Teachers nationwide, along with our International Falls teachers, are experiencing teaching today as being more challenging than at any point in our history.
Besides our country’s diversity, challenges in teaching also come from changes in our society and our students, who have different characteristics than in the past.
Nationwide surveys of high school students revealed a large number of characteristic changes that are now a part of our society. The changes are quite different than what high school students faced prior to 1980.
A couple of questions need to be dealt with in order for us to work at a solution so our schools can deal with it. “What are the major dynamics involved in this change process and what tools are available to support the teachers in working with our young people?”
A number of studies have been done in researching the needs we must address in order to be successful with today’s students. A number of criteria were listed. Some that really stood out are: 1. A clear and strong support of education from the entire community; 2. Strong parent support of education with educational activities in their homes; 3. School support for professional development of staff along with school and community support in planning and implementing change; 4. The school’s need to understand and work with the growing “boy code.” This staggering issue of the macho “boy code” is for parents and teachers to recognize that boys learn differently and behave in ways that we see as aggressive or disruptive.
Schools nationwide feel the pressure to improve the educational experience of students. Teachers continually address the need to examine current practices along with working to implement responses to new demands. School change is one of the most complex tasks faced by instructors today.
It has been shown over and over that “change” does not happen by itself. For schools to meet the demands placed on them by society, the educational institutions need to have the people of the area work together and coordinate their goals for the end result of the betterment of our young people.
Source: Essential Schools
