Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Partnership for 21st Century Skills
I just visited the Partnership for 21st Century Skills website. The site is for a national organization that is trying to make sure that student skills are ready for the 21st century. They are trying to bridge the gap between what is taught now in schools and real world applications of information being learned. I was surprised to find that many of the member organizations were big name companies such as Apple, Dell, and Microsoft that create new technology that can be used in today’s classroom. Many of the skills that they are stress are topics that many teachers try to advocate in their classroom already. There were resources available such as speakers, publications, and videos representing the skills they were stressing. I think the site will help support ideas that teachers are already doing and open some teacher’s eyes to ways they could change their approach to teaching. Implications that it has my students are the skills they will need as they finish school and move on to a career. As a teacher the implication is how the information is presented to my students. To me many students move on to college and become very successful professionals. So do teachers really need to overhaul the way they teach or just become aware of different ways they can introduce information?
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Rick asks, “So do teachers really need to overhaul the way they teach or just become aware of different ways they can introduce information?”
ReplyDeleteOverhauling is just too over whelming. I have gone to all sorts of conferences and read so many different best practices, but so many times their ideas turn me off because it is such drastic change. I like going to a conference, and handed a tool that I could use the next day in my classroom. I am much more willing to adapt with minuet tweaks and adjustments over a period of time.
It is hard to get a clear picture by only spending an hour exploring a web site. Maybe I would be less skeptical if I had someone more knowledgeable on P21 to answer my questions and show me the specific mathematics curriculum and resources for each math skill level (alg I, geo, etc...) or grade.
Rick I don't think we as teachers necessarily need to "overhaul the way we teach" but I do think we need to be open to change that brings new and innovative ways to do things to our students. The settings that our kids grow up in today are filled with opportunites to use technologies that didn't exist just a handful of years ago....it's hard to even imagine where we will be in another 10-15 years. So while I don't think we need to "overhaul" I do think we need to be prepared to adapt and grow with the times. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills site provides a plan and many of the resources necessary to enable us to adapt and grow with the changing times. There is so much presented on the site that it can easily be overwhelming if you let it.... but if applied alittle at a time over the long haul I think we will find new and challenging ways to help prepare out students with the skills they need to be successful after high school. And not just to help those that plan to go on to college but also for all of those than plan to attend vocational schools as well.
ReplyDeleteThere needs to be a plan for implimentation. I don't think it would take a complete overhaul, but changes do need to be made in order to incorporate these skills. A lot depends on the population of students you teach. Richard, I know you said "many students move on to college and become very successful professionals." My honor and AP students will, but they are just 1/3 of the students I teach. Many of the others will not go on to colege. This leads me to question as to what skills do my non-college bound students need? I know that they definately need the basics.
ReplyDeleteI think Lisa brings up a good point. This site gives many great ideas for teaching 21st Century skills, but I know I have students who will graduate and immediately become part of the work-force. What kinds of things will they need to know as opposed to a student who goes off to college? To me, this is what makes teaching so difficult. There are so many different kids at different levels who have different futures. I try to do things that are interesting to all involved and have relevance. Sometimes the revelance piece is what I struggle with the most. I always ask how the things I'm doing will help my students in some way - make them smarter or give them some type of experience. Sometimes I think I do a pretty good job, sometimes I think my lesson stunk!
ReplyDelete