Rothacker Reviews

Curiosity and Asking Questions

Angela Maiers teaches students about asking questions and curiosity in this video. Curiosity, the flame behind asking questions, is paramount when it comes to story-listening. Angela says to ask good questions, those whose answers are not easy to find. So when you are in a storytelling session with a CEO, make sure you don't waste her time by asking her something that Google can tell you.

Do you know what your professors would give to have students as attentive and passionate as Angela's here? This is what I am curious about. Has the passion and curiosity been beaten and or bored out of the student by the time he gets to college?

 

 

Google: Please don't redline Sergey!

Google engineers do not give Sergey Brin the respect that he deserves. Google docs redlines Sergey, who is a co-founder of Google.

When you type in a Google document the word processing program inserts a red squiggly line underneath a word that it doesn't recognize. That's what Google does when Sergey's name is typed in.

In a world fraught with war, natural disaster, poverty and hunger, why should I be concerned with respect afforded a multi-billionaire by his own company? I don't know. I just think recognizing the Surgemeister would be a nice thing for Google docs to do. That's all.

Now however, if Sergey or Larry defected and partnered up with Bill, that's when I would insert the red line underneath their name.

Anya Kamenetz and DIY U

You've been a judge for the Miss America contest for thirty years. A person asks you, "Bob, you've been surrounded and engulfed by beautiful women for all these years. How does a woman stand out? How can you possibly choose a winner?"

Bob: "Well of course the women have to score high in the talent competition, private interview, on-stage question and the other categories. But just between you and me, I choose based upon the breath factor. Who leaves me the most winded? Who takes my breath away?"

Okay, switch topic to David, me, and the tens of thousands of books, magazine-n-newspaper articles and online content that I've read in my life. How do I separate talented and engaging authors?

Oooops, sorry to get you all lathered up with the Miss America stuff, but I'm trying to make a point here.

The same way as Bob.

Anya Kamenetz takes my breath away. I remember years ago, the first time she appeared in Fast Company. I thought, how in the world can someone so young write this well? Her talent at that stage reminds me of how well Lebron James played basketball in high school.

Today, Anya brings her talent to the field of education. Or to be correct, to the field of where education ought to be (and is) going. Her latest book is DIY U: Edupunks, Edupreneurs, and the Coming Transformation of Higher Education. According to Anya DIY U means the expansion of education beyond classroom walls: free, open source, vocational, experiential, and self-directed learning. Her next project, due out this year, is The Edupunk’s Guide to a DIY Credential. k

I bought and am reading (one chapter left) DIY U because I am trying to learn how a person can take the helm of their own education and sail their ship into meaningful employment.

As it stands, I do not believe that K-16 and plus school is preparing students for what the workplace needs and is looking for. It's the driving force behind my Standing out in a Sea of Sameness Facebook page. I encourage kids beginning in their junior year of high school and through college, to seek out people in fields of interest. Sit down and ask them about their educational and work related pathways. Ask them about skills and educational requirements and then stay connected with them on their own journey.

After two months of educational reform research,* I need to tweak my own pathway. I am beginning to believe that one must start their own educational journey at the cradle (with the help of mom and dad). More to come on this in the future, but I am most grateful to Anya for her direction. She is a welcome light in the tempest of educational transformation.

Anya Kamenetz

Anya on Twitter

*I have yet to even scratch the surface of the available information on ed reform. It is positively mind boggling how much is out there!

High Speed Rail in Florida

"Where did great grandpa stand when the state of Florida had the opportunity to attract desirable industry to its shores, to move tourists with money to spend efficiently and expediently around its peninsula, to bolster the resource-richness of regionalism by shrinking its land mass, to provide work in an economy parched for jobs and to brand itself as a state forging into the 21st Century with a future in mind for its children?"

"Well Horace, your great grandpa stood by the mayors of Tampa, Lakeland, Orlando and Miami and he was in favor of the state accepting the federal government dollars that would finance ninety percent of this project. He applauded the local government and business for stepping up and devising a way for the balance of the project to be funded by non-tax payers dollars."

Horace is my great grandson that is yet to be born. Notice to my daughters: one of you will one day spawn a child who will spawn a child and name him Horace.

With a decision looming in the next few hours that will either allow this project to continue in Florida or not, I felt the need to set the record straight as to where I stand, for my descendants.

Julia Gorzka of the Brand Tampa community, pens a compelling plea for Florida residents to send the governor an e-mail in support of high speed rail. She also provides a link to the letter written by the mayors of the cities listed above to Governor Scott, that succinctly illustrates a plan to utilize the fed dollars in conjunction with private funding while flat out countering every argument that Scott has for refusing to allow the project to proceed.