Education of the Future
Many people say that our education system is flawed. What drives me nuts is when people suggest that the solution to the problem is MORE of the same stuff – longer school hours, skipping recess, more tests, etc. Isn't this the definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results?
Fortunately, not everyone is on that same treadmill. There are some wonderful new and innovative school programs out there now, and more and more are popping up all the time.
One thing that impresses me it is that homeschoolers are on the leading edge. We are the ones who have the courage to buck the system and to keep looking until we find what actually works for our individual children.
Homeschoolers have many learning opportunities they take advantage of:
one-on-one learning
small group classes
online learning
specialty classes
individualized standards and learning plans
frequent field trips
time to work on special interest projects
It's no wonder that homeschooling continues to grow.
Yet what I see as mainstream education of the future is neither homeschooling nor traditional schools. Rather, the school of the future will be a blend of the two.
Students will do more learning online. Students can go to school to meet with their education consultant, to collaborate with others, and to take advantage of resources not available elsewhere.
Parents – not teachers – will be responsible for finding the right learning situation for their children.
Every child will have their individual learning path and will not be held back by any “common” or “standard” requirements. Students will have time to pursue their own interests. They will have increased access to a variety of learning experiences, which will give each child a greater chance to live up to their highest potential. To fulfill these pursuits, students can spend more time at the gym, art studio, theater, or science lab, etc – all part of their “school” work!
Can you feel it? Change is happening and YOU are part of it! Yay!!!
