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Creating Innovators: The Making Of Young People Who Will Change The World (2012)

by Tony Wagner(Favorite Author)

3.85 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

1451611498 (ISBN13: 9781451611496)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Scribner

review 1: Let's see how do you create innovators? According to Wagner it take three easy steps. 1: Be Wealthy. In almost all of the examples provided, the innovators came from middle-class to upper class backgrounds. If you want to learn about innovation, get insights about it, talk to CEOs, COOs, and other top executives of major companies. 2: Gain Exposure to the top Universities in the United States. Along those same lines, try and get into Harvard, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Emory, and the like to get the education you need to be an innovator. If you don't finish at said schools, that is ok, remember step one, you are wealthy so you have that to fall back on.3: Be White. While not absolutely essential, it certainly seems to help. Almost every innovator Wagner profiled seemed ... moreto be of Caucasian descent. Again not every single one, but pretty close. It also doesn't hurt to have a trendy name like Zander or Taylor. Throughout much of this book, Wagner doesn't really define what innovation is. He gives some examples of interesting projects and especially products, but how innovative those things are is a matter of perspective. For example, Wagner's lead profile in on the young man who developed the first iPhone. Sure, as a product it was marginally innovative. Ultimately though, it is just another phone with a few more bells and whistles. What's more it is already obsolete. So the strategy of planned obsolescence, a mid-twentieth century stalwart, is being passed off as innovation. Finally, the iPhone doesn't exist without some of the worst labor practices in the world. Of course those concerns are ignored by Wagner, much like the Apple advertisements meant to distract us from 19th century labor practices, "Designed in America" but built in China. Even the "social innovators" profiled in this book are more concerned with dressing up the status quo and calling it new. Is anyone really against funding projects in Sierra Leone? To be truly innovative, let's think of ways to distribute wealth in a more equitable manner so microfunding and other novelty schemes are as necessary. To be truly innovative, let's start working on the roots of social problems instead of applying new band-aids to old gun shot wounds. In the Afterword, Wagner does back track a bit on some of is ideas. He realizes that charter schools are not the panacea of education and though he is not tenured, I think getting a paycheck from Harvard has blunted some of his criticism of the tenure structure. If you want to be an innovator, don't read this book. Take that time to develop your own ideas. If you want to create innovators, don't read this book. Raise your kids to be responsible, curious and disciplined. Only you know how to achieve that balance for your children.
review 2: Very interesting. Collaborating, problem solving, & value of passion in helping students become successful.Value of learning things outside of school & having downtime to be imaginative/creative. Lackluster opportunities within current educational settings in U.S. not only k-12, but post-secondary.Liked the idea that future opportunities for innovation lie not only in STEM professions, but social entrepreneurship too.Worth buying?Never was able to successfully download QR reader & view people via video - something I'd like to do.Marked pgs:12, 17,41, 63, 77,82 - 86, 141, 154, 157, 214, 235, 246 less

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