Executive Viewpoint

Pure Imagination

Dr. Mike Hernandez, AAEA Executive Director

My daughters like to read books, and my Daddy heart is happy when I see them tucked away with a book instead of a phone or iPad. The top requested book genres in our house are Holocaust or dystopian. Does anyone else have this issue? A recent radio story reinforced this when they discussed movies and books popular with young adults. My daughters' favorite movies are "Hunger Games," "Maze Runner," "Divergent" Series, and "Ready Player One." It does make one wonder what the outlook on life of young adults is. Do they hope for a dystopian society or dream about something better? How can one have a positive outlook on the future when every time you see portrayals of the future, they have less than desirable outcomes? Not to mention the occasional zombie apocalypse. You may be wondering why I am talking about this in my monthly article. Did I run out of things to write? No, but this got me thinking about the world of education and the outlook of current and future educators. A cursory scan of social media and the news often paints a picture of an untenable future of education. We must not allow that to be the only story being told. If we want a positive story to be written, we must be willing to write it ourselves. Where are we going? How do we get there? So imagine with me, what do you want our future to be?

Education has always been the cornerstone of progress, shaping societies and individuals. As we now know, the digital age is transforming the education landscape through virtual classrooms in K-12 and higher education. We are learning that traditional one-size-fits-all approaches give way to tailored educational experiences catering to individual student's unique needs and learning styles. What does this mean for student achievement? We must ensure that students are prepared to work at their own pace while still meeting some semblance of learning expectations. Educators have to be able to facilitate learning in this new dynamic environment. To do this, we must be okay with letting go of what we have always known but keeping some of the best practices that still show results. In the future, I hope to see well-thought-out blended learning environments with parents heavily engaged in the planning and implementing of their child's learning plan. Educators can diagnose a student's learning strengths and deficiencies quickly with technology. Then, a plan can be developed to support the student in their learning efforts. This plan will be adapted as the student moves through their learning. A scheduling model will be created that allows schools to limit the emphasis on grade level and focus on learning outcomes. Of course, this will come with some varied cost implications, but in the future, we will have figured out a better method of providing funding based on a student's unique learning needs, but still take into consideration the needs of the school as a whole. One can dream, right?

In the future, schools will be connected like never before. We would have a campus that has access to teachers all over the world. Virtual exchange programs, international partnerships, and collaborative projects will enrich the educational experience, preparing students to thrive in an interconnected world. There will be greater emphasis on soft skills such as critical thinking, communication, and adaptability. These skills will be honed by doing more interdisciplinary projects, teamwork activities, and real-world problem-solving challenges in the curriculum. The business community will be instrumental in collaborating with schools to help them connect students to future job outlooks and opportunities.

As we look towards the future, what is the role of educational leadership? Leadership has never been more critical. We must stop buying into the narrative that it is doom and gloom. This rhetoric does nothing to attract new leaders and educators into the workforce. Am I saying we should lie to them? Not at all. We have to be honest about the challenges and give a sense of hope. Invite them to build a future and not just manage the past. Leaders are best positioned to talk about the future positively and shape it. Speak it into existence, if you will. We need leaders who embrace technology, foster collaboration with parents and community, empower educators to lead from the classroom, nurture innovation, lead with purpose, and adapt to change. My vision is that future school leaders will create learning environments that inspire excellence and opportunity for all. We will make a better future in education for all, no matter the competition or other circumstances that come our way.

As Willy Wonka sang:

If you want to view paradise

Simply look around and view it

Anything you want to, do it

Want to change the world?

There's nothing to it."