School has the moment to moment responsibility to help children see a world beyond their current circumstances.

     If growing imagination of children is the central mission of public education, how are we doing?  How will we improve?  The first question is a trap.  If we get into a debate about how we are doing, we are liable to find ourselves discussing standardized testing, literacy, STEM, college readiness, or any number of other topics.  Let's look at growing imagination from wherever it is to something greater.  Why?  Because when a child can imagine opportunity beyond his or her current circumstances, the child can apply intrinsic motivation to removing obstacles and engage in a healthy process of personal growth and achievement.
        I have the privilege of leading a strategic planning team for my school division; one of six teams working to set a course for the future.  One of our members provided a spark for our work as he shared a memory from his childhood.  His story gave us a central theme.  His dream in fourth grade was to work with computers.  As with most fourth graders then and now, his school did not offer him a way to engage in his special interest.  The school was built around curriculum and structures that had no room for individual dreams.  We saw the connection between pathways to the future and individual student interests.  Pathways leading to workforce and college readiness must provide students authentic opportunities to explore their interests.  They must stimulate student imagination; showing them a world beyond their current circumstances.  A fundamental difference between the high flier and the disengaged student is the degree to which they can imagine themselves beyond today.  School and all the adults in it have the moment to moment responsibility to help children see a world beyond their current circumstances.