Generations@Work

If you ask the average American what institution in our society is the least innovative you might find a lot of people saying our public education system. But this might be a situation where perception is lagging reality.

But first let’s set the context. Here’s a quote from a post on EduKey:

It is more important today than ever before that students develop critical thinking skills, complex problem-solving skills, and the ability to work in collaborative work teams. They still need the basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics…

Students today must be proficient with technology if they are to meet the demands of the 21st century, even though we can’t be certain how the world for which we are preparing students will be constituted…

The challenge education faces is unprecedented. We will strive to prepare all students to be “college or work force ready.” There is a sense of urgency in education, because to do anything less is unacceptable.

No big surprises here, but it is good to remind ourselves of the challenges ahead. But before we all throw up our hands in frustration and concern, check out the blog Blended Edu, a great source for learning about innovation in the classroom. Blended is a great resource for teachers, especially in directing them to new technologies that can enhance student learning. Blended also gives the rest of us a window into the world of innovation in the most important work place in our society, our schools.

A new generation of teachers is entering the school workplace. In our on-going work interviewing young workers I have come across several people who mentioned that they had prepared in college to enter the teaching profession, but when they did they found it difficult to teach in a way that spoke to their strengths. I hope the recent news about innovations, especially in the use of technology in the classroom, may point to a change in attitude generally that will encourage talented Millennials to enter and stay in our nation’s classrooms.

We invite those in the education profession to share their stories about changing work in our schools. We will continue to follow these interesting education blogs and will periodically share what we learn about the future of work in education.

A new generation.