The documentary Most Likely to Succeed, produced by Ted Dintersmith and Tony Wagner and directed by Greg Whiteley, explores the subject of teaching through project-based inquiry while exposing the shortcoming of conventional education systems. The documentarian follows a small group of students and teachers at High Tech High, who are reimaging what it means to learn and are revolutionized school as we know it.

I loved the idea of an inquiry based school. However, after watching this documentary I walked away with more questions than answers:

  1. Should curriculum be standardized in all Educational Environments?
  2. Do teachers know best?
  3. Is a teacher’s responsibility to tell students what and how to learn?
  4. what rights do teachers have to decide what is best to teach their students?
  5. How will this type of education prepare students to get into college? Does it help or hinder?

The evidence for a new approach is simple. The statistics say that:

  • In spite of teachers not creating curriculum toward state tests, High Tech High performs 10% above state average
  • 98% of High Tech High’s college acceptance rate

Schools haven’t transformed in the last 100 years and yet the economy and demands of people coming out of school has completely shifted. Perhaps it’s time for a new transformation. So, we can either keeps things the same, or try something new with no proof it’s any better then the current system…