Schuler: Redefining Ready — Will COVID-19 Inspire Educators to Better Prepare Students for an Uncertain Future?
Educators have long been aware of the significance of crucial skills like creativity, flexibility, and resilience in ensuring the success of students. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the importance of equipping pre-K-12 students with these skills.
Especially for early educators who focus on the holistic development of children, there has been a constant struggle against the increasing emphasis on accountability. Policymakers and sometimes parents’ focus on high-stakes assessments has caused a shift away from teaching essential human skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, adaptability, project-based learning, and inquiry-based approaches. Nonetheless, the growing disparity between traditional education and the future of work, along with concerns about student well-being, has led to a rising interest among policymakers, educators, and parents in these alternative teaching and learning methods. The pandemic is likely to transform this interest into an urgent requirement.
The disruption caused by COVID-19 has demonstrated the tremendous value of adaptability when faced with unexpected challenges. It emphasizes the power of agency and the ability to recognize and direct one’s own learning. As the economic landscape continues to evolve, individuals who can adapt and remain resilient will be highly sought-after. They will have a distinct advantage in acquiring new skills to meet the changing demands of the labor market or economy, especially as automation replaces certain jobs that may not return after the post-pandemic recovery.
Fortunately, even before the pandemic, an increasing number of schools and districts were already placing greater emphasis on developing these skill sets. As early as 2015, AASA’s Redefining Ready! initiative established criteria for determining whether a student is prepared for college or career, while also raising crucial questions about life readiness. Does a student possess a growth mindset? Do they have the determination and perseverance to achieve their goals despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles? Do they possess a sense of purpose that motivates them as they transition to higher education or the workforce?
Preparing students in this manner necessitates a different type of curriculum that cannot be acquired solely from textbooks. It requires the creation of authentic experiences that empower students to solve challenges, explore ways to contribute value to their communities, and engage with the world of work. In my school district, entrepreneurship has been a fundamental approach to help students develop the skills needed to navigate an uncertain world. Additionally, internships and mentoring programs have played a significant role in this process.
Through our partnership with the nonprofit organization Uncharted Learning, we have exposed hundreds of students to the entrepreneurial process. They identify problems within their communities, develop solutions, and then work to implement those solutions to benefit the right people. Some of our students have even launched successful startup companies or found careers in related fields with the support of funding.
However, we also emphasize the importance of failure as a catalyst for growth. We encourage our students to embrace failure, learn from it, and then move forward. We provide guidance and mentorship during their failures, constantly asking questions about what worked and what didn’t, and how they can improve in the next attempt.
This approach helps students learn to take risks, trust their mentors, and derive valuable lessons from their mistakes.
Furthermore, an emphasis on entrepreneurship provides students with real-world experiences, which they deeply desire. Our students receive workforce opportunities that prepare them for a future where thriving amidst change is a highly valuable skill. Our teachers encourage students to explore their passions and interests, fostering a mindset of continuous learning throughout their lives.
It is not surprising, as a study found, that college students who took multiple core entrepreneurship courses were significantly more likely to become entrepreneurs themselves compared to those who did not.
John Couch, Apple’s first vice president of education and a co-author of Rewiring Education: How Technology Can Unlock Every Student’s Potential, writes, "These relevant experiences challenge students to solve real problems in their communities and in the world. They fuel their drive to be lifelong learners and innovators."
Finally, policies are beginning to align with what exceptional teachers have always known. Prior to COVID-19, the Every Student Succeeds Act allowed school districts to embrace nontraditional instructional models. The demand for workers who can think critically, adapt quickly, and collaborate effectively will only increase in importance as technology continues to reshape entire industries. The careers students envision for themselves upon graduation could be vastly different. Therefore, students must learn to be comfortable with discomfort. They must cultivate the ability to stumble, recover, and keep moving forward while learning. This can only be achieved through a sense of purpose, which provides them with motivation and the necessary tools to navigate an uncertain world.
Maybe the key to adequately equipping our youth for the upcoming times isn’t as distinct as we think. Dr. David Schuler, the superintendent of Township High School District 214 in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and a former president of the School Superintendents Association, as well as the recipient of the 2018 National Superintendent of the Year award, suggests this notion. By signing up for newsletter, you can receive similar enlightening narratives directly in your email.
