Future Proofing! – Preparing boys to thrive in a rapidly changing and challenging world
As mentioned in last week’s Messenger edition, according to a recent McCrindle Research report titled, ‘Building Thriving School Communities’, 85% of the jobs our boys will be doing in 2030 haven’t been invented yet. They are likely to have between 10 and 15 different careers.
Back in 2018, the ‘Gonski 2.0’ review into education excellence highlighted the need for schools to focus more on ‘broader capabilities’ beyond literacy and numeracy. In the report, teaching ‘21st century skills’ such as information and communication technology, critical thinking, and collaboration, was identified as essential for the prospects of children.
A 2021 report from UNESCO identified some key trends likely to impact our boys in the future (some of which we are experiencing now). They included the challenges our planet is facing, advances in digital technology, instability in democratic government, and the uncertain future of work.
Our boys will see so much change and innovation over the course of their lives - some exciting and some daunting. Movement between careers will be so much more fluid than it has been for us, with increasingly less rigid and more diverse pathways. The graduate landscape looks far different for them.
Lifelong learning will become even more critical, driven by automation (robotics, smarter software), globalisation (outsourcing, digital platforms), and demographics (aging population). Foundational literacies (eg. numeracy, technology, language and communication skills), competencies (eg. collaboration and creativity), and character qualities (eg. adaptability and resilience) will be essential for success in the workplace.
Not only do we need to prepare our boys to be ready for secondary school and potentially tertiary education, but also for the challenges of a rapidly changing world. We need to adapt teaching practice to ensure that they have the knowledge, skills and character strengths they require to be ‘real world ready’.
Being equipped is more than having a rigorous academic grounding (although this is critical and non-negotiable).
It also involves:
- being socially and emotionally strong
- having highly developed communication and collaborative skills, and the ability to relate well to a broad range of people across both genders (having a high EQ)
- being digitally literate in coding, data analysis, and interpretation
- thinking critically and creatively, with the ability to innovate and be resourceful
- having a more flexible and adaptable mindset.
We aspire for our boys to thrive academically, socially and cognitively, staying true to their values and contributing richly to the lives of others. We want them to flourish in their schooling, further education, and eventually in the increasingly competitive job market they will face. They need to be equipped to be flexible, resourceful, and innovative as they prepare to embrace unknown challenges and the likelihood of multiple future careers.
Our approach to wellbeing and learning is focused on developing boys of character, who are confident, independent, lovers of learning, and are committed to live a full and rounded life in their community and beyond themselves in society.
The early years are the all-important formative years, where the critical foundations for successful educational, social and cognitive growth are laid. What a privilege it is to nurture our boys at this stage of their learning journey!
Peter Grimes | Headmaster
