The world is changing fast, that much is clear. We see the signs all around us and they’re impossible to ignore.
Educators have a front-row seat to the disruption we’re all observing right now. They also have a greater obligation than most to think about how it could affect the next generation. They’re responsible for preparing young people to succeed in the world of tomorrow, not the world as it exists today. The present pace of change makes that a very challenging task indeed.
At the highest level, opinions differ as to just how educators should go about this. To educators’ and administrators’ credit, these debates have prompted introspection and experimentation that seems likely to strengthen American education as it moves into the future.
Heartening signs abound at schools like Delphian School, an independent K-12 institution in Oregon that offers a student-centered independent learning model. Faculty, staff and students at Delphian know that the traditional model of education isn’t the best fit for every student, and that it may show further signs of strain as time goes on.
Here’s what they believe is needed to prepare children for life in an increasingly uncertain technological future.
Teach Them the Foundational Disciplines They’ll Need to Know for Life
In one sense, primary and secondary education haven’t changed much in quite some time. The core of most educational models is a set of fundamental disciplines that educators generally recognize students need to know to be successful in life. You can recite these disciplines by heart: mathematics, science, language, history and social science, the humanities.
It’s important to recognize, however, that the details of these disciplines are subject to change — often dramatically — within living memory. Computer science, for example, is an important subject for secondary students at Delphian School and many other institutions; less than 30 years ago, it was all but unheard of as a high school-level course.
Give Them the Tools, Then Push Them a Bit Farther
The consensus that all students should master coursework within a certain set of broad disciplines is valuable. We can be reasonably certain that students at any accredited U.S. secondary school will at least be exposed to these disciplines, though of course the quality of their instruction and the material itself will vary greatly.
Many educators, for better or worse, leave things there. Great instructors — and great educational programs — stand out for going just a little bit farther. They see students as individuals and take it upon themselves to give them everything they need to reach their full potential.
“If you think about every student being capable of learning anything, then it’s over to you as a teacher to figure out how to get that student to learn anything,” says Delphian School computer science teacher Dylan Bennett.
Students might grumble about being “pushed” at first, but the results speak for themselves. They achieve more than they ever thought possible and can set their post-graduation sights higher to match.
Let Them Learn at Their Own Pace
Students do surprisingly well when they’re encouraged to test their own limits. They don’t do so well, some believe, when others do the testing for them.
That’s why institutions like Delphian School uphold a student-centered model of independent learning. This model is premised on the idea that not every student can (or should) learn at exactly the same pace, but that every student — to Bennett’s point — is capable of great things when placed in the right environment and given the latitude to pursue their own aims.
Avoid One-Size-Fits All Approaches
The world is not one-size-fits-all. Why should educators pretend otherwise?
Unfortunately, they’re often not given the choice. Not anymore.
Nearly half of teachers (49%) report feeling more pressure to ensure their students do well on state-mandated tests than they did a few years earlier. This added responsibility to meet outside obligations reduces the time and mental energy they can devote to curriculum development, student support and other core classroom functions.
Educators at public institutions may not have the freedom to push back on mandatory testing requirements or other “core” standards set at the state or federal level. However, within those constraints, they should strive to provide personalized, supportive instruction on a range of non-”core” topics.
Support Them in a Lifelong Learning Journey
Learning doesn’t stop on graduation day, even if graduates choose not to continue their formal education. Educators should design their lessons and the philosophy that guides them in the service of lifelong learning and inquiry.
That’s what independent, student-centered institutions like Delphian School do.
“Delphian is a place for the curious, compassionate and driven,” Delphian School says. “It’s for those who live life to the fullest and love exploring and discovering. They want to see more, know more and help more.”
High levels of alumni and parent involvement in Delphian life indicate that this idea has legs. When school is not simply a place to go for a few hours out of the day for a few years and then wash your hands of afterward, it takes on greater meaning and impact.
Building a New, Enriching Normal
K-12 education today already looks very different from 10 years ago. The next 10 years could bring even more dramatic changes amid rapid improvements in artificial intelligence and the tools we use to harness it.
Higher education, for what it’s worth, is in the same situation. That’s important for K-12 educators to recognize because, of course, many of their students go on to university.
We can’t know exactly how the future of education will look, and it’s a moving target anyway. What we can do — all of us in the business of educating the next generation — is resolve to build a new and more enriching “normal” for our students. One that allows them to reach their fullest potential inside and outside the classroom while preparing them for the inevitable challenges ahead.
It’s a daunting time to work in this world. And an exciting one too.
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