Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash

Today in class we talked about the “Most Likely to Succeed” documentary which examines different teaching approaches when the teachers are not bound by a curriculum and have the freedom to teach students  by the method they choose.  I think this is happening to a certain degree in classes more and more, though not to the extreme as in “Most Likely to Succeed.   As I am learning through my education program, and through what we see happening in classes today, teachers are moving farther away from the more traditional style of teaching that we have known in the past.  While it appears that education is moving forward in a positive direction, this shift doesn’t come without its share of challenges and obstacles.  I think one of the main challenges that arises for those who are changing pedagogy, is reluctance from teachers who have been teaching a long time and are set in their ways, parents who grew up in the old system and still look for things like grades etc to demonstrate their child’s process, as well as administration who may not support teachers new ideas.   When certain systems have been in place for so long, it can be difficult for some people to shift their ways of thinking.  While there are many teachers who are embracing newer progressive pedagogy, there are those whose training and experience come from the older more traditional schooling making it difficult for them to embrace change.  Many parents also went through the older school system and still look for those values to be reflected in their child’s education.  If a teacher is changing the way learning happens, many parents may raise concern about how they can be sure their child is learning what is stated in the curriculum. Though today’s teachers can face many challenges as they adapt their classrooms and teaching to fit into today’s diverse learning environments, this shift makes for an exciting future in education.