Why Schools Need to Change Now?
Let’s get a few facts straight before we try and understand the problem going on in America’s schools. First, as of July 2020, the unemployment rate for young people in America hit 18.5%, which is double the rate a year ago.
Second, the average college loan debt in America has reached over $29,000 per person.
And lastly, our schools are teaching 19th Century curriculum ideas to kids that must compete and be prepared for the 21st Century.
Why are these problems?
Because we keep thinking the problem is the school system, or Teachers, or Principals, or something that is out of our control, but the simple truth is that the only problem with America’s schools is we teach the wrong material.
It’s that simple? The cold hard truth is yes, it’s that simple.
When school leaders and Teachers laugh at kids who say they want to be “YouTubers” or they have a Twitter account, it’s time to rethink public education.
Here’s a fact for you — According to Twitter’s annual report, it earned over $2.9 billion in ad revenue for 2019. Who’s laughing now?
The problem is that our schools are not equipped to teach material for the 21st Century. It is designed for the 19th Century. Students are not graduating high school and going to work on a farm, or in a factory any longer. In fact, most students don’t even go to college after high school.
The good news — the Educational Development Institute is working with a Tech Software Company to transform the “WHAT” schools teach into a fully relevant 21st Century model. A perfect example is students who take English in school are learning about grammar and spelling, but they aren’t learning how to write for Video, Print or Business.
In Social Studies, students learn about the Revolutionary War, but they don’t learn the Top 10 mistakes American Businesses made after the Assembly-Line was developed.
The problem in our school is not our Teachers, Principals or the schools themselves, its with the curriculum they force kids to learn.
For many parents, they know how irrelevant public education is, that’s why when learning went to “REMOTE” parents were so upset. The curriculum their kids are doing has no basis in real life. It is not relevant to what parents are dealing with, working from home, or losing their job.
What if kids were learning skills that could help their families? What if kids were learning how to create media campaigns online? What if kids knew how to create Spreadsheets that calculate profit margins, and investment and savings strategies.
The problem is that Out-Dated methodologies rule the day. No one is arguing that students need to learn math, but when the math questions have no basis in reality, what’s the point?
And you all know that if Juan has 2 candy bars and Sally gives Juan 1 more candy bar, that Juan now has 3 candy bars, except no one knows how to calculate the taxes paid on those candy bars? Or how much profit the store owner made on each candy bar and how many candy bars he needs to sell to break even?
Math is very useful, when it becomes useful. What’s the issue with teaching math to kids by having them analyze two real estate listings and figuring out which one has more “value?”
This is the basis of the NEW Curriculum from the Education Development Institute. Real world knowledge, skills and abilities — from kids that are High School graduates.
Imagine what the world will say when our High School graduates are more equipped for the 21st Century than today’s college students? You think everyone will be shaking in their boots?
