Source: https://x.com/asherwolfstein/status/2051714395454206114
Thread posts: 11
Speaking as a former technology paraprofessional at a small-ish (hundreds of students K-4) who believes in the power of technology… it is high fucking time that teachers, administrators, boards, trustees, and the government realize 2 things:
2026-05-05 17:23:25 / 2051714395454206114 / Twitter Web App
1. Education doesn't need to "compete" with anything. *Anything.* A lot of *public* school teachers (where I worked) balk at the notion of "running" a school like a business, taking pride in things a business wouldn't/couldn't do, which, okay.
2026-05-05 17:23:26 / 2051714397568197014 / Twitter Web App
But then, they turn around and talk about how they must "compete" for their student's attention, "especially now."
This isn't new. Schools have had to "compete" for student's attention since the dawn of time, but, it isn't a competition.
2026-05-05 17:23:26 / 2051714399161942454 / Twitter Web App
However, it's high time teachers and administrators also use their critical thinking skills. Not doing so is something I often witnessed whilst they tried to teach those very skills. It's not just for literature, math, and essays! It's "for living successfully"… isn't it?
2026-05-05 17:23:26 / 2051714400768422381 / Twitter Web App
By viewing it as a competition those operating the school place themselves in the same league as Fortnite, cartoons, YouTube, streamers, etc. This is a huge mistake.
2026-05-05 17:23:27 / 2051714402244788481 / Twitter Web App
It informs the audience (the child students) that school is simply another form of "entertainment" that they can choose not to "tune" into.
2026-05-05 17:23:27 / 2051714403821883396 / Twitter Web App
Children *do* pick up on this, even subconsciously. They pick up on everything.
Trying to "compete" transforms learning into something unserious, which, to a child simply makes it one among many choices to take seriously.
2026-05-05 17:23:27 / 2051714405315051988 / Twitter Web App
Every child will naturally prioritize that which gives them control over their lives, a feeling of accomplishment, and which fascinates them over everything else. Remove the first two and the third disappears.
2026-05-05 17:23:28 / 2051714406934012210 / Twitter Web App
While, yeah, that's a choice, it diminishes the importance of education, learning, and critical thinking in the students' minds. But, sending this message isn't the only issue.
2026-05-05 17:23:28 / 2051714408515325965 / Twitter Web App
Operating as if you have to change things around to "compete" with things that do not offer the same intellectual value leads to big issue number 2.
2026-05-05 17:23:29 / 2051714410193080593 / Twitter Web App
Issue number 2
https://x.com/asherwolfstein/status/2051726249698144353?s=20
2026-05-05 18:13:38 / 2051727031617110231 / Twitter Web App
Twitter/X root tweet: 2051714395454206114