Most Likely to Succeed by Tony Wagner and Ted Dintersmith

In Most Likely to Succeed, Wagner and Dintersmith explore the idea that even though everyone always seems to be talking about education reform it's almost always in regards to helping boost student performance (and, depending on the reform, school and teacher accountability) in our current system. However, they posit that the system itself is the actual problem; education is preparing 21st century children for a 20th century society. Students still memorize facts, dates, and equations when most of this information can be looked up on the computers, smartphones, and tablets they have at their disposal; and memorizing an equation doesn't necessarily mean they understand what the equation does (I can still sing, because that's how my teacher taught it, the quadratic equation, but I can't tell you how the information I get from it is useful) and in today's world understanding how something works and can be used and manipulated is far more marketable than being able to rattle off something that anyone can google.

While the focus is education it can also put a new perspective on who to hire (what does an excellent GPA from a good university really say about someone?) and what would make for a good employee or colleague.

This book offers an intriguing look at the education system, why it is set up the way it is, why that way should possibly be dismantled, and ways certain programs and schools are working on doing that.

Lisa