The classroom – where the future begins
Progress happens when ideas become solutions – in laboratories, factories, and throughout society. This requires people who not only understand change but also shape it. The foundation for this is laid in schools.
The world is full of challenges. Overcoming them and turning them into opportunities often requires technological solutions – and always critical, creative thinking. But how do we prepare young people in particular for this?
The answer starts earlier than we think: in the classroom. With teachers who are at the forefront of the innovation chain. Ideally, they should create space for “future skills”, such as problem solving, adaptability, interdisciplinary work and empathy, as well as scientific and digital understanding. It is no surprise that the United Nations honors the important role of teachers every year on October 5 with the World Teachers' Day.
Rethinking teaching
The theme for this year's day of action is “Recasting teaching as a collaborative profession”. This is exactly the right approach. Because the major challenges of our time – from climate protection and the circular economy to digitalization – can only be solved by working together: in an interdisciplinary, global, and team-oriented manner.
To prevent ideas from disappearing into drawers, we need people who want to learn more, get to the bottom of things, and think ahead together. These skills cannot be developed through curricula alone. They develop through projects, exchange, and taking responsibility for one another. This is exactly what students should learn today, because they will need it in tomorrow's world.
In reality, however, this is often difficult to implement. Time constraints, limited resources, and bureaucratic requirements often limit what teachers can do, especially when it comes to preparing young people for a complex and constantly changing world. This makes recognizing and actively supporting the work of teachers all the more important. After all, they impart much more than just knowledge. They empower young people to think beyond the boundaries of their subject areas, take responsibility, and develop alongside others.
This is important and it is becoming increasingly significant – not only in schools, but also in companies. The collaborative learning culture that emerges in the classroom today will form the basis for cooperation in international project teams tomorrow.
Covestro supports school learning
If we want to actively shape our future, it starts much earlier than college or a career. That is why Covestro supports projects in schools – in Germany for example the research competition “Zukunft braucht Wahrheit” (The Future Needs Truth) with the Handelsblatt Media Group, the Covestro Inhouse Days, and the “lev_creation lab” in Leverkusen, where school learning and business practices come together. All these initiatives are guided by clear principles: Without education, there can be no innovation; without teachers, there can be no “future skills”.
On World Teachers' Day, we would therefore like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all teachers who inspire as well as teach, who enable young people to take responsibility. Their work lays the foundation for what we will shape together tomorrow.