So who is the most likely to succeed? Not necessarily those who are proficient at writing tests or memorizing masses of academic information.
With standardized education focussing on tests and scores instead of “soft skills” such as critical thinking, confidence, resourcefulness, punctuality, time management, and collaboration, students are becomingly increasingly unprepared for entering the modern-day work environment. But how does society solve this conundrum? As mentioned in the film, our current educational model has been essentially unchanged since the days of Horace Mann and as a society we should ask ourselves, is this a good thing?
Although the economy continues to rise, human employment is becoming increasingly obsolete every year. And while the film mentioned mid-level associates and salespeople as those greatly hurt by the current technological revolution, how long is it before doctors, lawyers, or even teachers are replaced by more efficient, advanced machines or programs?
As the film mentions, we humans need to be creative. But how do we do so when our educational system and its policies and “masterminds” stifle our creative minds at every turn? Perhaps we as educators need to be the change we see in this world. We need to help our students realize their greatest creative potential within the restrictions imposed on us by curricular standards and policies. As someone simply beginning his journey as a B.C. educator, I have yet to figure out how exactly this process will look for me. But to reference the film, I can confidently say that in my classroom I will be more of a “gardener” than an “engineer”.