After finishing the film “Most Likely to Succeed”, I reflected on how students are being prepared for life after they finish school. Are we really preparing them to succeed? Or is it more of a preparation for how to follow instructions? In this ever changing world, with technology dominating almost every industry, students need to know how to collaborate, lead and be creative instead of being micromanaged by teachers.

 I was intrigued by High Tech High and the focus on student centered teaching. It was interesting how the students in this school asking to be graded because they wanted to get into colleges. School is such an institutionalized system that it is so hard for teachers and students to break away from the molds that were set so many years ago. The current environment of schools do not reflect future careers, in real life you have access to information all around you and are constantly working with others. Even when you give kids an opportunity to experience real life skills in school guided by their own interests, such as in High Tech High, the current education system inhibits students’ abilities to be fully immersed as they feel they are missing out on proper education. 

The idea of project based learning in the film made me reflect on how I was assessed throughout school and the differences between the two. I was always given assignments, tests and exams to receive a grade and mark my comprehension. Although there were projects included in my education as well, it was never as big of my mark as the rest of the tools were. Project based learning clearly teaches the students the skill of collaboration. The outcome of their projects allowed them to feel validated, capable and what they learned will stay with them for years to come. Compared to tests and exams where 3 months later, everything you memorized and thoroughly understood at one point is all forgotten. 

The world is an interesting place, and allowing students to explore and understand it creates people who are ready to live and work in this dynamic world. The performance of High Tech High compared to other high schools in terms of college acceptance and state testing proves that transitioning education into a new system of diverse learning approaches is worth the risk. Growth is inevitable, and it is time that the educational system evolves to better support students in their interests, social skills and creativity.