A few things surprised me about the website:
1) This claim in the FAQ:
"There is a profound gap between the knowledge and skills most students learn in school and the knowledge and skills they need in typical 21st century communities and workplaces."I have always viewed the younger generations as very technologically capable. I'm starting to see that there is a difference between having an iPod and having technological skills.
2) The idea that a rigorous, challenging curriculum is a necessary 21st century skill. I have always equated "rigorous" with "more." I'm a big supporter of extracurricular activities and athletics in high school. I think that they teach students valuable skills and would caution against increasing the rigor of courses at the expense of extracurriculars.
However, I'm beginning to see that rigorous does not always equal more. In fact, rigorous can just as easily mean less. It's all about the type of questions we pose to students and the lessons we have them complete. My job as a teacher has to become more rigorous as I seek to challenge students.
3) I was surprised by the number of states already on board with the Partnership. It's great to see that they have already been successful in reaching so many states. I'm hopeful that the next step will be for P21 to go national, similar to No Child Left Behind.
As an educator, I first need to get more familiar with the P21 initiatives. I would like to take a closer look at what is being done at the state level. While doing so, I need to emphasize P21 skills in my classroom. As a history teacher, I would place emphasis on global studies and communication. I believe that having broader goals than the content of the classroom will make me a better teacher and the students, hopefully, better learners.
Hey Adam, I've been impressed by your work in our class so far, so I hunted for your blog to see what you thought of the site. I agree with you that it's important stuff, but struggle to see the tie between this site (and concept) and NCLB. That law focuses so much on archaic standardized tests, which we know from the articles, don't focus on 21st century skills. My vote would be to dump (or heavily modify) NCLB and incorporate the 21st century skills.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with the #1 thing that surprised you. I know that our students are using technology on a daily basis, but do they know how to use it correctly and efficiently? Also, are they being taught proper etiquette? The problem that I see is that in our school districts they do not allow students to bring cell phones, digital cameras, ipods, etc. into school. A solution would be for the school to provide these items for students to work with; however that is where we run into the problem of funding. I personally think it would be great if we could teach students to use their own equipment, but there are so many security issues and school rules that come into play.
ReplyDeleteI agree that 21st Century Skills should replace NCLB. The only connection I saw between the two is that there is standardized testing, which I think there is a need for, though not to the extent mandated by NCLB. My hope is that the 21st Century Skills will succeed in the states that are currently implementing it, and, like you, that it will be come our national policy.
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