In a persuasive essay on the value of freedom in young people’s education, Grammy-winner John Legend writes that we “can’t live lives of joy if we can’t discover what we love doing with our lives.” The Ivy League-educated Legend believes education has become too regimented for young children. He asks readers to imagine school as a place to help people “discover and pursue personal passion instead of a predictable path.”
Legend is part of a group called Reimagine Learning–an education venture he describes as a $30 million fund whose goal is to help young people “not just do better in school but also discover what they love.” Legend cautions against “funneling people through a system.” Today, education and love are too rarely partners in a young child’s experience. Education more frequently pairs with drudgery to inoculate a child against a love of learning. Time for a change, says Legend.
