Two days ago, I read an article by the Founder of Crossover Education. The article starts with a quote from Pixar's "The Incredibles," where Dash, the fastest kid on earth, says, "Everyone is special," which is another way of saying that no one is.
This statement resonates deeply with the current state of our educational systems, where homogenization and standardization have become the norm, whether in the U.S., China, or Chile.
Schools, institutions, parents, and students all believe they are on their own unique paths, even though they follow remarkably similar trajectories. Universities try to attract students by showcasing their unique offerings and special campus experiences, yet they often end up looking no different from each other.
Society's narrow definition of what it means to be special and successful creates a narrow path for everyone to follow, resulting in a heavy blindness and crowd mentality in the minds of our educators and parents alike.
I think it's time to pause and ask ourselves questions like these: why do I need to be special? For what purpose? Am I chasing "special" for the sake of looking "special" to others or following the fashion and trying to look special because that's what people value in me? Am I authentic or losing the real me by pretending to be special?
In the hot, blind pursuit of looking special, both educators and parents tend to get lost in the direction and lose sight of the larger picture of the child's life journey and the big question regarding the purpose of education.
The purpose of education is to help students find themselves and their own mission in life, help them develop their talents and potential, and equip them with the knowledge and tools to realize their dreams. It is about helping them discover what they truly want from their lives. Being special is really irrelevant to this purpose.
In our quest to make each student appear special, we risk of losing sight of what truly matters in education. Even worse, we encourage students to act and pretend to be special, even though deep inside we know there's nothing special.
Instead of focusing on superficial markers of uniqueness and specialness, we should aim to cultivate environments that allow students to explore their genuine interests and develop their true selves. By doing so, we will create a generation of individuals who are not just superficially special, but deeply fulfilled and authentically unique. It’s time to redefine success in education, focusing on personal growth and meaningful achievements rather than a vain and hollow race for distinction.