APPRENTICE-ED AND CHILDREN ED-BIZ-4-ME AND BIZ-4-ME BIG IDEAS ON “COMMUNICATIONS”
NATIONAL CONTEST: VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS MOCK TRIAL
Open to Age 12 to 100
FOR “THE WORLD”
NOT FOR “GONE-GLOBE”
PUBLIC SCHOOL “ENGLISH” CURRICULUM IS IRRELEVANT. ALL GEARED TO THE RICH KIDS OF 1920, WHEN PUBLIC SCHOOL STARTED. PFFFT. TIME TO RESCUE.
WE NEED TO TEACH OUR KIDS “COMMUNICATIONS”, NOT “PUBLIC-SCHOOL 1920 ENGLISH.” THIS WILL FAR BETTER PREPARE THEM FOR THE FIRST DAY IN THE BUSINESS WORLD, FOR THEIR LIFE, FOR REALITY.
In life after graduation, the norm, whether doing business, talking with a family member, playing golf, whatever, is to discuss issues verbally. Written situations include pre-filled contracts, pre-filled bills, pre-filled everything. In some situations we write emails, but never do we write essays. Verbal skills are paramount in life in the non-school world. Almost always, our transactions involve us and someone on the other side. Not ten points of view. just two points of view. Both views centered on some issue, such as purchase of a new car, where we are just ironing our details by discussion.
THE DAY YOU ENTER THE BUSINESS WORLD IS THE DAY YOU NEVER AGAIN USE THE COMMUNICATIONS YOU LEARNED IN PUBLIC SCHOOL. NEVER AN ESSAY, ALWAYS PRE-FORMATTED. PUBLIC SCHOOLS IGNORE VERBAL DISCUSSION, BUSINESS USES IT EXCLUSIVELY. ALWAYS VERBAL.
IN THE BUSINESS WORLD, YOU ALWAYS CONSIDER THE CUSTOMER’S POINT OF VIEW. IN PUBLIC SCHOOL, YOU ONLY CONSIDER THE TEACHER’S.
Make sense?
We believe students need to learn how to discuss, to argue in a civilized way, their point of view, to consider the other person’s point of view and respond to it, and to resolve the issues verbally. The best situation for having these discussions is in small pods of 6 to 15 students and moderators.
To this end, we have modified how we teach “English”, to make it “Communications” instead. Communications because we teach much of the traditional, but shorten out not-useful portions - including “fluff” put in just to fill up the school day - and we add in verbal skills and written emails. Perhaps simplistic, but in our view that education must include half for business training, a profound improvement on the 1920-style “English” we are passing off on students, parents, and the world generally. We need a lot more apprenticeships, a lot less “classical education” of 1920-style taught to the rich people who went to university then.
At Ed+Biz-4-Me, we believe that 50% of the marks for "our modernized “communications” should be awarded for the verbal communications and writing emails sections. The other 50% of marks should be awarded to what is left of the traditional approach to “English.” Yes, we realize this means cutting out at least 50% of what is taught for English today.
Ed-Biz-4-Me is sponsoring a national series of debates, on fourteen selected topics. These topics are red-hot, fiery, based on powerful and sometimes corrupt parties, designed to generate strong feelings. As such, they do not represent 95% of our day-to-day verbal discussions. However, it is hard to generate interest in “What did you do today?”
The topics are all science fiction - aren’t they?
Students are required to research the topic they have chosen, from both viewpoints: then to argue for 30 minutes from one side, one point of view, against an opponent: then the two parties switch sides, and argue the reverses. A “court” makes a decision, based on the strength of the facts provided, the argumentation, and other silly stuff that happens in real life.
The magic for students is: 1) having to research; 2) having to figure out in advance what the opponent’s arguments will be; 3) having to present their point of view; 4) having to argue against their opponent’s point of view; 5) having to switch sides, and do it all over again.
This is what kids and adults do every day in the real, non-school, world. We make decisions based on having some information: sometimes we discuss options with others: sometimes we look at a product and make decisions: sometimes we argue with ourselves about doing one thing or doing another. This is all verbal (sometimes silent thinking) argumentation.
This is exactly what our schools should be teaching, in our Ed+Biz-4-Me opinion. Research. Look at the opposite argument. Present our case. Hear the other side, and refute it. Switch sides and do it all again.
If you are a parent, spouse, child, or other family relative, looking at the above list resonates with you. If you are a student or teacher deciding what to do next, or a business owner trying to figure out where to go next to fix a problem, or expand a business, this list resonates with you. Question to all the above parties: do you write an essay, make a careful list? Or do you just argue it out with yourself and others, almost all verbally? An argument is not a fight, it is a discussion, in the sense we are using it.
Point proven?
If not, prove us wrong - Ed-Biz-4-Me style. Enter the debates.
