When faced with the question “do we need to reimagine education?” in the simpliest terms, the answer is yes. There is always room for improvement, especially in a growing and constantly changing world that should ultimately effect how we educate a new generation. Due to standardization and (honestly) fear, the education system has remained the same for over a century. In order for our world to not only advance to its full potential but each individual learner as well, a call for a newly reimagined education system across the globe is well overdue, and I feel it is approaching.
Changing pedagogy is a necessary step to reimagine the education and schooling system as a whole, but that process is not a simple step by any means. The brave educators who put themselves out there and attempt to change a century-old process and way of life face many obstacles inside and outside the school space. Just to start the process, the approval of not only the higher-ups but other teachers who see the benefits is something needed, and often many teachers and leaders may not initially see the benefits. Instead, they may only see the potential for failure and collapse of a once very stable pedagogy. If the initial change is successful and manages to be placed into a school system, there is now the obstacle of aiding the students and even parents into this new way. Not only will it initially be confusing for the students, but the majority of the parents may be worried for there child’s education and not believe in the new pedagogy at the start.
With more and more reasons to change our current education system adding up each year, my excitement and worries about the education future rise with it. There truly are so many positives: more skills that apply to our futures, a more positive mindset in school, higher growth rates in students and creating more positive and mindset-driven students. Alongside those positives, there are the fears of having to change the university requirements or even the classes, which can cause a chain of problems, the time that it would realistically take to effect the schools and countries that need this most, and maybe even a loss of students due to a fear or anxiety around the new pedagogy.
