Many classrooms today seem to be filled with worksheets and memorization tactics, lacking thought-provoking discussion and real-world problem solving. The world is an ever-changing place; education should be an ever-changing institution. While the rest of the world is moving forward, classrooms often remain the same.

One of the largest issues in education today is the ‘one-size fits all’ format. Students wake up at the same time every morning, sit in classrooms with students their exact age and very rarely receive curriculum tailored to their learning style. The blanket style of schooling needs to go, and a more individualized classroom needs to come. Some students learn better at night, while some learn better in the morning. A campus that gives students the freedom to come and go as they please would allow for all students to learn in the best environment.

Some students are auditory learners and some are visual learners. Knowing this information can allow teachers to alter their curriculum materials to best fit their students in their class. Accommodating for individual needs of both teachers and students will be difficult, but it would come with tremendous results.

One of the largest differences in classrooms nowadays is the technology. Thirty years ago, Smart Boards were not being used, students’ desks were not occupied by computers and the impact technology made was not as large. Now, technology is a critical part of our education. Our school is entirely iPad based, which allows us to have a mass of information at our fingertips. Thousands of other schools implement iPads, Macbooks, laptops or other technological devices into their learning.

The ease of getting information is nice, but is technology really helping students? An iPad or a laptop gives the student another distraction, which allows them to easily get off task. Once again, this comes back to the ‘one-size fits all’ problem. Some students learn effectively with an iPad, but some learn best with a laptop or simply no technology at all.

The education system in America has been a problem for a while. The only way to fix it is to address the problem and work towards change. Students and technology are changing with the times, and education needs to progress with them.