Question

Simple speech on moonshots - steps towards impossible

Answer 1

As John F. Kennedy eloquently stated in a 1961 speech about space travel, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” Moonshots in education involve goals that are difficult, perhaps seemly impossible, to achieve; however, we need these now and in the future to prepare our students for success.

The first step in this process is encouraging student agency and achievement in the classroom. In order for these two aspects to soar, the role of the teacher needs to change from the lecture model to the mentor/coach model. That is, the teacher needs to change from the “sage on the stage” to “the guide on the side.” The more a teacher does for a student in the learning process, the less empowered the student is.

We believe that every child deserves to be taught in a way that enriches their minds, unlocks their true potential and provides them with the skills to flourish in today’s world. This TEDxPaloAltoHighSchool video sums up how, when educators change their classroom culture into an environment where students have more control over their own learning, truly anything is possible: