While 2Pac may not have written his song Changes about the education system, one line does ring true within this setting as students - and the world around them - are continually changing and "things will never be the same" - or stay the same. This week's discussion focused on the changes that have occurred over time and how the different generations have responded and reacted to these changes. While there is much content to delve into from this lesson, one particular question left me with many thoughts regarding my profession and what it may look like in the future - "Do schools really need to change?"
How are Schools Changing?As the world around us continues to evolve, schools need to embrace the ways that technology can positively impact student learning. Technology is not only something that the younger generations are actively engaged in but also something that has great potential to improve the education system as a whole - when used properly. Over the past decade, it became evident that the current state of education, while working for many, was not effectively reaching all our students. As a result, many educators have sought out new ways to integrate technology into their pedagogy as a means of solving this problem. Blended, Flipped and Online Learning have been one solution schools (and divisions) have adopted as a way to bridge the gap between their students, and has become a major change to the educational landscape in our province. Utilization of these methods has allowed for the learning experience to be tailored to meet the needs of each individual student, and also offers a flexible timeframe so students have the opportunity to learn at their own pace. As a Grade 8 teacher, I began using the Flipped approach in my math class a few years back when I was inspired by our fellow classmate Dean, who had adopted this model within his High School classroom. When I saw the positive effect this approach was having on his students, I too decided to give it a whirl to see if it would help to improve the learning experience for my students. At the time I was teaching in a school that had a 68% EAL (English as an Additional Language) population and I wondered if having the ability to re-watch lessons and work at their own pace would help my students learn better than the typical "lecture-style" lessons I had been using before. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this method not only had positive benefits for my EAL students, but all students in my class, as many were able to work at their own pace through each unit, and the majority of my time was spent working one-on-one with any students who required assistance, instead of lecturing at the front of the classroom. While shifting to a Flipped Model, can be a lot of work upfront, the benefits far outweigh the initial time commitment, and I honestly can't ever see myself swtiching back to the traditional model of teaching math. Why do Schools need to Continue to Change?Recently, I was selected (along with Trevor and Dean) to pilot a new STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) program called goIT with our classrooms. The goal of this program was to introduce the concept of STEM to our students and teach them about the current STEM skills gap that exists in our world today. It became very evident that this concept was incredibly important, not only for my students, but for all students as there is currently a major gap between education and opportunity that exists outside of schools. One of the first lessons in this project highlighted some alarming statistics that emphasize the need for education to bridge the present and future gaps that will result from changes to technology and the world around us. Some of the most important reasons why schools need to change are:
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AuthorI'm a middle years teacher in Regina, Saskatchewan, working towards a Masters Degree in Education. Archives
April 2020
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