Education Reflections on the Future Term Paper

Finding out about other peoples and cultures, through technology, will be an essential part of education in the years to come.

Numerous aspects of the current educational system will need to be improved in future years. The focus must be on children's individual needs and abilities. Today, standardized tests and general requirements frequently restrict students' opportunities to learn. Many youngsters do not get the attention they need, or the enrichment they deserve. Teachers often lack the necessary resources to prepare children for the real world, or to deal with children's real world problems. "Teaching to the test" creates its own difficulties for the educator, leaving many unprepared for atypical classroom situations. Young people have difficulties at home, or in their personal lives, and educators do not have the training to deal with these potentially serious problems. Disruptive and violent behavior can lead to tragedy. Children do not receive sufficient ethical and moral training. Coming from dysfunctional families - or dysfunctional schools - they do not possess the necessary discernment to see that there are other and better ways. From an early age, students must be shown that they can succeed in our society. Preconceptions about certain ethnic, racial, religious, or economic groups have no place in the classroom. Young children must not only be taught, but shown, that each of them possesses the same chances and is given the same opportunities. This includes, properly funding all schools, and furnishing all classrooms with the technology that is so essential to getting ahead in the contemporary world.Educational leaders must address and overcome each of these challenges and opportunities. Teachers must strive toward the continual improvement of the curriculum. They must look for new ways of accomplishing goals under changed circumstances. The goals, too, must be adapted to meet the needs of changing times. Change is a constant in our society. The world evolves materially and culturally; technologies change and grow, and the peoples of the globe draw closer together. As diversity and multiculturalism become the rule, educators must change their rules. Space must be made for new and different ideas. Varied customs must be accommodated. Students from different national and religious backgrounds must be shown that they also belong to the complex organism that is the global community. Teacher innovation involves continuing to take classes, to learn new methods of instruction, and become familiar with new technologies. It means being willing to learn from others - students and teachers alike. If an approach does not work, it must be replaced by something else, one technique after another being tried until the correct one is found... And then that one must be perfected. Teachers teach by example who show children they can tackle difficult problems and work hard toward solutions. Analysis and perseverance are not limited to the classroom. Educators should always be perfecting their skills, observing and considering, learning more about their students and their community. Teaching, like learning, is a lifelong process......