Our outdated educational system is failing students
Mismatch between traditional education and the future of work
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” — Alvin Toffler
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a teacher. I was captivated by the idea of leading a classroom, sharing knowledge, and a bit excited about using my 4- coloured bic pen to grade my “students”; I would use the black or blue ball points for good and red ball point for bad. I never figured out what the green ball point was for. I walked around with my pen always ready for an impromptu class. My playtime often involved teaching basic math and language arts to my attentive siblings and cousins; and, when that was not possible, to my dolls and stuffed animals, who had no choice but to listen. I distinctly remember at five years old teaching my cousins aloud, on repeat, how to spell “independence.”
In those days, my idea of education was simple and idealistic — a harmonious exchange of information within the traditional, structured environment of a made-up classroom. Okay, I did most of the talking, with little exchange. And the classroom was anywhere. However…
