Last week our class was tasked with watching the film Most Likely to Succeed. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and found that it really made me rethink my own perspective on the education system, the education I received, and the type of education experience I want to provide to my future students.

The film addresses the many shortcomings of the traditional education system in North America, specifically the United States. It examines the structure of the traditional model, the traditional role and dynamics within a classroom. It also highlights the inescapable reality that technology is taking over and many traditional careers will be replaced within the next 20 years, leaving generations of 21st century graduates at risk for unemployment. This concept was terrifying to me because it made me think of my parents, friends and family and how their jobs could be at risk in the coming years. Who’s to say that we won’t have robot teachers one day and all of us will be out of a job?!

The film also documents the experience of students at High Tech High, a school in the United States that is founded on providing students with a personalized, authentic, imaginative and collaborative educational experience. We get to watch as groups of 9th grade students complete year-long projects and see their progress as they collaborate with their peers to produce meaningful, innovative and ambitious projects. It was incredible to watch this film and learn about High Tech High because I had no idea that there were schools that are like this. Based on my own experience in the public school system, at a fairly new and progressive school, I figured that most other schools were similar and mirrored my school’s and teacher’s approaches to pedagogy.

It was incredible to watch these students collaborate and learn in a student-led approach, with their teachers as facilitators and guides, rather than in the traditional teacher role. As stated in the film, this education model promotes critical thinking, developing soft skills (collaboration, confidence, leadership, self-efficacy, etc.), which I think are so important for kids to develop early on. I really enjoyed this documentary and it has made me question my beliefs about the role of a teacher, what types of learning environments should we be creating, what a well-rounded education looks like, and so much more.