Reinventing Education to Help with Student Behavioral Issues

April 24, 2023
Michael Horn

A recent School Pulse Panel study revealed a concerning trend in U.S. education today, student behavior. The data within the study suggests schools are facing substantial behavioral challenges post-pandemic, and they feel they need more strategies to address them.

Educator, Author, and Host of The Future of Education, Michael B Horn, said that when he was out talking to educators while promoting his latest book, From Reopen to Reinvent, the comment he heard most was, “reinventing education sounds great, but the challenges we’re having with behavior right now with kids makes it impossible to even think about.”

● Do we have to wait for reinventing education until after tackling student behavior?
● Do traditional time-based learning methods stifle innovation at a time when students need a different approach?

And it’s not just the students struggling. K-12 educators report some of the highest burnout in any industry. While it may seem inconvenient to reinvent education during this period of high- stress and behavioral issues, maybe now is the most opportune moment to reinvent education. Offering extended learning time for students may elevate some of their stress and provide them an opportunity to get back on track in core subjects.

Horn said one approach to innovating would be to consider moving to a mastery-based learning environment where the students “collaborate with their friends in pursuit of learning and get to actually have fun in the classroom itself. That can create outlets for the social energy, and creates an opportunity to talk to people about what appropriate behavior looks like in the context of the learning, and in a way that social rewards them.”

Horn recognizes this approach is just one solution, and it won’t solve all behavioral problems, but he argues, “to really make advances for students right now, to spite all the troubles, we have to reinvent.”

Article by James Kent

Recent Episodes

advancing teaching
View episode

  What approaches must education take in advancing teaching in a post-pandemic world? How can traditional education reshape itself to include a more dynamic, skills-based learning approach? As educational paradigms shift towards nurturing adaptability and critical thinking, leaders in the field are poised to redefine the learning framework to prepare students for a rapidly evolving […]

View episode

  In an era where education stands at the crossroads of tradition and innovation, the potential value of thought leadership becomes the guiding star for progress. “Just Thinking” dives into this potential with host Kevin Dougherty and guest Evan Edwards, a Professional Learning Specialist at 806 Technologies who exemplifies the transformative impact of visionary guidance […]

strategic scheduling
View episode

  Author: Michael Horn Educational institutions today are facing a financial precipice, with declining enrollments and funding cuts. Many schools are struggling to adapt to these fiscal pressures, highlighting the need for transformative solutions. This scenario raises an urgent need for innovative strategies like strategic scheduling to manage resources efficiently. What innovative approaches can districts […]