It is remarkable how well we remember those special events that have occurred throughout our lives. Some events may have affected us so deeply that we have changed direction in our thinking or have perhaps turned our lives upside down.
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Reminiscing is a natural occurrence and as we grow older, the more we reflect on the past. How often have we said "that reminds me of ......." in order to recapture experiences.
We all live in the present, yet we still carry our past selves with us throughout our lives. We are part of a rich history that needs to be shared and preserved. The stories we tell about our lives are also important sources of self-identity that enable us to explore and relate our past to the present.
Reconnecting with our old school friends makes for often embarrassing conversations about our past exploits, achievements and mischievousness that were so much a part of our youth. There's the enjoyment of retelling Year 12 experiences, the memorable final curtain year and the end of our school-day life.
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2020 will be long remembered by current Year 12 students for different reasons. The adage that we never miss what we don't have does not ring true for these young adults. Our schools are not immune to the tendrils of Covid-19 and for Year 12 students in particular, all traditional plans have been thwarted.
Although a source of dismay, new circumstances have to be realised and students have no alternative other than to adapt. However, to be flexible, versatile and creative thinkers, are lessons learnt and powerful tools to take into any workplace, Students need to be armed and adept, hence education needs a greater emphasis on these skills in the face of such monumental change.
Our education system has had to adapt to this fast-changing world. Less than a year ago, who would have thought that the education system would be providing schoolroom classes on-line.
The most powerful element in education is the teacher. Children do not learn on an assembly line, they learn through human contact. Teachers have an important role to play. They shape future generations. They must be knowledgeable and creative, but they must also empathise and communicate on a daily basis with those students they have a responsibility for inspiring. We want our children to reach their full potential, both as productive members of the economy and as responsible, principled citizens.
The world of 2050 will be very different again from that of 2020. Helping students to develop a framework in which they think about future challenges is critical. There have been remarkable changes in how people work. The time when people stayed for 25 years in one job is long gone in developed societies. Therefore, schools now need to prepare students for a life in which they may have more than 15 jobs before they turn 50. Employers now look for employees who have not only mastered core subjects, but who are flexible, deal with change maturely and can learn new skills quickly.
The economy itself is changing. The knowledge economy and the service economy are expanding rapidly all over the world.
Communication, collaboration and creativity are the skills required in the knowledge-based industries of the future.
Globalisation requires everyone to think differently. The world is a smaller place than it was 50 years ago. Our children will need to be "globally competent" to understand other cultures and be comfortable with cultural complexities.
The world of information has also changed dramatically. The amount of information in the world is doubling every two years. So the way we manage this will have to evolve. The students of the future will need to learn how to discern, aggregate and synthesise information in ways we cannot yet imagine.
For educators, recruiting and retaining the best staff assumes a far greater importance than ever before.
For Year 12 students, the ability to adapt in their final year will no doubt provide a strong basis on which to grow their skills to be competent, productive members of our universe.
Adam Stokeld
Highland FM 107.1
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