings binding
together with the third cord of Christ. Their siblings stood at the side
welcoming a new brother and a new sister into their families. It was a day of
celebration as Jono and Melissa began their new life together as husband and
wife.
