Caution: What you are about to read is an extremely unpopular opinion and may have cost me a friend or two over the years.
We have been so focused on technology, technologists, specific coding or dev skills, STEAM/STEM, that we have lost sight of the larger picture. Without strategic, business minded, cross functional team players with broader skill sets than technology, even the best technology, and technologists, will fail. But there are no classes in building relationships, having empathy, understanding differences. And the classes that used to help with these “illogical” things have all but gone by the wayside.
I’m all for STEAM/STEM focus in schools, to exposing underrepresented populations to technology careers, and really anything that gives our kids a leg up in the global marketplace. What is so bothersome to me is that it feels like we are doing this not through extended school days, or in addition to the core curriculum, but in spite of. I sound like an old person but back in my day we had “specials” that exposed us to more than just reading, writing and arithmetic. Those “specials” used different parts of our brains, allowed us to explore more about our passions and see the world a bit differently.
I say this now and truth be told, I didn’t even LIKE most of the specials. I could not draw for the life of me, but I learned about perspective in Art. I could not do a pull up or run fast, but I learned about being part of a team in Gym. I could not sing at all (still can’t), but I learned to appreciate the intricacies of music and performing in Music. Most of all, the “specials” gave everyone an opportunity to use the “other” part of their brain. The one that lights up when we play and engage and communicate. The part of our brain that processes multiple sensory inputs at a time, resulting in a better brain, and more adaptability to change.
And let’s just be honest here, not everyone’s brain is wired for logical, scientific work. Yet, that’s what we expect all of our students to do and to be passionate about. This carries into the workforce and creates a team (if you can even call it that) of logical, specific, folks where it’s never their job (because they don’t know how to do it) or they never have time (because they don’t know how to do it) to complete projects, tasks, or implement business strategies that require interaction with and understanding of other roles within the company.
Sorry not sorry but if STEAM/STEM programs are going to be the focus of everything we do in schools, the reintroduction of “specials” needs to go right alongside it. Implementing a pure focus in our curriculum of STEAM/STEM is actually no different, and no less ridiculous, than implementing a pure focus on ART, or MUSIC, or PE. But holy S&^%, if anyone were to say we need to make sure that every core class includes ART, or physical exercise, I’m pretty damn sure there would be protests and riots and lots resistance. (Okay. Maybe not riots but you get the picture.).
The STEAM/STEM/Technology words are so strong and so definite and sooo logical that you see a lot of head nodding when they are spoken. “Yes. Hmm. That makes sense.” Can we be LESS logical for a minute? The world is not black and white. The world is not logical (understatement?). Yet we are arming our students, and future workforce, with ONLY logical tools. It’s still yet to be seen if this will help or hurt commerce, but I think it’s safe to say that if our cultural climate is any indication of the impact of too much logic, we are not in a good place.
If you’re a technologist, I am so happy to have you in this world. The universe is well aware that I cannot do what you do. If you are a writer, I am so happy to have you too! If you are an artist, programmer, salesperson, marketer, business executive, thank you! I notice what you do every single day and I know it’s not easy when you’re competing for promotions and you’re not “technical” enough. You’re like the “specials” in school! Keep going! Don’t change! Be the “specials” that businesses need right now!
Segovia Consulting 