Dear Teacher: What’s New in Education This Year?

Parents: As your children return to school this year, don’t be surprised to see new technology and approaches implemented — varying by each school. Of course, as you probably have guessed, AI (artificial intelligence) will probably be leading the way in how teachers utilize innovative resources in their classrooms.

Artificial Intelligence: As teachers become more familiar with all the ways AI can be explored within the classroom, you can expect them to engage it more as an individual tutor to meet a student’s specific needs, quite like being a co-teacher.
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): This is a rather new idea that academic success is entwined with emotional well-being. Because many classrooms today have a more diverse group of students, social-emotional learning helps every child to feel respected and empowered. Teachers will emphasize such things as relationship building and mindfulness, which is to be fully present, aware of where we are, and not be overly reactive or overwhelmed by what is happening around us. Teachers will focus on helping students learn such skills as empathy, self-regulation, and responsible decision-making.
STEAM: STEM education will become STEAM in many schools by adding an “A” for arts, as an inclusion with science, technology, engineering, and math. It will involve using creative disciplines such as visual arts, music, drama, and design to foster creativity and innovation. It should help students learn to think outside the box. The idea is for STEAM to make learning more engaging as it combines with analytical STEM activities.
Gamification: School can become boring at times for children when they are learning lengthy or difficult material. Adding games or game-like elements to this learning material can increase engagement and interaction. Students will be more eager to learn when game elements such as point-and-reward systems are used.
Project-Based Learning: This, of course, is nothing new. However, parents may see an increased focus on their children completing projects, and a corresponding reduction in the number of worksheets and amount of rote learning. A class might work together on a real-world challenge that encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving.
Blended or Hybrid Learning: This is a mixture of face-to-face classroom instruction with a teacher, as well as online materials to equip students in mastering a lesson. In many cases, the online components are in the form of a video. At times, students may use what is called flipped classrooms — viewing a video lecture from the teacher prior to tackling a topic in class.
Personalized Learning: There will be an increased emphasis on ensuring that learning is directed to meeting the very different needs and learning styles of each student. Your child’s assignments may not be similar to other children in the classroom. This requires additional work from teachers.
Digital Learning: Focus on navigating the online world will continue. Online safety will be emphasized, as well as responsible use of technology and digital etiquette.
Augmented & Virtual Reality (AR/VR): Students can explore virtual tours of historical sites, museums, or other locations. They can create virtual field trips and experience things they may have never seen before, such as the Amazon Rain Forest, South Pole, or Gettysburg battlefield. This will enhance what they are learning.
Experiential Learning: Students at all levels will participate in real-world situations and projects outside of the classroom. This helps them acquire practical skills.
Recreational Drugs: Teachers will discuss the use of recreational drugs when it is age-appropriate. Instead of the “Just Say No” approach, they will focus on factual information and promoting harm reduction. This discussion may be part of a health unit.

Your children’s classrooms — whether preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, or high school — will have more electronic gadgets this year. Many of the changes will be an increased focus on their individual educational needs, technological innovations, new workforce demands, and students’ emotional health.

Parents should send questions and comments to dearteacher@dearteacher.com. To learn more about helping children succeed in school, visit the Dear Teacher website.