As I cross the threshold of my 50th birthday I have found myself reflecting on my 25+ years as an educator. Through these years there are countless stories and lessons taught and learned but also transformations that have shaped how and what we learn. My first classroom was complete with technological tools such as chalkboards and overhead projectors. To say the least the world has changed but many classrooms have not.
Global trend setters are claiming we have entered a Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Like previous industrial revolutions this change is being powered by transformative technological change. The first three revolutions used steam, electricity, and electronics to design, develop, and deliver new solutions to our daily lives. This new revolution is different in several ways. It is powered by fully networked digital platforms that are powerful fusions of technologies that blur the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres.
Our current generation of students are living in a time experiencing breakthroughs and changes with no historical precedent. This revolution is evolving at an exponential rate not a linear one. And these possibilities will be multiplied by emerging technology breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, 3-D printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, laser technology, materials science, energy storage, and quantum computing.
Here at All Saints we strive to ensure that our students our positioned and prepared to not just live in the future, but thrive in the future. Their lives will be defined by continuous learning and new skill sets. At All Saints we are dedicated to creating authentic learning experiences that give students agency to develop and hone their creativity, flexibility, adaptability, and resilience. As I observe our teachers and students in our learning environments, I am optimistic and encouraged. From the Learning Farm to powerful laser cutters, from the Early Learning and Lower School Oasis Lab to the Upper School students building prosthetics and assistive technologies, from the playgrounds to immersive ecological studies at the Outdoor Learning Center our students are benefiting from quality learning experiences while developing the qualities that will prepare them to be the leaders for tomorrow.
It is powerful to review the guideposts we have developed with the “Portrait of a Graduate, Portrait of a Teacher, and Portrait of a Classroom” and the way we see today feeding into tomorrow. These views portray a learning environment that interconnects with teachers that have mastery, passion and impact… with classrooms characterized by learning that engages the head, the hands, and the heart… and then graduates who display honor, truth, and wisdom in all that they do as they are positioned to take their place in the world.
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