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A Signal From the Future of Teaching
“This is where the world is going”
This article is part of a series exploring the throughline: Restart, Reframe or Recast the Purpose of Education?Shifting Work Expectations
Let’s start outside of the bubble of education. I was struck by the announcement from Airbnb to let staff work from home indefinitely. Here is part of CEO Brian Chesky’s email to his colleagues.
We want to hire and retain the best people in the world (like you). If we limited our talent pool to a commuting radius around our offices, we would be at a significant disadvantage. The best people live everywhere, not concentrated in one area. And by recruiting from a diverse set of communities, we will become a more diverse company.
A provocation on many levels. Now re-read the above paragraph and replace “offices” and the last word with school, college or university.
Now work back through the idea; what would need to change, and what might be achieved from such flexibility? What might be lost?
I belong here
The obvious issue this raises is community and belonging, in the bricks-and-mortar sense, and we all have experienced how disconnection during the pandemic erodes relationships.
