As technological and competitive advances in education are being made, people are starting to question if things are changing for the better. On one hand, these modifications are viewed as improvements to the education system that have the potential to reach more students. On the other hand, people believe that advances in these areas distract from the original values and traditions established by the pioneers of education. The real question is—how can a balance be found between the old and the new?

Some areas of the world are reflecting on the past to try to make new reforms within the education system. This idea of relying on the past to make changes in the future is very destructive. As we all know, the economy changes rapidly and demands the implementation of more creative skills. How do we know this is a necessary improvement? A majority of today’s children and young adults have found themselves without employment—and money. The bad news is that this economic problem extends far beyond the United States. For example, in North Africa approximately 54% of the population that is eligible for employment does not currently have a job. In fact, 1 out of every 4 young people, ages 15 to 24, are not working. Just about half of the world’s population are not contributing their job skills to society either. In the past, job opportunities did not vary greatly so many basic skills were taught in schools. Due to the low rate of competition in the past, the requirements for ‘success’ were the same for several individuals. Following tradition was okay back then. Now, our society is transforming at a fast rate. Employers are seeking potential job candidates who possess special talents or a range of specific skills that make them stand out from the rest. Europe and the United States have millions of unfilled work positions just because employers are having a difficult time finding the appropriate people to hire for those tasks. In order to fix the economies of these countries as well as the 16 other ones who are challenged with high unemployment rates, individuals must be trained with a greater set of specialized skills that sets them apart from the general population.

As competition increases, it is important to realize that curriculums should be more focused on teaching children how to use their knowledge to interact with different cultures. They should also focus on the children being aware and understanding citizens of the entire world, not just one nation. As of now, a lot of stress is being placed on test scores students receive on state and international tests. Countries tend to use these results as a basis for measuring their educational quality. Just because one country has demonstrated high test scores from their students does not mean that they rank above any other country when it comes to education. Using South Korea as an example, test scores can be irrelevant in determining the educational success of a nation. Most of South Korea’s youth are also unemployed because they do not have the skills they need in order to be placed in a job position. Going along with this idea, teachers are being held responsible for their students’ performances on various tests. You may ask why this is putting our nation at risk. With such a fixation on these test scores, teachers may struggle to teach their students. All children are at different levels, and if one fails, it should not reflect back on the instructor in a negative way. In fact, some students feel the need to cheat when this much stress is put behind a single test.

We also need to change our definition of educational excellence. Right now, people are defining excellence based on high test scores and a strict curriculum. The term ‘excellence’ in regards to education should be redefined as how well a school enables its students to develop their talents for the future. They should also include how well the school prepares children for a future filled of diversity in global perspectives, creativity, and innovation. Believe it or not, we do have the power and tools to make this shift. Technology is used on a daily basis, especially by the younger population. This is a huge benefit because technology is easily accessible and new ideas can be learned from virtually anywhere. The internet can be used to complete research, implement contemporary ways of learning lessons, and get a more diverse variety of knowledge. The first step in the movement towards excellence is to “start empowering the children by liberating their potentials, capitalizing on their passion, and supporting their pursuits."

On the other hand, Common Core is preventing the changes that need to be made to the education system. Each lesson in the Common Core curriculum is thoroughly scripted and teachers are expected to follow every one to detail. Put simply, Common Core is not doing anything to improve the education system or the movement towards redefining excellence.

Overall, education should be shifted in a way that embraces modern teaching approaches, technological advancements, and the teaching of the hidden curriculum which includes social and creative skills. By sticking to the old educational methods, we are de-evolutionizing what we have worked so hard to achieve in our schools—excellence. Instead of moving forward, we are moving back and relying on the past to improve the future. That needs to change before unemployment rates rise even more and we are unable to revert previous actions.