Welcome back to The Generation Edge series, our monthly magazine exploring the identity, values, and lifestyle of the post millennial generation. People born after about 1995, the eldest of which are about 19 now. In this edition we explore Gen Edge's critical point of view on education and its impact on their future and the future of the world. Because these days reading, writing and arithmetic don't add up to anything...

1. GENERATION
CRITICAL THINKING:
WHEN EDUCATION FAILS
UNDERSTANDING A NEW GENERATION
WWW.THESOUNDHQ.COM

3. CRITICAL THINKING:
WHEN EDUCATION FAILS
Welcome
back
to
The
Generation
Edge
Series,
our
monthly
magazine
exploring
the
identity,
values,
and
lifestyle
of
the
post-­‐millennial
generation.
This
month
we
explore
Gen
Edge’s
critical
point
of
view
on
education
and
its
impact
on
their
future
and
the
future
of
the
world.
Because
these
days
reading,
writing
and
arithmetic
don’t
add
up
to
anything...
03

4. In the U.S., 14% of new
teachers resign by the
end of their first year,
33% leave within their first 3 years, and
almost 50% leave by their 5th year.
18
$292k50%Percentage of 17 year
olds who do not have
the required reading
skills to hold down a
manufacturing job in US.
‘If you think education
is expensive, try ignorance.’- Arne Duncan, US Secretary of Education
23
2BILLION
In the US, the
amount of money
spent each year on
students who repeat
a grade because
they have reading
problems.
of
44%:
7,000:
The number of US kids who drop out everyday. By the time
you’ve read this page approximately 3 kids will have
dropped out. (That’s 1 every 26 seconds).
Amongst industrialized nations, US
ranking of the quality and quantity of
high school diplomas.
The amount a single
dropout costs US
taxpayers over the
course of their
lifetime.
Percent of dropouts under age 24 who are jobless. The
unemployment rate of high school dropouts older than 25 is
more than three times that of college graduates in US.
In the UK, almost 8/10 students on free meals (key
marker of poverty) - failed to get five good GCSEs,
including maths and English.

5. unreliable dangerous impractical disparate
THE REALITY TODAY ISN’T THAT GEN EDGE IS FAILING...
GOING TO SCHOOL HAS NEVER BEEN MORE...
The
quality
and
effectiveness
of
education
has
proven
to
be
the
most
direct
and
signi8icant
factor
that
impacts
a
students
ability
to
succeed.
However,
today’s
Gen
Edge
population
is
facing
an
educational
landscape
that
is
devastatingly
divided
and
increasingly
unfocused
on
the
students
themselves.
Turn
on
the
news
and
you
hear
everyone
from
average
parents
to
Louie
CK
to
Rush
Limbaugh
ferociously
debating
the
new
Common
Core
Curriculum
and
its
effectiveness.
In
the
UK,
the
teachers
union
has
been
in
an
uproar
over
the
loosening
of
standards
for
quali8ied
teachers.
Hardly
a
week
goes
by
when
a
headline
about
a
school
shooting,
district
closing
or
inappropriate
relationship
between
teachers
and
students
isn’t
plastered
on
the
front
page.
Are
kids’
skills
today
really
all
that
different
or
are
they
simply
living
in
a
very
different
world?
School
used
to
be
one
of
the
most
reliable
and
rock
steady
institutions,
but
just
like
big
business
and
government,
Gen
Edge
is
seeing
this
rock
crumble
along
with
the
rest.
EDUCATION
IS FAILING
GENERATION

6. Text
‣ Recently in the UK, The National Union of
Teachers threatened a nationwide strike
over drastically increased workloads and
lower pay
‣ Massive budget cuts are plaguing schools,
especially those in inner-cities
- Teachers spending personal dollars to
fund labs; schools begging parents to
donate supplies and time as classroom
aids
- Multi-disciplinary, arts, foreign language
and physical ed cuts
- Chicago Teachers Union 2+ week strike
in 2012, largest in 25 years with 30,000
teachers
“A
city's
schools
are
microcosms
of
the
city
itself:
they
run
head6irst
into
a
variety
of
issues
only
tangentially
related
to
education.”
- Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune Reporter
'The
morale
of
the
profession
is
at
an
all
time
low.
Many
are
angry
at
what
is
happening
to
the
education
system.
Some
school
leaders
are
taking
early
retirement,
while
others
do
not
want
to
take
on
headships
because
of
the
pressure.
Those
of
us
in
education,
leaders
and
learners,
have
never
had
it
so
bad.”
- Bernadette Hunter, National Association of Head Teachers, UK
The
effects
of
national
economic
disparities
and
turmoil
have
trickled
down
to
our
schools
and
learning
institutions,
resulting
in
uncertain
stability.
For
Gen
Edge,
not
knowing
if
a
local
school
will
remain
open
next
semester
or
if
teachers
will
be
present
to
teach
a
lesson
has
become
an
all
to
typical
dinnertime
conversation.
Furthermore,
conventional
basics
can
no
longer
be
taken
for
granted
-­‐
i.e.
supplies,
resources,
and
extended
school
hours
for
additional
help.
UNRELIABLE
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS

7. The
effects
of
national
economic
disparities
and
turmoil
have
trickled
down
to
our
schools
and
learning
institutions,
resulting
in
uncertain
stability.
For
Gen
Edge,
not
knowing
if
a
local
school
will
remain
open
next
semester
or
if
teachers
will
be
present
to
teach
a
lesson
has
become
an
all
to
typical
dinnertime
conversation.
Furthermore,
conventional
basics
can
no
longer
be
taken
for
granted
-­‐
i.e.
supplies,
resources,
and
extended
school
hours
for
additional
help.
UNRELIABLE
Extrapolating from a survey of American high
school students by the Centers for Disease
Control, researchers found that bullied
students who are threatened or injured by a
weapon on school property were eight times
more likely to then, carry a weapon to
campus themselves.
"It
wasn't
uncommon
a
generation
or
so
ago
for
the
doors
in
school
buildings
to
all
be
open,
and
anybody
could
enter
from
almost
anywhere."
- Tom Gentzel, Executive Director of the
National School Boards Association
"Honestly,
it
makes
me
not
want
to
send
my
children
to
school.
It
makes
me
want
to
homeschool
my
daughter.
The
fact
that
someone
can
come
in
a
school
and
have
an
armed
weapon,
and
me
not
be
able
to
get
to
her
and
hold
her
and
comfort
her
because
I
don't
know
what's
going
on
with
her.
I
feel
that
maybe
in
my
care
maybe
she's
safer."
- Mother of elementary student in Atlanta, GA
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS
Gen
Edge
have
come
of
age
in
a
post-­‐
Columbine
school
system,
where
the
image
of
schools
as
safe
and
secure
entities
has
been
shattered.
School
shootings
have
become
a
part
of
the
cultural
narrative
and
an
educational
backdrop
for
this
generation.
Where
generations
past
conducted
8ire
and
tornado
drills,
many
schools
now
conduct
“lockdown
drills”.
But
the
perceived
dangers
are
not
limited
to
gun
violence.
Inappropriate
relationships
between
students
and
teachers
have
also
become
commonplace
for
this
generation,
and
issues
with
bullying
(both
cyber
and
physical)
are
coming
to
the
forefront
of
conversations
around
the
quality
and
safety
of
our
schools.
DANGEROUS

8. Text
The
effects
of
national
economic
disparities
and
turmoil
have
trickled
down
to
our
schools
and
learning
institutions,
resulting
in
uncertain
stability.
For
Gen
Edge,
not
knowing
if
a
local
school
will
remain
open
next
semester
or
if
teachers
will
be
present
to
teach
a
lesson
has
become
an
all
to
typical
dinnertime
conversation.
Furthermore,
conventional
basics
can
no
longer
be
taken
for
granted
-­‐
i.e.
supplies,
resources,
and
extended
school
hours
for
additional
help.
UNRELIABLE
‣ In 2013, the NAHT (National Association of
Head teachers) in the UK passed a vote of
‘No Confidence’ in the governments
education policies
‣ Teacher satisfaction has declined 23
percentage points since 2008, to the
lowest level in 25 years.
“A
vast
majority
of
teacher
preparation
programs
do
not
give
aspiring
teachers
adequate
return
on
their
investment
of
time
and
tuition
dollars.”
- UK, National Council on Teacher Quality
“We
should
be
preparing
people
for
a
world
that
is
dynamic,
demands
greater
6lexibility
and
is
about
enterprise
and
creativity.
I
believe
our
curriculum
and
assessment
should
mirror
those
conditions.
Therefore
the
planned
changes
(testing
mandates)...
are
a
retrograde
step
and
I
deplore
them.
I
can’t
believe
parents
will
want
their
children
to
be
assessed
exclusively
and
once
and
for
all
through
an
exam
at
the
end
of
a
course.”
- Rob Campbell, chairman of the National Association of Head teachers
secondary schools committee, UK
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS
How
motivating
can
it
be
to
turn
on
the
TV
and
witness
teachers
picketing
because
their
school
has
been
shut
down?
Who
wants
to
have
their
classroom
and
lesson
plans
micromanaged
with
almost
all
autonomy
and
authority
stripped
away
in
favor
of
testing
criteria.
No
longer
are
teachers
free
to
alter
lesson
plans
to
cater
to
the
needs
of
the
student
-­‐
in
fact,
teachers
very
livelihood
has
a
direct
correlation
to
their
ability
to
navigate
the
bureaucratic
mine8ield
that
has
become
the
business
of
education.
Historically
schools
and
teachers
were
focused
on
fueling
a
child’s
potential
and
today
teachers
own
potential
is
limited
by
the
policies
far
above
their
ranks.
Not
only
is
education
increasingly
impractical
but
the
profession
doesn’t
look
like
such
a
smart
option
anymore
either.
IMPRACTICAL

9. The
effects
of
national
economic
disparities
and
turmoil
have
trickled
down
to
our
schools
and
learning
institutions,
resulting
in
uncertain
stability.
For
Gen
Edge,
not
knowing
if
a
local
school
will
remain
open
next
semester
or
if
teachers
will
be
present
to
teach
a
lesson
has
become
an
all
to
typical
dinnertime
conversation.
Furthermore,
conventional
basics
can
no
longer
be
taken
for
granted
-­‐
i.e.
supplies,
resources,
and
extended
school
hours
for
additional
help.
UNRELIABLE
‣ Language barriers - 54 percent of all
teachers have limited English proficient (LEP)
students in their classrooms, yet only one-fifth
of teachers feel prepared to serve them
‣ Academic Readiness - In the fourth grade,
77 percent of children in urban high-poverty
schools are reading "below basic" on the
National Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP)
‣ Culture Shock - Thanks to urbanization and
the rapidly changing face of Americans,
many teachers today are looking at
classrooms far ‘out-of-field’ from their own
upbringing and background leaving them
searching for a way to connect with their
students. In schools made up of 75% or more
low-income students, there are 3 times the
number of out-of-field teachers than in
wealthier school districts.
“Teachers
tend
to
teach
the
way
they
were
taught...[they]
have
something
like
15,000
hours
of
'muscle
memory'
about
what
it
feels
like
to
be
a
student.”
- Karen Cator, Office of Educational
Technology US Department of Education,
August 2013
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS
As
we
see
8inancial
divides
expanding
amongst
economically
depressed
and
immigrant
families,
educational
disparity
grows
at
a
rapid
pace.
And
given
that
Gen
Edgers
are
the
most
diverse
generation
of
all
time,
this
is
an
issue
impacting
the
majority
of
classrooms
in
America.
Many
of
today’s
teachers
are
unprepared
for
what
awaits
them
in
the
classroom.
DISPARATE
“Many
teachers
have
vocalized
that
hungry
children
in
their
classroom
is
a
‘serious
issue’.
In
fact,
problems
are
so
severe
that
a
new
study
shows
that
teachers
spent
$37
a
month
buying
food
for
hungry
students,
up
from
$26
a
month
in
2012.”
- No Kid Hungry teachers Report, 2013

10. “We
talk
about
our
schools
like
they’re
broken
institutions
that
need
to
be
5ixed
or
discarded,
or
thrown
away,
or
shut
down;
and
really
instead
we
need
to
look
at
them
as
places
of
hope
and
potential,
which
is
exactly
what
they
are.”
Helen Gym, Parents United, West Philadelphia

11. A RESILIENT AND SELF
RELIANT COHORT
THE REALITY TODAY ISN’T THAT GEN EDGE IS FAILING...
"I
uncovered
that
if
learning
is
embedded
in
real-­‐
world
context,
that
if
you
blur
the
boundaries
between
school
and
life,
then
children
go
through
a
journey
of
‘aware’,
where
they
can
see
the
change,
‘enable’,
be
changed,
and
then
‘empower’,
lead
the
change.
And
that
directly
increased
student
wellbeing.
Children
became
more
competent,
and
less
helpless.”
Kiran Sethi, Kids, Take Charge, TedIndia 2009
And
with
their
rebellious
Gen
X
parents
in8luence
-­‐
they
know
they
must
look
outside
the
box
of
traditional
education
to
secure
a
viable
future
for
themselves
and
the
world.
Gen
Edge
doesn’t
measure
educational
success
on
a
diploma
or
dean’s
list
recognition
but
rather
look
towards
life
experience
and
practical
application
as
the
guiding
light
of
approval.
Alternative
paths
will
be
their
norm.
AREN’T AFRAID TO
LEARN OUTSIDE THE LINES.
GENERATION

12. Increasingly.
Gen
Edge
is
compelled
to
learn
on
their
own
terms.
Finding
new
methods
they
understand,
can
apply
and
most
importantly
will
pay
off
in
the
long
run.
As
the
world
recognizes
the
failures
of
the
education
system,
we
will
see
Gen
Edge’s
adaptability
coupled
with
the
turn
of
digital
technology
creating
true
democratization
of
education.
This
level
playing
ground
acknowledges
differentiated
learning
processes,
strengths
and
weaknesses
and
removes
cultural
and
5inancial
barriers
students
and
families
are
faced
with
in
traditional
school
systems.
Dallas
ISD
Received
$791,000
Gates
Foundation
Grant
for
a
program
to
create
individual
plans
that
cater
speci5ically
to
each
student
and
their
learning
style
Khan
Academy
Nonpro5it
website
that
provides
free
world-­‐class
education
to
anyone.
“Khan
Academy
offers
an
innovative
portal
that
could
revolutionize
the
American
educational
system.”
-­‐
Newsweek
Demos
UK
Pilot
program
of
student
set
goals
and
student/
teacher
co-­‐produced
curriculum
and
benchmarks
PERSONALIZED
LEARNING
"The
classroom
of
tomorrow
must
focus
on
the
learner.
Each
child
is
unique
in
his
or
her
development
and
GEMS
Education
approaches
the
role
of
the
teacher
as
one
who
facilitates
student
discovery,
one
who
bolsters
differentiating
experiences
to
promote
personalized
learning
and
one
who
creates
'schools
of
one'."
Denise Gallucci, CEO GEMS Education Americas
LEARNING OUTSIDE THE LINES

13. GEN EDGE WILL
INNOVATE RATHER
THAN REGURGITATE
LEARNING OUTSIDE THE LINES
“Hackers
are
innovators,
they
are
people
who
challenge
and
change
the
system
to
make
them
work
more
differently,
to
make
them
work
better.
Happy,
Healthy,
Creativity
in
the
hacker
mindset
are
all
a
large
part
of
my
education...I
call
it
Hackschooling.
I
don’t
use
any
one
particular
curriculum
and
I’m
not
dedicated
to
any
one
particular
approach.”
Logan LaPlante, Tedx University of Nevada
Before,
learning
mimicked
traditional
call
and
response
style
with
books,
analog
supplies
and
dusty
library
resources
-­‐
teachers
share
information
in
classrooms
and
students
were
instructed
to
repeat
on
tests,
quizzes
and
8inals.
Now,
we
see
our
Gen
Edge
cohort
living
within
a
different
learning
market
fueled
by
a
real
concern
that
memorization
does
them
no
good
in
the
real
world
they
are
being
forced
to
grow
into
quickly.
They
aren’t
satis8ied
learning
another
history
lesson
to
repeat
once
they
are
adults.
GenEdge
would
rather
experience
real
world
lessons.
In
context.
In
situation.
And
immediately
applicable
to
the
challenges
they
see
in
the
world.

14. THE REALITY TODAY ISN’T THAT GEN EDGE IS FAILING...
PRACTICAL
PLANS
FOR THE
FUTURE
Unlike
the
milestone
obsessed
and
praise
hungry
Millennials,
Gen
Edgers
are
rede8ining
what
they
consider
success
to
look
like.
With
the
downfall
of
education,
an
entire
global
economic
crisis
and
job
security
on
the
fritz,
they
are
considering
more
realistic
goals
and
dreams.
Rather
an
aspiring
to
the
lofty
corner
of8ice,
yearly
pay
raise
or
entrepreneurial
path
because
they
want
to
create
‘something
cool’
-­‐
they
seek
to
8ind
a
safe
way
to
support
themselves
AND
make
a
real
impact
on
the
world’s
problems.
Gen
Edgers
might
explore
professions
that
will
bene8it
more
than
just
their
own
pocket
book,
i.e.
biomedical
engineering,
sustainability
or
even
cyber
security
career
paths.
“In
the
UK,
students
studying
STEM
courses
(science,
tech,
engineering
and
maths)
are
at
a
record
high.
In
2013
-­‐14,
a
record
98,000
students
were
accepted
on
STEM
courses
-­‐
up
by
almost
20%
since
the
previous
decade.”
- Study from the Higher Education Funding Council

15. OFFER ALTERNATIVE
ASPIRATIONAL
MODELS
Aspiration
looks
different
today
and
will
continue
to
change.
The
days
of
white
collar
workers,
fashionable
work
wardrobes
and
company
cars
are
coming
to
a
rapid
end.
And
Gen
Edge
doesn’t
aspire
to
this
soon-­‐to-­‐be
extinct
lifestyle
either.
They
will
look
to
see
alternative
vignettes
of
success
and
lifestyles
from
brands
that
match
the
reality
of
life.
Demonstrating
that
brands
are
aware
of
and
embrace
this
new
way
of
life
will
build
a
connection
to
a
generation
that
gives
very
little
credit
to
brands
or
their
personas.
Incorporate
alternative
career
(or
job)
choices
in
communication
and
avoid
making
conventional
trappings
of
success
an
overt
focus
of
messaging
when
speaking
to
Gen
Edge.
BRAND IMPLICATIONS

16. PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY
FOR REAL WORLD
EXPERIENCE
Gen
Edge
are
more
likely
to
want
to
apprentice
or
be
hired
at
an
entry-­‐level,
on-­‐the-­‐ground
position
by
your
brand
to
gain
valuable
real
life
experiences
and
skills.
Consider
ways
to
provide
real
life
job
shadow,
mentor
and
apprenticeship
opportunities
over
entertainment
events
to
engage
with
Gen
Edge.
Make
the
brand
activation
worth
something
worthwhile
that
truly
bene8its
the
participants
in
the
long
term.
40
Alternatives
to
College
Handbook
In
his
book,
James
Altucher
argues
why
college
is
no
longer
a
viable
option
for
youth
and
offers
40
alternative,
real
life
experiences
in
lieu
of
traditional
education.
BRAND IMPLICATIONS

17. UNDERSTANDING A NEW GENERATION
WWW.THESOUNDHQ.COM
THANK YOUinfo@thesoundhq.com

18. RESOURCES

19. RESOURCES - Information
SLIDE 4
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/education/dropout-nation/by-the-numbers-dropping-out-of-high-school/
https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-high-school-dropout-rates
http://www.readfaster.com/education_stats.asp
http://www.greatschools.org/improvement/waiting-for-superman/3017-milwaukee-education-facts.gs
http://endlesslearningcenter.com/education-statistics.html
https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-education-america
http://www.oprah.com/relationships/Shocking-Education-Statistics
http://broadeducation.org/about/crisis_stats.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/education-21931110
SLIDE 6
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ashoka/2013/02/15/how-should-we-rebuild-the-u-s-education-system/
http://nation.time.com/2013/05/23/are-school-closings-discriminatory/
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/national-teachers-strike-thursday-10-july-2014
SLIDE 7 http://www.examiner.com/article/school-shooting-decatur-ga-school-has-parents-considering-homeschooling
SLIDE 8
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/NewsRoom/HarrisPolls/tabid/447/ctl/ReadCustom%20Default/mid/1508/ArticleId/1369/Default.aspx
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/02/21/u-s-teachers-job-satisfaction-craters-report/
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/06/18/report-us-has-too-many-teachers-quality-of-educators-declines/
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/teachers-warn-of-incalculable-damage-from-michael-goves-reforms-to-alevel-and-gcse-qualifications-9322794.html
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/may/18/michael-gove-fanatical-personal-trainer
SLIDE 9
http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/personalized-learning/
http://www.learningfirst.org/students-too-hungry-learn-challenge-we-can-solve
http://www.readfaster.com/education_stats.asp
http://endlesslearningcenter.com/education-statistics.html
http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/diversity/urban-school-challenges
https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-education-america
http://www.nokidhungry.org/pdfs/NKH_TeachersReport_2013.pdf
SLIDE 10 http://www.mediamobilizing.org/updates/announcing-revival-roots
SLIDE 11 http://www.ted.com/talks/kiran_bir_sethi_teaches_kids_to_take_charge/transcript
SLIDE 12
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/how-well-does-khan-academy-teach/2012/07/27/gJQA9bWEAX_blog.html
SLIDE 12
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/c-m-rubin/the-global-search-for-edu_b_5188225.html
SLIDE 13
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h11u3vtcpaY
SLIDE 14 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/05/high-school-agriculture-programs_n_5267921.html
SLIDE 15 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/05/high-school-agriculture-programs_n_5267921.html?utm_hp_ref=education&ir=Education
SLIDE 16
http://www.slideshare.net/JamesAltucher/james-altucher-40-alternatives-to-college
http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2014/apr/10/more-students-accepted-onto-stem-courses-hefce-report

20. RESOURCES - Images
COVER http://thebertshow.com/nationofwimps/
SLIDE 6 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/06/buena-vista-school-distri_n_3713599.html
SLIDE 7 http://youthvoices.net/discussion/armed-security-guards-school
SLIDE 8 http://blog.littlebigfund.org/page/2/
SLIDE 9 www.palmbeachpost.com
SLIDE 12 http://www.ryot.org/cause/khan-academy
SLIDE 13 http://clashot.com/editorial-photos/mobile/6139412.html
SLIDE 15 http://fitblogger.ca/fitness-smart-goals/
SLIDE 16
http://www.slideshare.net/JamesAltucher/james-altucher-40-alternatives-to-college
http://www.woobamboo.com/category/bamboo_toothbrushes/
http://www.asgvets.com/about-asg/veterinarian-internship-and-residency/
http://www.sheknows.com/living/articles/979891/how-to-change-a-tire-and-other-things-tough-chicks-know/page:2