Welcome Class of 2028

Even though the future seems far away, it is actually beginning right now.
~Mattie Stepanek

Last night I had the pleasure of welcoming our new elementary school families.  While we have new students in all grade levels, the bulk of the crowd was made up of Kindergarten children and their parents.  Students beginning Kindergarten this year will graduate from high school in 2028; it will be our responsibility to educate these students for a world that does not yet exist.  In an information society, the world around us is changing faster than ever, and we need to prepare our students for their future — not our past.  To put the differences between the present and the world our Kindergartners will inhabit in perspective, consider the following:

• 50% of today’s jobs will be replaced by artificial intelligence.
• Car insurance will be a thing of the past, as most cars will be self-driving.
• The most valuable and fought-over resource will be water.
• 1 in 3 people will live beyond the age of 100.
• The most widely spoken language will be Chinese, followed closely by Spanish.
• 65% of the class of 2028 will hold jobs that don’t yet exist.

Given these predictions, we need to teach our students in new and different ways.  We need to individualize and give them experiences with new technologies.  Students need to struggle with tough problems and seek unorthodox answers.  Modern classrooms need to have a clear focus on the Four C’s: Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Creativity.  As I am learning about the things that happen in our classrooms, I am discovering that we seek out ways for students to work in collaborative groups.  Our teachers understand that kids need to use problem-solving skills in their work.  This year, our students will have experiences with new technologies that allow them to communicate in new ways.

This is an exciting time in education and an even more exciting time for Pleasantdale.  I look forward to working with our teachers, students, and families to ensure that our students are prepared to be the best class of 2028.  Over the course of the year I will be documenting this journey in this blog, on our Facebook page, and on Twitter (@dpalzet).