By Jen Schwartz, Founder, Sego Lily School

“What’s wrong with our education system today?” Ask that question of almost any adult, and they will give you a long list of things that aren’t working. They will point to test scores, budget cuts, and teacher salaries to prove their point. What doesn’t often get addressed, however, is a much more important question. “What are the elements that are essential for educating children in today’s ever-changing society?”

The Ability to Think and Learn
It is not enough to teach children to read, write, do basic math and memorize facts. It is more important to teach children how to learn. To be more precise, it is more important to foster the natural curiosity and love of learning that every child is born with. Human beings are naturally curious. Take a look at any two-year-old to see this concept in action – they want to know everything about their world. When you answer one question, the next question from them is, “Why?” Sadly, at some point in life, children loose this love of learning, this natural desire to understand everything. Creating an educational setting in which the natural love of learning is fostered can be challenging, but it is essential to creating life-long learners.

Teamwork and Real Learning
Employers will attest to the fact that working with a team is one of the most important skills they look for in new employees. Yet in many classrooms, real teamwork is rarely seen. Children must have opportunities to do real work with real people. Whether those opportunities come in the form of formal apprenticeships, or casual groupings of other children, these real world learning situations are essential for all involved. Children acquire skills such as cooperation, conflict resolution, mediation, and communication skills when given the freedom to create real world learning situations for themselves.

An Understanding of Our Society and it’s Systems
In order to be active, contributing members of a community, people need to understand how and why the structure of that community works. Organizing to affect change in your community, and being willing to voice your opinions are the right of every adult in this country. Yet we do not give children the hands-on experience they need to become active citizens when they reach the age of 18. Creating educational systems in which students have a voice in a working democracy gives them the experience needed to go out into their communities as adults and exercise their rights as well as their responsibilities as citizens.

Putting the Pieces Together
There are schools where these elements are being incorporated – schools in which all learning is student directed, where children of all ages mix freely, and adults are there to support the natural learning process. They are working democracies in which the students and staff are responsible for making the decisions that effect the daily operations of the school. Sego Lily School, opening soon in Salt Lake City, is one such school. Our society is based on liberty, personal freedom, equal opportunity, and the right to participate in self-governance. Shouldn’t our educational systems mirror these basic and fundamental values that bind the fabric of our society?

By Jen Schwartz, Founder, Sego Lily School

“What’s wrong with our education system today?” Ask that question of almost any adult, and they will give you a long list of things that aren’t working. They will point to test scores, budget cuts, and teacher salaries to prove their point. What doesn’t often get addressed, however, is a much more important question. “What are the elements that are essential for educating children in today’s ever-changing society?”

The Ability to Think and Learn
It is not enough to teach children to read, write, do basic math and memorize facts. It is more important to teach children how to learn. To be more precise, it is more important to foster the natural curiosity and love of learning that every child is born with. Human beings are naturally curious. Take a look at any two-year-old to see this concept in action – they want to know everything about their world. When you answer one question, the next question from them is, “Why?” Sadly, at some point in life, children loose this love of learning, this natural desire to understand everything. Creating an educational setting in which the natural love of learning is fostered can be challenging, but it is essential to creating life-long learners.

Teamwork and Real Learning
Employers will attest to the fact that working with a team is one of the most important skills they look for in new employees. Yet in many classrooms, real teamwork is rarely seen. Children must have opportunities to do real work with real people. Whether those opportunities come in the form of formal apprenticeships, or casual groupings of other children, these real world learning situations are essential for all involved. Children acquire skills such as cooperation, conflict resolution, mediation, and communication skills when given the freedom to create real world learning situations for themselves.

An Understanding of Our Society and it’s Systems
In order to be active, contributing members of a community, people need to understand how and why the structure of that community works. Organizing to affect change in your community, and being willing to voice your opinions are the right of every adult in this country. Yet we do not give children the hands-on experience they need to become active citizens when they reach the age of 18. Creating educational systems in which students have a voice in a working democracy gives them the experience needed to go out into their communities as adults and exercise their rights as well as their responsibilities as citizens.

Putting the Pieces Together
There are schools where these elements are being incorporated – schools in which all learning is student directed, where children of all ages mix freely, and adults are there to support the natural learning process. They are working democracies in which the students and staff are responsible for making the decisions that effect the daily operations of the school. Sego Lily School, opening soon in Salt Lake City, is one such school. Our society is based on liberty, personal freedom, equal opportunity, and the right to participate in self-governance. Shouldn’t our educational systems mirror these basic and fundamental values that bind the fabric of our society?