The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is an organization that supports schools and students across the nation, so that they may be better prepared for the real world workplace after earning a K-12 education. This organization is supported by many businesses and school systems, and their main focus is providing students with an education that includes the 3 R's (reading, writing, and arithmetic)and the 4 C's (critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity and innovation).
My initial reaction to this website was positive. I feel that this organization falls in line with what many school systems are trying to do. Like the website said, there is a gap between what students learn in school and what they are expected to do in the real world. The question I have is, how can we close in on the gap that has been created and teach students what they'll ultimately need to know? This organization seems to provide some sort of action plan, and I feel it could be very successful. I was surprised to see that there were so many businesses in support of this organization, and so few states that were in support of this organization. I would have thought that more states would have been involved.
I didn't disagree with anything on the website, but I do think this organization could be the catalyst for change within many school systems. Most schools often have a difficult time of adopting new programs, especially when it involves large sums of money. There seemed to be enough businesses in support of this organization that could help fund this program in schools across America. This would provide today's students with 21st century knowledge and skills they'd need to know, and it would make our society more technology savvy. Implementation of this program would also require teachers to be well trained, and I feel that that might be the biggest setback to every state adopting this program.
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I thought The Partnership for 21st Century Skills organization has the right idea too. I agree that training teachers can be a stumbling block. We teachers are so resistant to change.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that the Partnership has a great focus to help close the gap between what the students learn at school and what will be required of them in the work force. Like you David, I was surprised by the limited number of states that are involved. I wonder if cost of being involved in the Partnership could be one of the factors limiting the states and districts that are involved.
ReplyDeleteRodney,
ReplyDeleteTeachers are resistant to change. Could the resistance be due to that change requires teachers to stretch themselves outside their comfort zone?
Anna and Rodney,
ReplyDeleteCould teachers be resistant to change because education is notorious for pendelum shifts. By the time teachers go through the effort and expense of shifting gears, districts are deciding to go back to previous plans or onto new things--such as whether or not to teach spelling, skill practice vs. no skill practice, to use a reading anthology or chapter books or independent reading books or picture books...If we had more support, in terms of time, training, and financial support, when making these shifts, perhaps teachers would not feel so overwhelmed by new initiatives being introduced.
Anna, definitely teachers comfort zone is part of the problem. And like Christina said, “The pendulum shift.”
ReplyDeleteDistricts are so quick to change a program right after teacher become comfortable with a new program or idea. My district doesn’t wean from a program; they come to an abrupt stop. And it’s not all the time that we are moving to a better program. Just that our district playing politics with the developers or some other reason that has nothing to do with student interest in mine.
Great point Christina about the "pendulum shift" and needing more time and financial support to make the changes effectively.
ReplyDeleteI think that we'll always see the "pendulum shift" occur in education, but I also feel that school districts are trying to impliment the most cutting edge technology and technology is evolving too quickly. Schools are finding that as soon as they impliment a program, a new one is developed within a year or month. This is why schools are constantly dropping programs and joining the bandwagon of another. It seems like it may just continue to get worse and worse.
ReplyDelete