Week 30: Trends

Week 30: Trends Shaping Education Reflection - using Gibbs' (1988) Reflective Cycle

Step 1 (What): Reading the OECD (2016) report about the trends influencing education was interesting. I was particularly drawn to aspects of Family Matters as I wonder if I am seeing the influence of this trend in my new entrant classroom - children lacking resilience, a noticeable increase in low oral language and increasing numbers of children with emotional and social issues.

Step 2 (So what):
With the dominant family model changing so radically in the 21st century, the family structures of the children in our classrooms have changed. Rising divorce rates and declining marriage rates are resulting in more blended and single parent families. Research has shown that this change in family structure can have a negative impact on children. Anderson (2014) gives an overview of some possible impacts, which include, children losing time with each parent, children losing economic security, children losing emotional security and children losing cognitive or academic stimulation. The disruption which these children are experiencing in their family life must surely impact their school lives.
A report from the Australian Early Development Census (2015) stated that one in five (22%) children who enter school is Australia is "developmentally vulnerable in one or more areas, including emotional maturity, communication and cognitive skills (such as memory)."
Over the last 3 or 4 years I have definitely noticed a marked increase in the number of five year olds who come into my classroom with communication and cognitive delays and issues around social and emotional behaviour. I have wondered if some of this can be attributed to a change in family structures and circumstances and the impact it has on children.

Step 3 (Now what): 

The OECD (2016) report discusses "the importance of social background in shaping achievement" (p.20) and mentions that quality education is one way to address inequalities. While I agree with this statement I also think it will take more than quality education to address some of the complex needs our children have. While the school is able to support and encourage social and emotional learning and promote the skills needed for 21st century life  it can not do it alone. What is also needed is action from the government and a range of other providers to have the conversations needed to make a difference for all of our children.

References:
Anderson, J. (2014). Impact of family structure on the health of children: Effects of divorce. The Linacare Quarterly. November, 2014; 81(4): 378–387. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4240051/

Australian Early Development Census, (2015). Retrieved from http://www.aedc.gov.au/resources/detail/2015-aedc-national-report.

OECD. (2016) Trends Shaping Education 2016, OECD Publishing, Paris. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/trends_edu-2016-en

Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., Jasper, M. (2001) Critical Reflection Model. Retrieved from: https://my.cumbria.ac.uk/media/MyCumbria/Documents/ReflectiveModelRolfe.pdf