Adapting to 21st century needs


If I could reorganize schools in a way that would better fit 21st century needs, I would start with more project based learning. I think schools have failed students in the sense that students have become so focused on memorizing information just to regurgitate it on exams. I cannot say enough how ineffective I think this is! I think we need to show students real world examples of what they are learning, so they do not deem it completely useless. In addition, if you can do it on an exam but not in the real world, it actually is meaningless. I would get rid of the rigorous testing, and implement projects and strategies with real-world relevance and collaborative learning. I think in this way we will develop people who can think critically and creatively which will be extremely useful in the real world. I would also include vocational training for the students who are not set on going to college. In this way, they can explore other avenues and still feel as though they can pursue some form of education after high school that will contribute to them being productive members of society. 

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