The Good Old Days Aren't Good Enough Anymore

In our hurried, quick fix world, you often hear people talk about the good old days when life seemed simpler and our teaching in school was focused on young people learning the basics of reading, math, and good citizenship. While these are still important skills for students, in our ever changing world the basics are simply not enough anymore. Our students in Middlesboro don't just compete for jobs in our community; they compete nationally and globally for good paying jobs. The ramifications of these changes are that our teachers must prepare our students to graduate with 21st century workplace readiness skills. These include knowing higher levels of math, being able to read and write more complex information, the ability to adapt to rapid changes in technology, good reasoning skills, increasing creativity, and working together collaborataively in groups. At the same time, our teachers cannot afford to let one student slip through the cracks and miss out on these valueable skills. Our schools are being reorganized so that the needs of all students, not just the larger group who are able to quickly master learning, are met.

So, these days, schools cannot be the same and teachers must teach very differently than in the past. Good teachers spend their time assessing students, revising their lessons to meet specific needs, and collaborating with their fellow teachers so that everyone is following a specific curriculum with predetermined outcomes for students. So, life is not as simple as it was in good old days. No matter what students can do when they enter our doors, we must have a clear picture and expectation of what they can do when they walk across that stage to get their diploma (a validation of their learning). We are exchanging the good old days for a great future in our children's lives.