By Edwina Harder

Southgate Elementary School Principal

I was recently engaged in a conversation about how much things have changed. My grandparents grew up in The Great Depression without electricity and running water. My parents enjoyed the early days of television. They would talk about how their telephone was a shared “party” line. I grew up in a time when we had three television stations. Walkmans let us go portable with our favorite music. The public library, complete with its card catalog, was a popular destination. The evening news and newspapers kept us aware of our nation and world.

Fast forward to the present. People are now reserving their spots on missions to Mars. Encyclopedias have gone the way of the dinosaur as the Internet is the repository of information. Electronic books continue to gain in popularity. People consume their music and news in ways they choose, including the Internet and other sources from around the globe. The world has become “flat.” Instead of being just proud citizens of a country, we recognize we are citizens of the world. Decisions we make impact others.

As I think about the changes that have occurred in our world, I reflect on the myriad of changes that have occurred in my chosen vocation of education. When I began in the profession 30 years ago, we were guided by grade level content expectations. Broad standards were given. For instance, in second grade I was to teach children about dinosaurs. From there I took the topic and selected what I felt were the most important pieces that students would need to know. As teacher teams we would discuss the topic and share resources. It was wonderful to dive into a topic and see the children’s enthusiasm. There was an incredible amount of flexibility as an educator.

Today, teachers are guided by state standards. These standards are things that students need to know (as directed by the state) and they will be tested to see if they do know them beginning in third grade. Teachers still bring their creativity to the delivery of the standards. However, the timetable for teaching is very guided, as there is so much content to deliver in a finite amount of time.

Students have always come to grade levels at different levels of competence. During my school years, we were divided into groups such as the “bluebirds.” Teachers would work with students on different topics based on these groups. Over the years as a teacher and now a principal, I have noticed the different student levels within a classroom are increasing. We have some students that are working well beyond their grade level, some beyond their grade level, some at-level, some below-level, and some far below-level. This complexity is addressed by today’s teachers through differentiating the curriculum. All students are exposed to the same grade level standard, but then teachers work with students in small groups or enlist the support of resource teachers to assist students at the appropriate level. These resource teachers are essential to assist the teacher in meeting the academic needs within their classroom.

One change you may have noticed over the years is the amount of technology that is used within the schools. I remember my grandparents talking about their use of chalkboard slates in the one-room schoolhouses. Coming into classrooms now you see a variety of technology including SMARTboards, iPads, student laptops, document cameras, sound amplification systems, electronic textbooks, and more. This is an important part of children’s education in order to give them access to the world outside the classroom. Teachers continue to find creative ways to enhance their children’s learning through the use of technology. Not everyone may have access to this kind of technology in their homes, but we know that in order to be productive citizens our children will need to understand how to use technology and access information.

Another change in education through the years is the way that instruction is delivered. In the years that my grandparents, parents, and even myself went to school most of the instruction was delivered in a “sit and get” fashion. Classrooms consisted of rows of desks and the teachers would lecture/deliver the lesson and students would take notes or listen. If you were to visit the schools today you would see and hear much more interactive learning taking place. Students are working in small groups, one on one, or in large groups. Sometimes the teacher is delivering content to all, but many times you will see more individualized learning opportunities. These opportunities help students to advance in their skills, and also to grow in their ability to work with others.

This article is only intended to be an overview of some of the changes in education through the years. There are many other things that are different in today’s classrooms — homework practices, expectations for schools to provide character education and services that families need their children to access (i.e. dental health), digital citizenship expectations and a myriad of clubs and activities that will benefit students, to name but a few. It is important for our community to be aware of the demands that are currently being placed on today’s schools.

We are working incredibly hard in our schools to produce students that have a broad knowledge base, are technologically savvy and are good citizens. Educators have had to change the way they approach their craft to stay current with all of these changes. They work diligently to stay abreast of new topics and practices. We are fortunate to be in a school system that is committed to providing positive opportunities for its students. We appreciate the partnership our community has with the schools. Thank you for your support!