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Start today when preparing children for tomorrow
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WHEN I imagine the world in 10, 20, or 30 years, I imagine somewhere that is vastly different and yet, not so different, from how we live now. As an educator, I always keep this (and other) possible versions in the back of my mind when it comes to preparing my students for more challenging tasks and sending them off into the real world. So what does this, as a teacher, actually look like?
Technology is obviously bringing people across the world closer together than ever before and is the driving force behind change in our world. This means a much stronger interaction between different cultures, religions, ideologies, and ideas. Being in an international school already provides my students with an advantage rarely seen. In one classroom there may be up to 10 different nationalities and as many languages spoken.
This alone is a strong push towards helping our students live, but more importantly, understand a world where boundaries may not be so defined. The ability to learn, understand and empathize is a skill every teacher should instill in his or her students. In my classroom, group work is essential and at our school there is a strong focus on global and community appreciation. It’s a topic of discussion in the classroom: How can I learn from you and understand you better?
As mentioned, I believe technology is one of, if not, the major force behind global change. There are two schools of thought regarding this, but I look somewhere towards the middle. In my case, with younger students, we use technology as a medium for helping students learn, not simply using technology for technology’s sake. That being said, we also teach them ‘computer’ basics. Our students are growing up in a world where they use technology from the first moments of their life and technology changes as fast or faster than our students.
When my students reach university age, they will need to have strong technological skills (whether it’s knowing one of the many computer languages, how to create websites, or another as of yet undiscovered skill they may need). These skills can be taught in school (or out), but I believe that putting the idea of it in my students’ minds will set them on a course for being better prepared for a vastly changed world.
Cameron McGregor is 3rd Grade teacher of Shanghai Community International School, Pudong campus.
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