Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Everything Old Is New Again

  • By Deborah P. Moore
  • 04/01/17

Working in this field for what seems a lifetime, brings with it a unique (or jaded) insight. As I look back at some of the significant trends in education, it is interesting to note that what seems like a new problem or idea, most likely is not.

Sustainability — On Apr. 22, 1970, we celebrated the first Earth Day, putting air and water pollution and other environmental concerns on the front page. The sustainability movement took hold in the building and construction industry some 20-years later (1993) when the USGBC was established. The the LEED rating system was unveiled in 2000. The Center for Green Schools was launched in 2010. Today, building sustainable schools is routine practice. The movement has firmly taken root.

Energy and Design — With the OPEC oil embargo of 1973, fuel prices jumped 350 percent. Reddy Kilowatt spread the message to “use energy wisely.” Through the early ‘80s, numerous articles were written about making schools more energy efficient. New mechanical systems were installed to save on heating and lighting. The large windows were eliminated to save on heating and cooling costs. What wasn’t taken into account was the negative impact this would have on natural ventilation amd light, and the positive effects of natural light on students. Windows are now being added or restored.

Science and Technology — It was 1957, and the talk was about the Soviet Union, Sputnik, the space race and how American students were falling behind in math and science. Our sense of superiority was being challenged and our strategy was to emphasize math and science, and to expand vocational programs. The focus quickly faded. Fast forward to the 2000s, when global rankings, the economy and workforce development took center stage, and there was a renewed emphasis on what we now called S.T.E.M., empahsizing that students need to think critically, problem-solve and collaborate.

Open Classrooms and Makerspace — In the ‘60s and ‘70s it was all about the open classroom. In the ‘80s, it was back to basics and the open classroom idea died. Today, it is once again about active learning and collaboration; makerspaces where students can create; and a focus on student-centered learning.

My question is not so much the space, but how we are training teachers to use it? Stay tuned to see if it sticks this time around!

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.

  • El Paso District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The Canutillo Independent School District in El Paso, Texas, recently announced that construction has begun on a 119,000-square-foot elementary school, according to a news release. The district partnered with Pfluger Architects, Carl Daniel Architects, and LDCM Solutions on the new Davenport Elementary School, which has an expected completion date of 2027.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • T&T Construction Management Group Completes Pasco High School Expansion

    Pasco High School in Dade City, Fla., recently announced that it has completed an expansion project in partnership with T&T Construction Management Group, Inc., Harvard Jolly Architecture, and Williams Company.