In life, failure is not a permanent condition. But growing up, we were always taught to run from making a mistake. This left many of us in a shell, tucking away our curiosity.
"The average child asks about 100 questions a day. But by the time a child is 10 or 12, he or she has figured out that it’s much more important to get right answers than to keep asking thoughtful questions."
Seth Godin states that the one thing separating successful students from unsuccessful ones is that the good ones show up and say "teach me". These types of students look at failure and confusion as temporary conditions. They have a thirst for knowledge. Other students need to be sold before they can be taught. For example, they need to know if it's on the test before they give the topic the time of day.
This is where the education system is getting it wrong. I do believe intentions are good, but the "millennial" generation is becoming more thirsty. We want to explore our passions and curiosity. Not only that, but society as a whole is adapting to this dynamic as well.
In the near future we will see a shift to many more independent workers. The millennial generation shifting away from the industrial path presented to us coming through our academic careers. In the past it was always work hard, do well, go to college and land a great job. However a degree is not a guarantee anymore. Education is modeled on industrialization. We place students in batches by age and put them through a system at the same times in individual facilities. This production line mentality never allows a student to take their turn chasing something that aligns their talents and curiosity. We've become standardized. We can measure IQ, but life depends on more than learning quickly and easily.
Change is happening right in front of us. Keep your eyes open for an evolving education system in the years to come.