"The Future of Work: Will our Children be prepared?"

Our children will be prepared for the future of work, but will that be because of their education or in spite of it?

As teachers, what are we doing to prepare our students for the future of work? Are we teaching transferable skills like collaboration, communication and critical thinking or are we focusing on memorization, regurgitation and testing? Based on my observations and experiences, we're doing all of these things.

Yesterday, a colleague of mine asked me for my thoughts about an ESL geography class that he's currently teaching. He told me that he feels concerned that he's not "getting through the curriculum" quickly enough. I asked him whether it mattered if he got through the curriculum. And for that matter, do our students need to get through any curriculum? Of course not.

We need to meet students where they are and help them move their learning forward. I think that most teachers would agree with this, but still the idea of "getting through the curriculum" pervades staff room discussions, especially during report card season. If you're reading this blog, however, I suspect that you see curriculum differently. I bet that you think about the curriculum as a framework to teach skills that will help students be successful in school and in life; it's not something to get through.

Our children's education will prepare them for the future of work when we emphasize the skills that they need to be successful. If you agree, pass it on!