Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions.
Although society has changed dramatically with the advent of information technology, education has not changed as much as might have been expected. Classrooms now contain computers, but there is more that is the same about education now compared with 60 years ago than is different.
The Portfolio School in Tribeca, New York is different and may give us a glimpse into the schools of the future. The school's approach is research-based and has been developed by an impressive panel of experts in learning and child development. This method is centred around an interdisciplinary model of learning, and project work is central to the approach. Children are not divided into grades by age and the school day is not divided into subjects.
Instead, the year is broken into 'learning units' lasting three or four months, each of which can be approached from a variety of angles. The focus is always on creativity, design and practical learning. There is no homework - research has shown it is not very useful. Teachers are not seen as the possessors of knowledge which they then pass on to their students. Rather, they are considered mentors who guide and assist the learners.
According to the school, their approach causes deep learning to occur in children, fuelled by genuine curiosity rather than obligation. The philosophy of the school is based on preparing children for the actual world they will live in, which is technological, global and entrepreneurial. There is an emphasis on thinking skills and self-reflection, which are vital in the modern world.
The Portfolio School is, sadly, not accessible to everyone. However, the school is keen to reach out to the wider community and serve as a model of what education can be. It is the philosophy and approach that makes the school what it is. In theory, this could be replicated anywhere. So, the question is, will all schools look like Portfolio in the future?
(Adapted from Open World)
