My biggest surprise with the 21st Century web site is that something as big and organized has been below my radar! I had no idea that is such a large scale that they even have a National Summit. I’ve never heard of it before but will definitely be spreading the news around. I really like the web site. The available resources are so varied. I was impressed at the number of videos. I especially like the contest video winner’s pieces. I do wish though that the art teachers’ video animation had been created by students.
When reading the web article Knowledge and Skills in the 21st Century, what caught my attention in this article was the mentioned that EASA (Elementary And Secondary Education) includes the arts which in my opinion are always a “big deal”. I have always been an advocate for the arts as it is such an important part of children’s creativity. Unfortunately, it is also seems to be the first curriculum to be cut when resources get tight. A quote from the article that I liked is along the lines of “curriculum is not ‘one size fits all’ standardized”. Here again unfortunately state mandated test are one size fits all.
I have a few concerns about 21st Century. My first concern is this whole premise is based on assumptions of what the world will be looking for in the next several years. Who would have guessed just 15 years ago where we would be now? People were just hearing about the Internet. That we would even have cell phones, let alone use them as we do now was stuff of science fiction. What we are pushing now could be absolute in just a few years. My second concern is how teachers are going to add this to what they are already expected to accomplish?
It's true curriculum is not "one size fits all" yet state mandated tests are, that seems to be pretty unfair in my mind. All students are required to take the same state tests regardless of their learning style, language, learning ability, etc.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your concerns. The things we are teaching now and "pushing" now could be gone in 10 years, and we will have new gadgets to use and new material to teach.
I often ask myself now, "how am I going to get all of this done today?" Now we are going to be expected to add more to our daily routine, what's next?? The thought is frightening! I just take everything day by day as it comes and I do my best. That's all I can ask of myself and all anyone can expect of me.
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ReplyDeleteHi Nancy,
ReplyDeleteYou bring up very valid and important points that need to be addressed. I agree with both you and Jesse in that curriculum should not be a "one size fits all" deal because all students are different. Unfortunately, until SOMETHING is changed all we can do is work hard and do our best and hope for positive outcomes.
Also, I THINK the reason you never heard of this organization is because it isn't yet pushed in Washington. I saw on the P21 site that it has only been initiated into about fifteen states so far. California was also not on the list, which I am assuming, is why I have never heard of it either until now.
Lastly, it is very true in that no one can be certain how the future will look– especially when technology is involved. I suppose for NOW P21's goals and skills are relevant but maybe in several years they will need to be adjusted or changed.
Nancy, I also enjoyed looking through some of the videos. I was actually inspired to investigate the technology courses being taught in the high school I attended. I was curious to see if my alma mater has been keeping up with the 21st century skills. I was blown away! My cousin attends the school now and he was able to share a a project he made using digital media with me. WOW! The classes are NOTHING like the courses that I was offered. It opened my mind to see what my students may be doing some day. I know they are only second graders, but they are the future. Like you said, they may even experience a whole new offering of courses once they reach their high school years. Regardless, I think educators should be exposed to what students are producing using technology. I think it will enlighten us all to get a taste of how the future school years look for our kids. Being in a primary school, I don't have a sense of what the students are doing in other buildings. This is something that certainly interests me!
ReplyDeleteYou ask some great questions that, I am sure, many other teachers ask themselves. I also question how I will fit some of these twenty-first century skills into my curriculum, especially since my state's standardized test has nothing to do with them. The Partnership (2004) does mention that teachers should include the twenty-first century skills into other tests that they create so that students still receive this knowledge outside of standardized test information. This is a challenge in my district, however, because they are pushing the schools to be one hundred percent proficient on standardized tests by 2014-when all schools are supposed to be, according to the NCLB act. When there is such an emphasis on the standardized test, I struggle to put skills such as business and economic literacy at the forefront of my teaching.
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