The Future of Education. A Manifesto

THE

CORNERSTONES

OF AN EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE

(aka the CREATIVE ECONOMY that we've already entered.)

"The cornerstones of a meaningful education for the 21st century are not currently being taught in any schools today." (including homeschools and alternative schooling methods!)

"Our current ceiling for students is really much closer to where the floor ought to be."

Why does your child 'do school' (aka learn)?

(And do their eyes light up while they're doing it?)

No matter if you:

send them to public, private, or charter
unschool
worldschool or roadschool
homeschool using liberal arts, Charlotte Mason, Waldorf, or some other method
are religious or spiritual or secularly based

What is the desired 'end goal' of their years of education and learning?

For many parents, it's so their children can become happy, well-adjusted adults who are capable of functioning in society.

You want them to be 'good people' who can love and be loved.

You want them to be self-sufficient (so they don't have to live under your roof and in your wallet until they're 30 -- or longer).

A key part of that self-sufficiency involves being prepared for a job or career or business that can provide adequate income for themselves and the people they love and who love them.

This seems a reasonable enough goal or outcome for 'education' and 'schooling'.

Except that there are a couple of problems with this formula.

1. The cornerstone skills and strategies our children need to become capable, functioning adults are NOT being taught in today's education model (including homeschooling and other alternatives, which also have their disadvantages).

2. That 'good job' or career your child is preparing for will likely be non-existent or replaced by AI (robots) by the time that child 'completes' their schooling.

(Side note: 'completing' their education is a misnomer, by the way, since learning will never be

complete...

The idea of 'graduating' or 'finishing' your education is a 19th & 20th century one.

There is never a graduation from education, especially if you want to thrive in the 21st century... but more about that later.)

Despite the desired, worthy outcomes you're aiming for, the current education model your child is being educated with...

...whether or not they're attending the best school or you have the best co-op or curriculum...

...or you're taking an alternative route and charting your own course, or you're teaching religious or spiritual principles...

...it is likely NOT teaching them the most important skills (we call them 'cornerstones') that they will need to SURVIVE as an adult in the 21st century (let alone THRIVE).

This is mainly because it is a model derived from an educational system that began in the 19th century (more about this in a moment).

Before you discount this and think it doesn't apply to the unique type of education approach you're doing with your children, hang with me!

I am a homeschooling mom of 18+ years and I've studied education and pedagogy for 20 years on 5 continents --

-- including public, private, unschooling, worldschooling, forest schooling, and every other type of 'schooling' and non-schooling you can think of.

My husband is a trained teacher, educator, coach, and mentor and has had his finger on the 'pulse' of youth and education for the past 22 years.

I hear you saying, "But wait...

You don't even know what job, career, or business my child plans on going into!

How can you say it will be obsolete or automated?

You don't know what their education looks like!

How can you say it's not teaching the right skills?"

You're right. I don't know their individual future economic plans or current education situation.

But my husband and I DO know what today's youth are facing at unprecedented rates...

depression
anxiety
suicide
failure to launch
addictions (to video games, series, and social media -- often because of a lack of the 'hero's journey' in their own life)

And I DO know what is already happening in the workplace today...

...that we are NO longer in the Information Age. We are now in the Creative or Innovative Age (and may be in a new 'age' before your children reach adulthood)...

...that over 30% of jobs could be replaced with robots by the year 2030 (and even more than that by 2060-- about the time our kids hit mid-life).

If you're not already aware of this, don't disregard it.

I would take just 3 minutes to watch the video below. You owe it to your growing children (who will be adults when this stuff is affecting their life).

You might THINK these are the types of jobs or careers or changes that won't affect your family... but can you be sure?

Or you might believe your child will be an entrepreneur, so they don't need to worry about it...

... and you may be right, but they do need to be AWARE of it.

And they definitely need to be learning the 'cornerstone skills' if they want to make it as an business owner (not to mention be able to live a life of happiness and fulfillment).

Don't worry, I'll wait while you watch. This video isn't meant to scare you, just to open your eyes...

We're parents like you with the same concerns you have, and learning about the future of work -- and education -- completely transformed the approach we now take toward our kids' learning.

If you grasp the vision I'm sharing with you, I think you will remember this day as a turning point in your family's life...

So we'll continue this conversation below... where I'll also dive into the piece about their current education not being 'good enough'.

Did you see that?

"Robotic surgery is already more precise than even the most skilled doctors... Lawyers could be the next profession replaced by computers..."

We don't even have to mention the warehouse, truck driving, and agriculture jobs (among many others).

Here are some other headlines from news around the world:

Click on any to read more...

As the video asked, "Are our children prepared?"

And I ask...

Are WE, their parents, prepared to prepare them??

Yes, we can be. It's simple enough IF we teach our children The Cornerstone Skills...

Click below to keep reading and continue down this rabbit hole:

Shift Happens: The Future of (Your Child's) Work -- Not to Mention Their Education -- And the Skills The Will REALLY Need.

THE

CORNERSTONES

OF AN EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE

(aka the CREATIVE ECONOMY that we've already entered.)

"The cornerstones of a meaningful education for the 21st century are not currently being taught in any schools today." (including homeschools and alternative schooling methods!)

​

"Our current ceiling for students is really much closer to where the floor ought to be."

Why does your child 'do school' (aka learn)?

(And do their eyes light up while they're doing it?)

No matter if you:

​

send them to public, private, or charter

unschool

worldschool or roadschool

homeschool using liberal arts, Charlotte Mason, Waldorf, or some other method

are religious or spiritual or secularly based

What is the desired 'end goal' of their years of education and learning?

​

For many parents, it's so their children can become happy, well-adjusted adults who are capable of functioning in society.

​

You want them to be 'good people' who can love and be loved.

You want them to be self-sufficient (so they don't have to live under your roof and in your wallet until they're 30 -- or longer).

​A key part of that self-sufficiency involves being prepared for a job or career or business that can provide adequate income for themselves and the people they love and who love them.

​

This seems a reasonable enough goal or outcome for 'education' and 'schooling'.

​

Except that there are a couple of problems with this formula.

1. The cornerstone skills and strategies our children need to become capable, functioning adults are NOT being taught in today's education model (including homeschooling and other alternatives, which also have their disadvantages).

2. That 'good job' or career your child is preparing for will likely be non-existent or replaced by AI (robots) by the time that child 'completes' their schooling.

​

(Side note: 'completing' their education is a misnomer, by the way, since learning will never be

complete...

The idea of 'graduating' or 'finishing' your education is a 19th & 20th century one.

There is never a graduation from education, especially if you want to thrive in the 21st century... but more about that later.)

​

Despite the desired, worthy outcomes you're aiming for, the current education model your child is being educated with...

​

...whether or not they're attending the best school or you have the best co-op or curriculum...

...or you're taking an alternative route and charting your own course, or you're teaching religious or spiritual principles...

​

...it is likely NOT teaching them the most important skills (we call them 'cornerstones') that they will need to SURVIVE as an adult in the 21st century (let alone THRIVE).

​

This is mainly because it is a model derived from an educational system that began in the 19th century (more about this in a moment).

Before you discount this and think it doesn't apply to the unique type of education approach you're doing with your children, hang with me!

I am a homeschooling mom of 18+ years and I've studied education and pedagogy for 20 years on 5 continents --

-- including public, private, unschooling, worldschooling, forest schooling, and every other type of 'schooling' and non-schooling you can think of.

​

My husband is a trained teacher, educator, coach, and mentor and has had his finger on the 'pulse' of youth and education for the past 22 years.

​

I hear you saying, "But wait...

​

You don't even know what job, career, or business my child plans on going into!

​

How can you say it will be obsolete or automated?

​

You don't know what their education looks like!

How can you say it's not teaching the right skills?"

​

You're right. I don't know their individual future economic plans or current education situation.

But my husband and I DO know what today's youth are facing at unprecedented rates...

​

depression

anxiety

suicide

failure to launch

addictions (to video games, series, and social media -- often because of a lack of the 'hero's journey' in their own life)

And I DO know what is already happening in the workplace today...

​

...that we are NO longer in the Information Age. We are now in the Creative or Innovative Age (and may be in a new 'age' before your children reach adulthood)...

​

...that over 30% of jobs could be replaced with robots by the year 2030 (and even more than that by 2060-- about the time our kids hit mid-life).

​

If you're not already aware of this, don't disregard it.

I would take just 3 minutes to watch the video below. You owe it to your growing children (who will be adults when this stuff is affecting their life).

​

You might THINK these are the types of jobs or careers or changes that won't affect your family... but can you be sure?

​

Or you might believe your child will be an entrepreneur, so they don't need to worry about it...

... and you may be right, but they do need to be AWARE of it.

​

A key part of that self-sufficiency involves being prepared for a job or career or business that can provide adequate income for themselves and the people they love and who love them.