Expert says pieces in place for “network model” school on Key Biscayne
Islander News. April 10, 2008.
Kelly Josephsen.
kjosephsen@islandemews.com
Parents may talk about the good old days of heading to school to learn the "three R's," but a leading consultant said today's students demand a very different type of education.
Prakash Nair, a planner and architect with school design firm Fielding Nair International, spoke to about local 100 residents Thursday, March 20 in the Community Center.
The event was sponsored by The Key Biscayne Education Foundation, which is working with the Key Biscayne Public High School Stakeholders Group to promote a municipal charter school in the Village.
Nair said Key Biscayne already has the pieces in place to create a "network model" school — one that makes interaction, thinking and self-discovery the cornerstones of education. "Even without leaving the island, you already have these rich resources — that is your network right there," he said.
He listed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, MAST Academy, Crandon Park Golf Course and Tennis Center, Pankey Institute, Miami Seaquarium, Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center, Key Biscayne Community Center, Key Biscayne Yacht Club and Key Biscayne K-8 Center as key players in the network.
Local seniors, beaches and parks could also play a role in teens' education, he added.
According to Nair, that actually turns what is perceived as Key Biscayne's main roadblock to building a school — the lack of available land — into a positive.
"You're far better off not having a site on which you can go out and build this monster high school," he said, noting schools built in unexpected locations are proving more successful than traditional "cells and bells" facilities, which he compared to imposing, unfriendly fortresses.
On that point, Nair told the crowd, he speaks from experience.
Although he now thrives on turning abandoned commercial space and decrepit office buildings into top-notch schools, as director of operations for New York City's schools system for 10 years, Nair said he helped construct over 100 "pretty bad" schools. "I'm on a journey of atonement," he joked. "I need to build at least 100 good schools, and then I'll break even."
In all seriousness, though, Nair said he learned from the mistakes planners made in New York — which confirmed his belief that education through experience is best for anyone: "The most compelling way to learn is to make mistakes. You push the boundaries of your knowledge."
However, Nair said, too many schools use the old-fashioned model where kids are rewarded for giving the right answer — basically regurgitating what they're told by their teacher.
"Teaching to a test is the poorest way to teach. Kids who are well engaged and happy are much more likely to be successful than those who are force fed the information they need to do well on the tests."
That's because to be successful in today's fast-paced real world, Nair said, a person has to be able to ask questions and apply the answers to diverse situations.
"The purpose of education isn't to simply parrot what your tutor knows. Take that person's wisdom and apply it in your own life," he advised, noting otherwise people learn at a superficial level that forces them to rely on memory — which can often prove faulty.
Unfortunately, Nair said, parroting is the name of the game at too many schools. Curriculum is split into meaningless categories like math, science and reading —something that doesn't happen in the real world — and kids are led away from creative pursuits like music and art.
It isn't working, he said: research indicates a lot of college grads can't make change for buying a Coke and a sandwich. "There's a disconnect between learning in school and what you need to function in the real world," Nair said. "What is the point of learning if you can't apply it when the world changes?"
The problem, he noted, is too many adults think of their old high school when coming up with a plan for their kids' high school —but today's students have different needs.
No longer is "the guy who did well on Jeopardy" the ideal learner, Nair noted —instead, it's the person who can understand what they've learned and apply it toward creating something that improves society. Indeed, he said, kids who are "perfect students" often face the most disappointment once school ends — and studies show IQ plays just a 4-10 percent role in predicting one's future success.
"There's no connection between schools and the world that is moving rapidly around us," he explained. "What we need to do is connect our kids' education back to reality."
That means an education that allows kids to weather a "snowstorm of paradigm changes," Nair said, as today's typical career path includes six or seven different professions.
He suggested schools focus on helping students discover what they're good at by sparking their curiosity. "Our kids all have something that makes them excited," Nair said.
Key Biscayners should keep that in mind as they build their high school, Nair said, and also focus on a nontraditional facility that allows interaction, creativity and hands-on learning.
By doing so, he feels officials can get the school built in less time and for less money; make the Village a safer, happier place; increase home values; and "showcase a leadership role for Key Biscayne."
Note from the High School Stakeholders Group: Click here to view video of March 20 presentation or review slide set.
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