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“Data vs. Story” The Debate is Everywhere

Ryan@educationandfaith.com

Data versus Story.
I see these two perspectives battling it out in many facets of life.

The statistical approach is demanded in schooling and marketing. The analytics are desperately consulted by sports franchises looking for the slightest edge. Even churches can begin to define themselves by the numbers.

The old idea of Story, determining meaning through interactions and connections with others, remains critical. It’s not as shiny and at times it’s uncomfortable, but its proven to work in everyone of the fore mentioned categories.

 

In Education

As an educator I’m trained to chase anything that provides a glimmer of hope. (This is also why I fit the persona of the typical Cleveland sports fan.) Education decision makers are enamored with data-driven instruction, standardized assessments, and progress monitoring because these things provide a quick picture. A simple number that is easy to understand. This makes it easy to calculate the next move without understanding the story and all of its variables.

Our analytical nature and our desire to understand and interpret everything sometimes takes over. Like Philip when Jesus fed the 5,000. He was crunching the numbers attempting to figure out how much it would cost to feed the crowd. While Andrew didn’t require a clear numerical answer. He just directed the few loaves and fish to the One who chooses to work through relationship and story (John 6:1-15). The Creator of humans seemed to choose story over data in this case.
-Sidenote: If you’re looking for a model, Jesus’ preferred teaching strategy was and is  personal connection and parables.

I have faith in our teachers because the initial desire to be a teacher is rooted in building relationships with students. There are teachers fighting off the confines of data with strategies like genius hour and maker space that are based on the personal connection between the student and her learning. This educational design also relies on human interaction and processing the world around us.

In Marketing

For so long business and marketing has been about precise decisions based on consumer statistics. Now, the modern business model is seeking to build value through growing relationships with honest generosity. See the marketing philosophy of Seth Godin or Donald Miller’s StoryBrand as examples.

In Church

Too often the blinders of the flesh take over and measure worth according to the attendance numbers or financial giving. I’m sure the book has been written, 10 steps to become a mega church. The struggle is the same here as it is in business, sports, or school. The temptation to see quick results and affirm one’s impact is constant. The longstanding church is relationship-driven utilizing authentic connections between people.

In Sports

Professional sports is going the opposite direction, putting an increased emphasis on the analytics while placing team chemistry in the backseat. Franchises are using extreme equations to determine their most productive roster. Check out the movie Moneyball as evidence of this mentality.
But we can’t solely rely on statistics. It is the reason we can never accurately compare players across decades and generations, because we can’t isolate statistics in a bubble. If we could then it’s easy to conclude that Karl Malone was the second best NBA player of all-time (second in career points). Also Drew Bledsoe was a better quarterback than Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas, and Bart Starr (more passing yards).

We’d be silly to make these claims without considering the never ending variables.

Choose Story

No matter the industry, the best teams and franchises pair good players with great team chemistry.

Our mind and thoughts are driven by the concept of story, it’s the only way we can determine meaning in our lives which are pushed by so many unpredicted variables. I have no doubt that story is intended to better the human being. There’s even a data based book that proves this: Story Proof: The Science Behind the Startling Power of Story.

Go ahead and attempt to map out your days and years ahead using statistics and a linear equation. Let me know how accurate your hypothesis is to reality. 
Instead engage with those around you while acting according to your established vision.

Why I Love Being a Teacher

Ryan@educationandfaith.com

Wait, Wait, Wait!!! Before you close this out of disgust expecting to hear about me laying under the sun on the beach…Yes it is easy to say “I love being a teacher” at the beginning of summer but, please hear me out.

I can honestly say that my current mindset is not “which tanning oil is best for achieving a Greek-like golden tone,”  but “how can I be better for my students in the upcoming year.”
That is the reason I love teaching, much more even than summer break. I love that I get a fresh shot at being the best teacher for my students every year. Maybe it is the lifelong Cleveland sports fan in me saying “next year is the year”. And maybe this just speaks to my short comings and deficiencies as a teacher, but I’d like to think that I just want to be better for my kids. Believe me, I’ve had lessons and even units epically fail. I’ve had students that I know I didn’t reach. To these failures I think I’ve found the answer! I will be better next year because of this solution! While I have lofty aspirations for the start of every new school year, I think I’ve discovered something foundational that will make this one great.
Here it is…
My leading desire will be achieving a closeness with the students. More than curriculum, more than control or power, more than student academic growth. I aspire to be relational first. This was and is obviously the desire of Jesus and he was able to make miraculous progress with a pretty rough classroom.
It’s easy to state this as a mindset and leave it at that. Although to make the desired impact on the students it will need to be at the foundation of every decision I make this year. Lessons will revolve around inquire and self-reflection. Classroom management will

be a shared responsibility, empowering students to recognize the importance of accountability. Even mundane tasks will carry a collaboration. Every person in the class will be a needed resource.
Now, how will I do this… and that is what the summer is for!
Peace in the preparation

Responding to Distractions: Shhh, Not Now!

Ryan@educationandfaith.com

Let me start by saying, it’s much easier to be reflective on this topic after numerous days of spring break. A week since I last “shush”-ed a student or attempted to ignore the annoyance of constant pencil tapping.
Oh the overwhelming distractions! Don’t these kids know they’re interfering with the agenda I have for their learning?
Though it doesn’t end there, I have this same frustrated, selfish response to my son whining about his Lego creation that won’t stay together.
And the same response still when my wife reminds me that the porch light is still burnt out.

How can I possibly accomplish MY “greater purpose” or MY agenda when God is allowing all of these irritating interruptions to slow me down?
My most popular selfish reaction to these distractions is always motivated by my intent to simply eliminate the distraction. My intolerant attempt to dispose of the disturbance always results in damaging relationships. This behavior obviously does not represent my Lord who lovingly values relationship.
As I struggled with an understanding of how to respond to distractions, the sacrificial practices of Lent came to mind. During this time of preparation, many give up stuff in an effort to draw nearer to God. Surely this could fall into the category of simply eliminating distractions. Are we actually less distracted and more devoted, or do we just find other convenient distractions? I’m not sure God wants us to simply eliminate the distraction. It’s much more productive and sustainable to evaluate the distraction and reflect on the reason behind it.
As a teacher I often find myself submitting to the easy response of dismissing, ignoring, or even disciplining the distraction. I’ve taken the tapping pencil and I’ve shushed the chatterbox. Did Jesus ever have to face disturbances? How did He respond?
First, I think most the miracles He performed were prompted due to a so called distraction. But I’m choosing to highlight one that took place while he was teaching.
(Luke 5:17-39) Jesus is teaching to a packed house, literally. The audience included both his followers as well as Pharisees and scribes who opposed Him. Needless to say, it is already a challenging classroom environment. To add to this, a group of men start digging a hole through the roof, dropping chunks of the clay ceiling on the room before finally dropping a person down the hole. Talk about a distraction! How does Jesus respond to this rude interruption of his teaching? He evaluates the distraction, sees a need and a desire. He gracefully responds by understanding the need and tending to it, amid an otherwise chaotic situation.
What a lesson about recognizing the teachable moments! Jesus views distraction as opportunity instead of annoyance.
So what will be my reaction when my son, student, spouse, or stranger is digging through the roof to get my attention? Will my response be one of selfishness or grace?

As I mature…err…get older, I’m finding my God takes great notice to the fine details in the daily process of life. I think He is more concerned with the nature of my constant interactions with others (how I respond to distraction), rather than some achievable end product. I’m confident He’ll continue to offer opportunities (distractions) for me to develop a better story through Him.

Ryan Hershey see my blog at
www.faithandeducationcollide.blogspot.com

Schools Worshiping the Idol

Ryan@educationandfaith.com
A Timely Rant on Standardized Testing:

IDOL: Any person or thing regarded with blind admiration, adoration, or devotion.
“Whatever controls us is our lord. The person who seeks power is controlled by power. The person who seeks acceptance is controlled by acceptance. We do not control ourselves. We are controlled by the lord of our lives.”


The idol gains power and control through building fear in the worshiper. I can tell you through communication with many teachers and administrators, there is a real fear of the ramifications of this test. The result being much teaching to the test and administrators spending endless hours preparing teachers and students for them through tutorials and practice.


So what is controlling our education system? It’s not the local administrators, certainly not the teachers, unfortunately not the communities.
It’s Standardized Testing. Noam Chomsky suggests that it has caused all involved to “achieve a rank.” Districts want an “Excellent” report card, teachers want an “accomplished” status, students want the “advanced” label.  


Are schools the place to have people working toward a rank? I believe this is the reason so many young people walk out of their education into the “real-world” with insecurity and confusion. Students don’t spend their time in our schools discovering themselves and their world through authentic interactions. They spend their time memorizing content specific skills that move them closer to a meaningless rank.


If you are working for the purpose of achieving a rank or title then you are actually moving away from that goal.


Seeing this disease in our schools, Seth Godin explains the following result:
Let me be really clear: Great teachers are really wonderful. They change lives. We need them. The problem is that most schools don’t like great teachers. They’re organized to stamp them out, bore them, bureaucratize them, and make them average.


The tests are limiting a child’s education by restraining the teachers instruction to a strict list of skills and items.
It limits us by causing each person involved to work in a selfish manner, pinning each cog against the one’s around him/her.
Some might say that competition is healthy and motivating, but not when it causes one to undermine the system for personal gain.


The bottom line is that the purpose of the standardized tests are not to move teaching and learning forward. The purpose is for big business to feed off of our children while providing government an increased control of its education factory.


What if assessment looked like this:
The teacher and student collaboratively create a narrative for that pupil displaying their exploration of their unique abilities, their growth in specific content skills, areas of mastery, and areas of needed improvement.
I’m pretty sure we could do this with the hours students are spending currently on testing.

Although the state probably wouldn’t like this, as they prefer subjects that are easily measurable and comparable (precisely the opposite of human nature).

So “Assess for Growth with Patience and Persistence” (a previous post).

Ryan Hershey see my blog at
www.faithandeducationcollide.blogspot.com

Regaining Purpose

Ryan@educationandfaith.com
The longer something has been around, the easier it becomes for it to waver from its original purpose. Two of the oldest institutions are church and school, causing susceptibility to wayward paths.
Because I’m not attempting to write an entire book, I’ll summarize and generalize the original purpose and agenda of both the church and school as this:
Churches and schools exist to promote healthy and productive lives for earthly citizens.
I understand that any statement like this (a severe generalization) is flawed and highly debatable but I’m hoping you don’t completely disagree with the descriptors of “healthy” and “productive”.
·      Healthy: socially/culturally aware, empathetic, realistic perspective of self
·      Productive: engaged, collaborative, nonjudgmental, creative
If you don’t agree with any of that, we can at least agree that a nap is now in order. We are both exhausted after putting enormous ideas like that into a tiny pinhole.
I think part of the reason that was so exhausting is because church and school has become so many things other than the original agenda.
For an example we’ll look at Hugh Halter’s view of religion:
“The most disorienting factor that keeps people from seeing God clearly is religion: empty ritual, overbearing rules, hypocritical judgment of others, rhetoric without reality, worship without good works, and exploitation of people under the guise of faith.”
(From his book Flesh: Bringing the Incarnation Down to Earth, Learning to be Human Like Jesus.)
Similarly I’d like to make a parallel statement about education:
The most disorienting factor that keeps people from seeing education clearly is traditional schooling: labeling students, standardized tests, scripted lessons, devaluing the arts, data analysis, and exploitation of people under the guise of school.
Sadly, the original purpose has become untraceable among the muddle of the current characteristics, to the point where the institutions have become a hindrance and damaging to the health and productivity of people.
I believe a major way church and school got off track was due to the deconstruction of community. It has become more about the corporation and less about the people. Why do people have negative perceptions of Christianity and public schooling? I think many people  have been hurt by their judgments. No human should ever be given the perception that the core of their created being is wrong or unacceptable.

How do we get our community back? Accept everyone and judge no one. Community brings a unique individuality that no ritual or test could replicate. It allows the authentic navigation of life with openness and honesty, rewarding health and productivity to all lives involved.
   John Legend “True Colors”

Ryan Hershey see my blog at
www.faithandeducationcollide.blogspot.com

How to Avoid a Shallow Education? BE FULLY HUMAN!

Ryan@educationandfaith.com
When my son was four he had an obsession with robots. As I thought about it more and the more I learned about robots through his inquiry, I found that I too was compelled by robots. The idea of having complete control over the output of a subject is deeply desirable. The process of achievement becomes quite simple. I input instruction/information appropriately and “BAM!” the desired output is displayed.
But, as a teacher and parent; Healthy, productive learning CAN NOT be a robotic process!  If it did turn into that, the result would be…as my son would say in his best robotic voice, “MALFUNCTION! MALFUNCTION!” Test-driven, boxed/scripted curriculum aims to remove all variables from the learning process, including human interaction. In teachable/learning moments, holding tight to our humanity might be the most important aspect for growth. The inability of students to relate, interact, and reflect with those around them severely inhibits their ability to grow and successfully function in a human society.

What Makes Us Human?

 

Imperfections, unpredictability, vulnerability, emotions, uniqueness, etc. In a time where it has become a difficult task to connect with the young generation, we must cherish our humanity, using these human-specific characteristics to engage and connect with our children. A classroom where the teacher is always right and preoccupied with the information would be far from an environment conducive to learning.
Which classroom would create the best learning environment?

 

  •        Teacher knows all and is always right.
  •         Teacher is preoccupied with information and content.
  •        Students are isolated and judged based on head-knowledge, encouraging a fixed-mindset.

 

  •        Teacher presence is felt through interaction.
  •         Everyone sees growth opportunity with those around them and thrives relationally.
  •         Individuals accurately self-reflect and embody a growth-mindset.
  
The most frustrating encounters I’ve had with students is when he/she is blinded from the possibility to look around themselves and learn from their available resources. At some point in a child’s development he/she reaches a stage where they rule anything less than perfection as failure. I believe this may be a learned attribute from adult models putting on a façade of holiness instead of cherishing our humanity and uniqueness.

We Are Designed to Connect Relationally

It’s a loaded concept to consider that our Creator has made us in His image, reflecting his nature (Gen. 1:26-27). An article in Relevant Magazine explains this quite clearly. There are two sidenotes in the article that sum it up well.
1.     “The very essence of God is relational, and that essential quality has been imprinted on us.”
2.     “To be fully human is to fully reflect God’s creative, spiritual, intelligent, communicative, relational, moral and purposeful capacities.”
The most pleasing thing and his deepest desire is to maintain a personal relationship with His children. For some reason with both education and faith we like to attempt to take the humanity out of the equation. We try to construct empty religious rituals and standardized tests so that we can clearly measure and judge performance. This works against our nature and therefore stalls growth and development.

Dive Into the Deep End

Hugh Halter in his book Flesh: Bringing the Incarnation Down to Earth says this, “If you want a safe faith, you will never really know God because He does not hang out in the shallow end much.” I want my classroom to be known as the deep end, where everyone invests and commits to not only their own learning experience but to the whole community sharing the waters. I think education would be much more powerful if we dive in as a learning community, valuing and respecting those around us, relying on one another. Individualized education does not equate to isolation. We learn a lot more about ourselves when we experience learning with others.
If our purpose is to prepare students for life then I believe connecting and empathizing with the perspectives of others is more important than holding an abundance of information.
Peace in exploring the deep waters.

Flesh: Bringing the Incarnation Down to Earth by Hugh Halter

Assess for Growth: With Patience and Persistence

Ryan@educationandfaith.com

First task: Let’s bury the negative feelings we’ve learned to have toward the word “assessment,” although we do have a right to feel this way because our human nature often marries judgment with assessment. If we keep the purpose of assessment to solely spur growth and development, then it should be something we’re drawn to instead of fleeing from.

KNOW YOUR STUDENTS

Because God is so intimately in tune with our heart and desires he constructs tests in our life that perfectly align with our current capabilities. Never has He given a challenge for the purpose of judgment but for reflection and development. 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us, “God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.” We too must know our children and be able to supply the appropriate resources and preparation that promise progress for the individual.
To build purposeful assessments and evaluation tools, we must first provide abundant opportunities for observation and reflection. This then allows us to provide challenges or assignments that match the child’s capabilities and offer avenues for deep growth.
Look at God’s response as Adam and Eve colossally bombed the most important test in the history of mankind. God came close to Adam and Eve, reflected together with them in order to reveal their level of understanding (or misunderstanding in this case). He then adjusted the course ahead to produce further opportunities for development.
Note: The test that initially brought sin into the world may have a different set of ramifications than those found in classroom assessments.
background image courtesy of
https://www.flickr.com/photos/myshaislamphotographycom/5949070873/

RESPOND WITH PATIENCE

“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentence?” Rom. 2:4
A teacher’s or parent’s kindness and patience leads to development. This isn’t alluding to being soft and care-free, I think it is referring to the persistent opportunities for development we should be offering our children. Intently observing skills and behaviors and then continue to present challenging chances for their growth.
Attaching consequences to the results of an evaluation only stall development. We must provide alternative instruction, modeling, discussion, reflection, whatever it takes to achieve progress. And I proudly proclaim that many of my son’s developments in character have come because his parents have diligently applied the trial and error approach. I just know that breakthroughs are witnessed because of persistence, patience, and actively engaging the child in learning opportunities. Anytime we concede and accept a deficiency without exhausting every resource, we’re failing a child’s future.     
I hope my students can count on me for patience and persistence because I know I’d be lost and sunken if not for the patience God’s afforded me. Hugh Halter describes it as this, “He understood all the barriers and dilemmas and difficulties they would face in finding Him. He was amazingly understanding of their stories and knew that each person was in a process.”

BUILDING ASSESSMENTS FOR GROWTH NOT JUDGEMENT

 Progressive educational leader Will Richardson said, “Little about learning is quantifiable. We need to see learning rather than measure it.”

The skill or behavior shouldn’t be the end goal. The ability to utilize those tools to create something should be the purpose. Whatever the subject matter may be, it is much better when considered a tool rather than a goal.
How we observe and evaluate understanding needs to be done differently in this era. A regurgitation of information is about as useful as anything that has physically been regurgitated. In the book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, the narrator is a teenage boy with autism who has a way of stating things frankly. He says this about intelligence, “Being clever was when you looked at how things were and used the evidence to work out something new.” So why are our students not asked to display their learning through creation? I believe we shy away from these higher order thinking skills because it becomes more difficult to measure this type of work.
Daniel Pink in his book Drive tells about the common “mismatch between what people must do and what people can do. When what they must do exceeds their capabilities, the result is anxiety. When what they must do falls short of their capabilities, the result is boredom.” I’ve witnessed student anxiety and worry due to standardized tests and unfortunately I’ve caused student boredom by giving rote tasks instead of authentic challenges. 
Lack of patience is the main reason why I don’t consider fishing a prized hobby of mine (worms and fins have also contributed to this). Though I think there are many similarities between successful fishermen and productive assessors. They are observant, persistent, and definitely patient. 
Observe, reflect, and KEEP CASTING!
Peace in the process.
Ryan Hershey see my blog at
www.faithandeducationcollide.blogspot.com

A Lesson for Educational Leadership

Ryan@educationandfaith.com
Another Biblical Parallel to the World of Education
Most books have the ability to awaken one’s imagination. The Bible, through God, has the ability to awaken one’s reality on a completely different level. I’ve once again sensed this power, as God has uniquely given me a parallel in the Old Testament, in the man of Nehemiah. 
Like Nehemiah in his quest to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, I’m journeying to find the optimal approach to education. I plan to start in the same way as Nehemiah, with a purpose and a passion.
Much of Nehemiah’s example can be applied to chasing a goal of any kind, but I’ll specifically apply it in terms of educational leadership.

Purpose and Passion
Nehemiah was so concerned about the broken down Jerusalem walls that he “mourned and fasted and prayed”. He was deeply concerned that without these walls his people would lose their God-given identity, purpose and hope.
This divinely aligns with the burden I feel for the kids in today’s schools. Based on your personal experience, you can determine for yourself the state of the figurative walls of our educational system. But I must believe they’re at the very least vulnerable; and at their very worst, crumbled ruins. As long as the protection, support, and encouragement of these walls are absent, so too are a child’s God-given identity, purpose and hope missing.
So, what did Nehemiah do with his load of passion? Knowing the only way to reach entire restoration, Nehemiah began to fervently pray, confessing and repenting. The result was that when the door was open for action, he was more than prepared, knowing exactly what needed to happen. It’s almost comical the laundry list of requests Nehemiah makes to the king. Not surprisingly, the king grants them without hesitation (Nehemiah 2:4-9).
This example of thorough reflection and preparation is what schools need on every level. Legislators, administrators, and teachers are so quick to act on what’s perceived to be a quick fix or a step in the right direction. See Common Core State Standards, the most recent teacher evaluation systems, schools’ approach to intervention, and the list goes on.
-Reflect Constantly- 

Common Vision
Nehemiah was continuously working hard to maintain a common vision amongst every individual involved, no matter leader or laborer. He always gave each person support from the whole and reminded them of the purpose! Nehemiah had to fight hard to eliminate all traces of personal greed in the project. He recognized that the task God had assigned was far too important to allow distractions to interfere with its work.
            The sense of community and maintaining a common vision is possibly the most important concept to the education system, but it’s also the most difficult to achieve. The vision varies in every state, district, school building, and down to every classroom. We must be reminded of the purpose and eliminate greed and distractions that prevent the possibilities of the purpose.
            This reminds me of a quote from The Alchemist. “A shepherd may like to travel, but he should never forget about his sheep.” In its current state, educational leadership is enamored with trending methods or the latest popular resources. I’m afraid we’re forgetting the children.

Ryan Hershey see my blog at
www.faithandeducationcollide.blogspot.com

Our School’s Product: Serviceable or Dynamic?

Ryan@educationandfaith.com

Image licensed under Creative Commons by David Poole http://www.flickr.com/photos/dipster1/1403240351/sizes/l/
       

The students the public school system develops could be described as an abandoned toolbox. The ability of the tools all depends on the person using them. For the tools to create something dynamic and unique, they rely on someone to tell them what to do. Our system is creating a generation of stuffed toolboxes just waiting for a designer, a carpenter, anyone that can tell them what to do. 

Each tool strategically and individually processed for the purpose of one job. Resulting in an overwhelming amount of potential when found in the same toolbox as many varying tools! Tragically there is no ownership of this set of tools (skills or talents). These tools are starving for interaction with each other, looking for opportunities to explore, create, construct, and experiment.
Only, much time is spent improving and evaluating an already adequate tool. Instead of utilizing school to show what capabilities a toolbox allows for, when paired with the special talents of a unique individual.
Measurable goals produce predictable measurable results. In this case the result or outcome produced from the public education system, is a serviceable person. SERVICEABLE. Is that how we would want our children to be described?
They’ve learned what to think instead of how to think. They’ve admirably developed their skillset but have no clue how these can be used together to produce something authentic.
The measureable standards and skills are important but should not be our priority. I’m going to attempt to teach in a way that engages the way students are made to learn.
I’ve been reading  a novel that could probably also be found in the self-help section. I love those types of books! It is flooded with powerful themes of producing results through perspective and decision-making. In The Noticer Returns, the character with great perspective suggests that an end result must first be agreed upon. This drives the process. Every decision and activity must drive us closer to that end result.
Unfortunately, the end result agreed upon by the educational system is mastery of isolated skills on a standardized assessment. This drives the process everyday in every classroom.  
In the book by Andy Andrews, a small group of parents identify traits and characteristics that they would desire for their children.
Some were:
To be divinely guided, to have a grateful spirit, to have a joyful spirit, to be loyal, responsible, humble, to be a creative thinker, to have a servant’s heart (p.91).
The list went on with about a total of twenty characteristics. And the point is, none of them are very measurable, concrete traits. And surely none of them are listed in the state or national standards for the classroom.
How would our results change, if we put these types of abilities and traits as our priority and the needed measurable skills and objectives were still developed with intent but now served a supporting role. This would allow our children’s lives to result in dynamic, creative accomplishments according to their uniqueness.
What great contrast between the ideas of a “dynamic” individual and a “serviceable” person. Lets agree on what we desire for an end result so that our process and decisions can align with that. Great conversation to have for every school, community and household!
What do you want your child’s school to produce?

Ryan Hershey see my blog at
www.faithandeducationcollide.blogspot.com

When Schools… DIRECT TV style

Ryan@educationandfaith.com

While the Direct TV commercials may be obnoxious, they are great examples of cause and effect, in showing how one small decision can snowball into something much greater.
I help with my church’s youth group, and the youth pastor used these commercials to spark student interest in his message about using our God-given abilities and passions. (Thanks David Trainer!) This cause and effect concept can be applied to so many areas!
Here are the commercials:

And as you would guess, this method can be applied to schooling.
Ready for some examples…
When big business feeds on k-12 education, it becomes all about the money. 
When it becomes all about the money, they make standardized tests and common core standards.
When they make standardized tests and common core standards, we’re no longer acting in the best interest of the children.
When we don’t act in the best interest of the children, the kids don’t feel valued or cared for.
When kids don’t feel valued or cared for they devalue their self-worth.
When our boys and girls devalue their self-worth…(FILL IN THE BLANK). 
We all have witnessed the consequences dealt to a young innocent generation. Unlike the commercials, these extreme effects are our reality.
I’m not blaming big business, because frankly, you could replace big business with a number of factors that have taken the focus of main stream education away from the children. Whatever point you start with in the public education process, at some point it becomes a selfish system, deflecting the love and care away from the students. 

What if…

When every individual involved invests in the wellness of the child first, the child views his life as valuable and purposeful to others.
When a child views his life as valuable and purposeful to others, he cherishes himself as a unique creation.
When he cherishes himself as a unique creation, he desires to inquire and explore his God-given abilities and passions.
When he desires to inquire and explore his God-given abilities and passions, he lives unselfishly with great motivation and vitality.
When he lives unselfishly with great motivation and vitality, he can be powerfully used by God to bring light to the world!
-I’m aware there are many missing pieces in these scenarios, but the bottom line is; There is a big difference in the results of an unselfish community compared to those groomed by the selfish system.     
Joy in the unselfishness
Ryan Hershey see my blog at
www.faithandeducationcollide.blogspot.com