Partnership for 21 Century Skills Effects Education

While navigating through, Partnership for 21st Century Skills, I came across new information that would be hopeful in my teaching profession. For one, I did not know the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, also known as P21, existed as a national organization. The information on this site, such as various tools and resources for teachers, students, and parents, helped me begin to plan for more effective planning, teaching strategies, and assessment strategies. develop a new understanding of the issues surrounding 21st-century skills.  I loved the "Workforce Needs", which shows the percentage of people who agree or strongly agree on whether communication skills, critical thinking, collaboration/team building, and creativity/innovation plays a part in their business. All of the percentages were over 65%, indicating that these 4Cs are important in the workforce. Moreoever, all of this percentages were over 55% strongly agreeing/agreeing that their business measures these skills and competencies during their annual performance review. The 21st Century Framework and already printed, copied, and taped to my desk, where my lesson plans are composed. There was a seperate chart on a different link (http://prezi.com/ckebasnbobcn/iste-2010-jump-start-your-21st-century-initiative/) that displayed statistics on "How important the 4Cs are in growing their organization", if they agree that "fusing the 3Rs with the 4Cs ensures 21st century readiness for students today", and "How well is the K-12 system preparing students in the 4Cs?" The responses were 94%, 80%, and 11% respectively. These data pieces make it concrete that the business world is changing and so are the expectations for its current and furture workforce. It is important and manditory that teacher prepare their students for the ever-changing, advancing world. 

It was surprising to me to see the 3Rs and 4Cs (Critical thinking/problem solving, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity). It is reassuring to see some concepts I have been learning through my Master's Program on this website. Honestly, I thought this link was going to be a long article on 21st century skills, which we have all seen plenty of. Instead, every link I crossed led to a page of interesting resources, tools, videos, speeches, and other creditable sources. I caught myself repeatedly thinking "Wow! Really! That's cool! I need to share this with my colleagues". I highly recommend this site to everyone around the world: young, old, teacher, student, parents, man, woman, tall, short, employed, umemployed. 

On a different note, I was excited, surprised, and impressed to see that P21 provides a "Jump Start" website, where you can see Create, Learn, and Explore! While navigating through this particular website, I discovered that New Jersey is part of P21 State Leadership Initiave! 

            “Are social networking sites appropriate for school use? Should schools ban the use of such sites -- or incorporate them into the curriculum and teach students?” (Educational World, 2011). If parameters are set and the correct type of planning and training is put into affect, the social networking sites will be appropriate for school use (take Edmodo, for example). Schools should encourage students and teachers to use these types of websites to enhance the students learning experience, prepare them for the technologically advancing world around them, and give light to the effect uses of technology in the classroom.

            I could go on and on about my supportive views on the idea of technology in the classroom. Today’s society is more technologically proficient than ever before. It is somewhat our responsibility as effective teachers to keep up on new reform in education. Jeffrey Kottler, Stanley Zehm, and Ellen Kottler state in their book, On Being a Teacher: The Human Dimension that passionately committed teachers “are constantly searching for more effective ways to reach their children, to mast content and methods of their craft” (2005). Integrating technology into the classroom routine is making learning meaningful because it is relevant to the students’ lives as well as the world around them.

            As I use technology in the classroom, I see the difference in the students’ engagement. Instantaneously, all eyes are on the Smart Board with hands flying in the air to respond to any questions or to participate in an activity. Practicing and researching skills online is easy and fun for all learning in my classroom. I am able to gear specific activities to each type of learner and level of learning. In addition, I am currently organizing a classroom blog through a website known as Edmodo. A goal I am hoping to accomplish with this blog is to guide my students in carrying out their own reflections on their learning and understanding in my classroom, their “regular” mathematics classroom, or out in the real world. To begin, I have already come up with a few polls, as well as reflective questions and thoughts, for students to respond. I am anxious to monitor their reflections and responses

Furthermore, I will post at least one blog on my new Edmodo.com website, where students and parents can ask questions, post comments, and respond to discussion groups online. The first blog should be created before Thanksgiving, leaving time for a response over the holiday break.

                                                          References:

Education World. (2011). [Editor/Publisher]. Using technology in the classroom archive. 

            Education World, Inc. 

Kottler, J., Zelm, S., & Kottler, E. (2005). On Being a teacher (3^rd ed.). Thousand Oaks,

CA: Corwin Press.