MinED & BlockED

Ripples in Education Resonate

Engagement is the Key to Education Reform Blockchain in 2018

Disclaimer: This article was created for educational purposes only. It does not represent legal, financial, or investment advice. I have revitalized this with a few added resources to aid those in a disrupted educational state from Corona Virus. Feel free to contact me with questions or comments. This article was originally written in 2018. Jenny Balliet. The full article can be found here

Hidden Costs of Teaching & Education: Funding in Need of Disruption

I have long reserched and written about the woes of Edudation Funding Reform, an defunct algorithm that is in a word broken. Teachers readily. turn to other sources. Here is an example of a Blockchain company that took a step forward.

A friend shared the following article, Bonanza for schools as SF crypto king Ripple gives $29M to DonorsChoose.org, with me, which inspired my article on the hidden costs of education shouldered by those most deeply entrenched, the educators themselves.[2] Ripple has now offered the largest virtual gift to any one charity, perhaps setting precedent for other ICO and crypto investors to fund the future of the Blockchain economy, the students whose STEM/STEAM education will sustain such.

”The #cryptocurrency has been converted into dollars, which the nonprofit will use to fulfill the requests, buying the books or sending funding to bus companies for field trips. Teachers don’t receive cash directly, and DonorsChoose.org charges $30 per project and an optional fee of 15 percent to help fund the organization.” Id.

It Matters: Budget Woes Will Never Stop the Determined Teachers, But Confounding Factors May Cause Them to Leave

Generally, teachers must buy out of their own pocket. We stock up on scissors, crayons, glue, mittens, you name it. The IRS previously allowed a $250 deduction. Yet, the first year teaching I spent 100 times that, not an exaggeration. I was not unusual. When engagement matters and districts are crushed by the broken school funding formulas, this is what teachers do. [1] Becoming a teacher is no small feat. You must be at the top of your class. While it may not look like it, I graduated summa cum laude, and was fearful whether or not I would get into the school of Education. You put your heart and soul into your classroom. This is not so conducive to marriage. The work-o-holic nature of the field, plus the do more with less, exponentially speaking, leaves time for your child and classroom only. Again, I am not alone or special, every teacher I know follows this pilgrimage. As a student, we spend every waking moment plotting how we will change the world and pay it forward. Then, that precious day comes…

You
get
your
prized
classroom!
Oh, what a magical experience! It is as if you just won the lottery or landed in a magical land of unicorns, whichever you prefer. Either one is equally as amazing

The First Year

Most first year teachers spend night and day in their classroom and seldom partake in spring or summer breaks. Why would you? You have things to do, projects to create, and most importantly, lives to touch. No budget, no problem, teachers opt to go the way of The Little Red Hen;

“Well, then, I will simply do it myself…”

as they procure the supplies, and are accused of succumbing to pack-rack tendencies for the students’ projects they are beaming with purpose. Teachers are one of the most resourceful bunch of collaborators you will ever meet. They are basically their own Blockchain of resources, beyond the scope here. This is why most people do not know the darker side of Camelot, AKA the epic-failure of school funding formulas. [1]

See:

Political Engagement: A Few Lessons From my Childhood & WiUnion; DDoJ: Distributed Denial of Justice Just an Aberration

Teaching: The Little Red Hen of Society’s Socialization

Usually these amazing professionals are busy crafting the latest way to engage little Tomm, or increase Susie’s assertiveness and emotional intelligence, so she is better accepted by her peers. But, sadly, these are the sides of education that seldom are highlighted. Once idolized as the highest form of socialization, education is now vilified, caught in the midst of the epic battle known as education reform without coordinating funding reform. Id.

This reality is grim. Whether for family balance or other reasons, many leave the field. But, there is hope. It happens in simple ways. Such as when companies similar to Ripple offer this generous gift to the educational system, globally speaking. It is not the money, but rather, it is the belief in Education that donations such as these foster. No, shockingly, it is not through standardized tests nor through incentivized punishment or even ‘accountability’ standards and unfunded mandates, but rather through creativity, ingenuity, and trust. All characteristics inherent within the Blockchain. It is landmark donations like this that restore faith in the education system and offer the sheer possibility of comprehensive education reform, which thereby gives teachers the credibility they need to do what they were trained and are highly educated to do, engage, motivate, and reach every learner. That is all every teacher ever seeks to accomplish. Id.

The stories are similar throughout the country as evidenced in the NPR article, What Are The Main Reasons Teachers Call It Quits? (October 2016),

“Get this,” Roberts says. “I was teaching a reading class and I had no books to read!”

Roberts spent three years teaching special education in Jonesborough, Tenn., before he decided to leave and become a financial adviser.

“If things were different in education, honestly, I would still be there,” he says from his office at Northwestern Mutual in Knoxville.” Id.

A Solution is Simple: Block + Chain

It all comes down to engagement and motivation. Students who are engaged cost less in the long run, even financially speaking. Every research study will echo this same sentiment.

Ah, yes, but how can you engage the 2018 student who seems bored by your very existence? Oh, that is quite simple. I propose Cryptocurrency and Blockchain as the perfect way to reach every child, it has an amazing cast of characters as rich as any epic poem, there is something for everyone, a place to belong, which is not often seen outside the classroom.

Engagement in learning is simple, all you need to do is understand what your student finds fascinating. This facilitates a change from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation and is inherent to all of us. Teachers previously taught in this manner before the movement I call #NoChildLeftUntested destroyed #DevelopmentallyAppropriatePractice (#DAP)... Good teachers can teach any standard with any topic. This is what our profession was designed for, teaching not testing.

“Oh the Places, You Will Go”

While it may seem an unlikely solution, there are projects that are already working on tapping into this ignored reservoir of engagement. I suggest, checking out Josie.io. Her Art is the link that could easily pull in the disinterested creative types. Another favorite is Coin Artist. [4] [5]. These innovators gamify academics and art in kind. They further set the standard demonstrating where true engagement will take our students. [5]

Boundless: Bound to Engage

There are many other dynamic projects and companies facilitated by the Blockchain #BUIDLers (Builders) throughout the global ecosystem. Whether the technical aspect of STEM/STEAM, innovation, social studies #BCSG Blockchain for Social Good, or the business-minded supply chain and implications of smart contracts and #fintech markets, the Blockchain platform offers a place for everyone and a solution for each, in turn, just like Education. Not all actors are good, but this can tap into the entirely overlooked need to teach news appraisal and due diligence for everything. In our’ over-mediafied’ era, these are some of the themes of my coaching practice. I used these same skills in the classroom via Responsive Classroom. However, that is beyond the scope here.

Ripples Resonate Towards Sustainability

The movement began with Ripple , but the impact loudly reverberates. It is my most sincere wish that Education embraces Blockchain technology, because it is here at the intersection of STEAM and engaged learning that unrivaled value is created, our education reform issues are solved, and every learner is empowered through intrinsic methods, which thereby, creates sustained, productive, lifelong learners who are responsive to change utilizing efficacy, transparency, and trust, all qualities that are inherent to both the Blockchain and educators everywhere. Quite simply, Blockchain & Education: It’s a match!