The Connected Curriculum - Challenge #12

Change Education Paradigms

 

I enjoyed re-visiting the video Changing Education Paradigms presented by Sir Ken Robinson and I whole-heartedly agree that our current education system is outdated and was “designed and conceived for a different age – the intellectual culture of Enlightment”.  Because of the bombardment of technology in the last 20-30 years our current generation is being raised in an era of global competitiveness.  I found nothing better out there than the documentary Waiting for "Superman" where it is declared that American is not just failing millions of children in the now global arena of education, but doing so at alarming rates.  The director, Davis Guggenhem, follows a handful of “promising kids through a system that inhibits, rather than encourages, academic growth.”    He includes a comprehensive review of the education in American studying “drop-out factories” and “academic sinkholes” and dismembering the system one layer at a time.

According to the documentary, the United States ranks 25^th in math, and 21^st in science among the top 30 developed countries. As echoed by Michelle Rhee (Chancellor of the Washington, D.C. public school system and a contributor to the documentary) she “wakes up every morning and she knows that kids are getting a really crappy education right now”.  Article after article states that education reform in American needs to be a sweeping process that will require both long and fundament alterations in school culture, beliefs, and values of the personnel working in the school districts. It should be an on-going process that will take years not months to implement.  Obviously, based on the statistics given we need to make an absolute paradigm shift in our approach to education in the United States in order to prepare our students to be competitive in today’s global economy. 

In my research I found several schools that are finding new and innovative ways to engage their students.  One school integrated biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science into a single course so that students could see the real life application and progressions of science. 

Another school took a bold move and eliminated traditional math classes such as algebra and geometry and replaced them with curriculum that focused on “Living Skills” math such as checking accounts, shopping for cars and figuring taxes, payments, and interest, I located a very interesting website, (takepart.com), that suggests alternative courses in technology instead that will help prepare our students for their now, based world.  I’m sure that my opinion is biased, being a technology teacher, but I adamantly shout that districts should put these kinds of classes in as graduation requires along with the existing core classes.  It cannot be denied that our children will be affected by the immergence of an Ipad or tablet on their new job and I believe all students should be placed in courses like MOOC's (massively open on-line classes, Tablet Computing, Computer Data & Learning Analysis, Game Based Learning, and Innovative (current) Technology. Teachers as a whole we need to work more on “1) integrating themes in the subject matter, 2) teach more understanding by focusing in some depth on major concepts rather than covering lots of detail, 3) making connections between subject matter and it’s real life applications, and 4) reach ALL students – not just the best — with rigorous content and attention to critical thinking”.

The United States can no longer stand aside nonchalantly and expect a disproportionate amount of time and money to repair the damage that has been done.  We must be proactive and start taking steps ourselves.  As a teacher I can help move this change along by volunteering to be on interview committees for new teachers, contacting our governor and asking for higher standards of education, creating a parent-teacher team for my classroom or school, educating my parents during conferences on what they can do to make a difference, and do more to find out what kind of learner each student is and then modify lessons to accommodate them.

Meet the five unforgettable children featured in Waiting For "Superman". They reveal the heartbreaking obstacles some kids must overcome so they can have what every child deserves: a great education. As Waiting for "Superman" states, "In almost every category we've fallen behind, except one:  Kids from the USA rank No. 1 in confidence. We have the confidence and the capability to make a change, and to thrive as the leaders of tomorrow, all that is left is the drive." So let's drive folks, let's drive!

Until tomorrow...

Collaborate and connect your curriculum!