The Year of Both/And

We’ve been on the road in recent weeks, visiting school districts around the country as they go back to school. And as we talked with teachers, superintendents, and students themselves, it struck us that we may be nearing the end of something: the end of “either/or” thinking in education.

If you’re of a certain age, you probably know what we mean. You likely experienced it yourself: As a student, time in class meant either art or science. Either play or serious study. School either prepared you for work or helped you discover your calling.

But as educators everywhere have known all along, great learning isn’t “either/or.” Learners’ worlds expand with the novels that move them and the equations that stump them. Their passions spring from community problems and the songs that get stuck in their heads.

Consider Fred Rogers himself: a musician and a scientist, a teacher and a learner, a media critic and a media creator. As he demonstrated again and again in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, so-called “life skills” – things like creativity and play – can support rigorous learning. Things like creativity and play can be rigorous learning. And our growth as individuals is inextricably linked to our ties with other people.

Shouldn’t learning experiences reflect that?

If the educators we’ve talked to are any indication, we’re at the beginning of something else.

Call it the year of “Both/And.”

Today’s teachers aren’t choosing between instilling knowledge and developing character. They aren’t siloing content from that which makes us human. Instead, they’re designing learning with “Both/And” in mind, creating experiences that combine all of the above to help every learner flourish.

They’re curating “mini-courses” that share exciting ideas and projects with students. (Think rock-and-roll history, or how to buy your first car.) Along the way, kids develop both content knowledge and real skills for real life.

They’re launching aviation programs in which students pilot drones, earn FAA certifications, and even fly small aircraft. Along the way, kids explore both STEM and high-demand careers.

They’re designing projects like student-run restaurants, in which kids cook up recipes, marketing plans, food reviews, and more – learning both business savvy and the basics of healthy food.

They’re using 3D imaging and virtual reality to bring the past back to life, harnessing both technology and community input to build relationships and tell their neighborhood’s story.

The list goes on and on. From Fred Rogers’ real-life neighborhood to Doncaster and Delhi and beyond, schools everywhere are experimenting with “Both/And” education.

That’s why we’re thrilled to share a new publication of the same name from our friends at Remake Learning. Highlighting examples, practices, policies, and more, “Both/And” explores the shifts helping more and more students to understand their own uniqueness and to fully appreciate how special their neighbor really is.

As you hear the voices of educators from Finland to Florida on the pages of “Both/And,” we’re curious what this sparks for you.

What were your “Both/And” experiences?

What – and who – helped you become the (many) things you are today?