Sunday, December 9, 2012

Why We Should Be Listening to Students


If you have not yet heard of 17-year-old Nikhil Goyal from Woodbury, New York it is only a matter of time. Nikhil is the author of the recently published One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student’s Assessment of School and has been featured on just about every news and media outlet available. The Washington Post calls him “ most likely to be the future Secretary of Education” and Dell has named him one of the Top 100 World Changers in 2012.

I am thinking that by any standard, this is pretty amazing for a high school senior.

Nikhil and I follow each other on Twitter. He actually contacted me first by email when he realized that I was engaged in book chats with parents. He was wondering if I might be interested in reading his book and discussing it with students.

Nikhil Goyal is still in high school and is already creating his own future. A quick check of his website nikhilgoyal.me/book and you cannot help but be impressed with the multiple resources that he has amassed to share his views on the education being received by the majority of students in America.

When using any 21st Century Skills rubric he has done the following:
  • Thinks critically and analyzes an issue of interest to him and others
  • Explores available research
  •  Identifies experts by using technology to help him communicate and collaborate
  • Uses technology to expand his personal learning network
  • Writes a book
  • Manages to get his book published
  • Markets his book
  • Draws significant attention to his work by maximizing resources available to him


Today he tweeted:

There has never been a better time to be an innovator and dreamer in America

What an exciting perspective amid all the talk of hopeless prospects for the future! Carpe Diem!

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