The new school year is officially underway in Langley. Even if you don’t have kids in the education system, there is still this sense that summer fun is behind us and now we must get down to business.
Roads are busier and so are everyone’s lives. Parents begin their everyday scramble of getting kids to and from school safely. For some young ones, this week marks their entry into the school system. For older ones, they are entering into middle or high school. Classrooms are clean and bright, teachers and administrators rolling out the welcome mat.
While education is always evolving — big changes are coming to how teachers teach.
In the coming years, traditional teaching is being phased out. No longer will educators be standing in front of the classroom lecturing while students follow along from textbooks.
Instead classrooms will be interactive with teachers discovering individual student’s passions. Teachers will direct and fuel those interests on a new learning path.
Gone will be the days where everyone has to read the same tired book and write a report on it. Eventually, letter grades will be gone too, and grade-point-average won’t be the be-all-end all to get into university.
It’s welcome change for students who don’t thrive in the traditional classroom setting.
If teachers can tap into what individual students get excited about, the potential to unlock their brain from boredom and turn it into drive and passion is exciting news. Some of this type of teaching is already happening at Walnut Grove Secondary and the new Yorkson Creek Middle School, among other schools. This district has seen a lot of success with it.
Many teachers are already adapting their teaching style to this new way of reaching students. There are no two students alike. Some children thrive on tests and report deadlines, others crash and burn. Change is hard for all, but this is a directive coming from the government that parents and students should support.
Individual learning has the potential to unlock bright minds which can make for a bright future. Our future leaders and innovators are in our schools.
