today's lesson: what it takes

A very special set of skills. That's what it takes to be successful in today's world of technology, outsourcing, and computers that are scary smart.

Just what does this special set of skills entail, you ask? Yep. You guessed it. Students simply must be one step ahead of the game if they hope to succeed (or even stay afloat) in today's job market.

Heather Singmaster outlined these skills in her article by stating the cold, hard facts. "As more routine jobs can be done by computer or outsourced, the advantage will go to workers who can analyze and solve problems, recognize patterns and similarities, and communicate and interact with other people, especially those who do not share the worker's culture."

What we are doing simply isn't enough. Still, the question remains: how do we as educators prepare students for the ever-changing and ever-intensifying world of work? Can it be done?

The answer is yes. We need more teachers with fresh minds and new knowledge. Those who can quote Shakespeare and navigate Photoshop at the same time with ease. The answer is not in harping on our students to study more or take more tests. The solution lies in the learning environment created by the teacher.

Teachers with new, innovative approaches to teaching are more likely to get students excited about learning. And if that can be done, than a major feat has already been accomplished. There are few students in today's world who are uninterested in technology altogether, and even fewer who will be marketable employees without it.

This isn't a back-to-the-basics movement. Increased testing will not prepare them for college. Jumping on the "students are lazy" bandwagon will not give them the confidence they need to succeed.

As educators, we hold the most valuable opportunity at our finger tips each and every day. We can change lives. We can be the change we want to see in the world. Pardon me for going all Ghandi here, but it's true.

We must make our classrooms a sanctuary from "boring." Since when is knowledge boring? Students have been given this notion from generations past, but it is our obligation to change this misconception. We have to freshen our approach, and step up our standards. We have to jump on that computer and learn what we need to learn. We have to balance the old with the new, the good with the bad.

We simply must prepare them. It is our job. Our responsibility. Our passion.