A Message for Students: Be Smarter than Your Teachers
By: Erik P.M. Vermeulen
Tags: Entrepreneurship, Self Improvement, Education, Schools, Innovation

A Message for Students: Be Smarter than Your Teachers

Don’t wait for the system to change. Take control of your own education.

Photo courtesy of author

The coursework. The money worries. Finding time for extracurricular activities to build a unique résumé. I understand the pressures.

But the world is changing and your attitude towards education must change to squeeze the maximum value from the experience.

The job market is different now, and a degree from a good school doesn’t guarantee your dream job. It may not guarantee any job anymore.

And, in this new world, formal requirements — the school’s name, the courses you studied, and the grades on your transcript — are much less critical. Believe me. Employers are looking for different qualities now (I know I do) — and the most important are adaptability, creativity, and a capacity for out-of-the-box thinking.

“Does that mean I should skip school — or that a degree isn’t important?”

Absolutely not. Schools have never been more critical. New challenges and opportunities need educated people. Education is still the key to a better future. You just need to approach it right.

“But surely that is the school’s responsibility? To guide me in the right direction?”

You’re kidding? Most administrators and teachers haven’t got a clue. They prefer to stick to old content, habits, and routines. And I can’t really blame them. The system doesn’t provide the right incentives for them to change.

The result? Don’t wait for the system to change. You need to take responsibility. You must become smarter about your education.

“So, what should I do?”

Here are three suggestions to get you started:

Embrace the Virtuous Cycle of Un-Learning and Self-Learning

The acquisition of knowledge or skills isn’t enough for today’s world. Old concepts and models are quickly losing relevancy and won’t help you. Instead, it’s all about digital skills and literacy — the ability to “un-learn” and “re-learn” constantly in a rapidly-changing technology-driven environment.

Be curious. Spend some time going beyond the lectures and assignments. More knowledge is at your fingertips. YouTube. Online books and articles. Other platforms. This strategy will help you develop the necessary self-learning skills — collecting, curating, and consuming.

This will make you smarter and offers you an opportunity to learn without a classroom and a teacher.

Perhaps the most important advantage of using your years at school to explore different content (and not just following what you think is expected from you) is that it will save you a lot of time and energy to un-learn things later on. Un-learning can be difficult, frustrating, and time-consuming. Develop this ability while you have the chance.

Start Creating

Content creation is at the center of everything. Self-learning is not only about digesting and analyzing information. It’s also about actively creating and sharing new content — criticizing, creating, and then correcting information.

Which platform works best for you? How do you convey a message to a broader audience?

It will help you find your “passion” (what you’re good at). It also makes you innovative and resilient. You’ll learn that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. You can experiment with different styles (serious, humorous, provocative).

And Build Your Own Brand

And there is more. Re-learning and content creation will help you build a unique personal brand.

Brand building is difficult. It may take years to find direction. It makes sense to start building your brand consistently during your school years. It is the perfect time for experimentation and iteration.

It will help you find new and unexpected opportunities. I know that if I have to hire someone right now, the person who understands the value of self-learning and has built or is building his or her brand will have a better chance.