Future Trends: Education in America

Futurists predict that our youth will be unpreparedCreate Success is one program being used at
in science and math to compete successfully inChildren of the City that is constantly being
the global economy by 2010 unless we makeevaluated for needs and even better success. It
drastic changes to public education today.is fast becoming a model sought after by other
This is just one of the reasons why today'sagencies.
schools are implementing instructional coaches inHigh priority is placed on student's academic
the classroom, one of the fastest growing trendssuccess with intense tutoring and daily personal
in education. The reason is because schools arehomework help. They also provide students with
faced with greater accountability than ever beforecounseling, and advocacy within the social
and many school districts are seeking newsystems such as courts, plus age-appropriate
methods of supporting professional developmentgroup and individual mentoring.
among teachers to strengthen teaching practiceTrends will shape the future of educators and
and improve student learning.students globally. The future of America's
Districts are using coaches to help implementeducation system, for example, according to
reform and focusing on particular critical areasfuturist James Canton, is that "the quality of public
such as math, science and reading. These neweducation, in crisis today, will either propel or crash
methods are intended to support broadthe future aspirations of the American
implementation of best practices in classrooms.workforce." It is also predicted that education is
There are other trends in education that havefailing to prepare high-tech workers.
started at grass roots level in communities suchThere is also a rise in the hispanic population in this
as Sunset Park, in Brooklyn, New York. In thatcountry. Many of the kids in Brooklyn, New York,
community alone, more than 15,000 kids drop outfor instance, come from hispanic families who
of school every year.cannot afford help when their kids are not doing
One woman named Joyce Mattera founded awell at school.
charity organization called Children of the City inThanks to the Internet there is hope for the
1981 to reach out to kids in the community.future of our education system. By the year
Volunteers and began visiting children weekly to2040 the Internet should be available to people of
assess their needs and invite them to variousall nations. By then futurists like Canton predict
community programs, helping them via academicimmediate, portable, transferable, in-demand
support, life skills training and family counseling.knowledge sources on a scale equivalnet to the
Board members have helped the organizationLibrary of Congress. It's eighth among the top ten
raise funds for this last year's Christmas gifts fortrends of the new innovation economy.
more than 800 children.