The old school needs to close!

"I'm from the old school" is a phrase I hear from time to time as a response to the wave of change arriving at our educational doorstep. Here's my view of the old school. It  prepared students for jobs where someone told them exactly what to do. It prepared them for jobs that are now disappearing due to outsourcing overseas or more efficient software. For example, if you make a reservation at a hotel or on a flight,  do you really need to talk to a person or can you do it online?
Despite this reality, schools continue to churn out students who are stuck looking for 20th century jobs. Every year, millions are trained to do 1955 labor. Teachers giving students the way to solve problems instead of allowing students to search and create.
Currently, we have a mass production model of education. Sir Ken Robinson compares it to the fast food industry. Everything is standardized creating a single processed type of education - think old school. He argues we need a more fine dining, Zagat's rating, type of system where individual strengths can be maximized. Yes you can have it your way. Allow collaboration, conversation and creativity. Students participate and teachers become facilitators.
Until we personalize education and require each student to learn, until we create ways to ensure this learning occurs, we will continue wallowing in the past depriving our students of their potential.

Why Not?

Forgive me for borrowing from television commercials but it makes sense as a different approach to the same old same old approach.I've always been a believer of the Bobby Kennedy quote,
" There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?"
Where is it written that the old way of schooling is the best way? Have you seen this Kaplan commercial? Very apropos as far as embracing a new methodology.
Can we please ask ourselves these questions as precursors to our decision making. Why not? We can't be timid when it comes to thinking outside of the box in the effective education of our students.