My Tomorrow or Their Tomorrow?

"It's important for them to learn this"

The philosophy that I have learned quickly with teaching is that we, as educators, need to determine what is important for our students to learn and gain from our class. Earlier in the previous school year I was getting ready to have my students make bar graphs based off data we collected as a class. We used Google Survey and Edmodo to collect all of the data and the grand finale was to create bar graphs with rulers, graph paper, and colored pencils.

When I was grading the graphs I couldn't believe how some of the students couldn't draw a neat line or use colored pencils correctly. I was talking to my wife about how I thought it was an important skill that my students could draw straight lines and keep their graphs looking neat, organized, and nice. The moment I said that out loud I realized how strange it sounded.

It didn't sound strange because I didn't think they should be neat and organized, but it sounded strange because I thought it was an important skill that they could draw straight lines. What future job, for this generation, will require their employees to hand in a final copy that is written in pencil and paper? (Granted their are few jobs out their that would still require this trait, but not many) Does an architect walk up to a potential client and say "here is your final draft of your house sorry about the eraser marks"; Does a doctor take an X-Ray and give you all of the results on his handwritten notepad (not that you would be able to read it anyway).

After I pondered this thought for a while I found myself wondering (Am I teaching the students for their tomorrow or am I teaching them for my tomorrow [when I was their age]?) Even though I am only 25 years old (soon to be 26) and I am about to begin my 3rd year of teaching I found myself already teaching the students incorrectly. I must always remember, and continue to reflect, on what my students will need to be prepared for in THEIR future.

What skills will they need to sharpen before they graduate high school. Will they need to draw straight lines or create through technology? Will they need to learn how to write an appropriate hand written letter or how to send an appropriate and professional email? Will they need to know that we disapprove of social networking and that it's taboo, or that it can be a great developing tool if used appropriately? Don't be afraid to take risks and meet students where they are at. We need to continue to create and challenge ourselves to prepare the next generation! "If we teach the same as we taught yesterday we are robbing our students of their tomorrows."