After watching and discussing the 2019 documentary “Most Likely to Succeed”, I’ve had my eyes opened to just how desperately we need to re-structure the institution of schools.
With the last American school system re-design occurring in 1893, students are now being educated with practices and procedures designed to create successful citizens at the time of the industrial revolution. Needless to say, this system is outdated and increasingly ineffective. Artificial intelligence and increasingly advanced technology are outsourcing more and more jobs. This cultural phenomenon is leaving hoards of college graduates unemployed or working entry level positions, signifying a societal change that simply is not being reflected in our K-12 schools.
Gone are the days where attaining a university degree guarantees a job in the field of study. However, the vast majority of North American schools instruct with the aim of preparing students to succeed on standardized tests. The overall aim of this pedagogical approach is for students to achieve high scores on post-secondary entrance exams, often at the sacrifice of how well they internalize content.
As society places less and less value on undergraduate degrees, it is our responsibility as educators to mimic this change in the classroom. Institutions such as High-Tech High in San Diego are already offering alternatives to traditional test prep focused courses, focusing instead on creating citizens who are passionate, engaged and motivated to learn.
A dramatic over-haul of a long standing system such as education, however, will naturally be met with opposition. Many well-meaning parents are likely to express concern about their child’s development without the use of textbooks and standardized exams. Additionally students may struggle to adapt to be self-motivated after growing accustomed to standardized educational systems.
The overarching antagonist to any major foundation changes in our school system are the deeply engrained attitudes of society. To elaborate, such advancements will require a complete reframing of what our culture views as school. Our current school system is the one best known by every generation living today, and has produced a multitude of successful individuals. To put it simply, the standardized test prep method of education is the only one society knows.
As I begin my teaching career, it will be interesting to see if the school system stays static in its goals to “teach to the test” as we process in this technological era. I can only hope that more and more people tune into the fact that our current system is outdated, as this will allow for pedagogy that is better catered to both the long and short interests of modern learners.
