Partnership for 21st Century Skills

This week one of our assignments was to explore the website of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. My first reaction to the website is that it is overwhelming. There is SO much information. Also, it is presented in a very monotone, drab format. That said, I think after sifting through some of it, the information presented is important. Paying attention to changing trends in workplaces should logically help us plan new strategies in our teaching.

Most of the information in the site wasn't surprising, as it focused on technology and collaboration skills. A few things did surprise me though. First, I was surprised that health literacy was added to the list of core subjects. I do not disagree with the addition, but I am surprised that it was included. With the overall decline of heath in our country, it definitely needs to remain on the core subjects list. Second, some of the Strategic Council members surprised me. I expected companies like Dell, Blackboard, and groups like the NEA to be a member but other members were not ones I would have thought would participate. Specifically, Ford, Lego, and Disney are surprising.

So far, I have not found anything on the site that I disagree with. Most suggestions follow a logical process of analyzing changes in work environments and changing educational practices to prepare students for such changes.

So what are the implications for teachers and students? I think the main implication is that MANY teachers need an entirely new mindset when it comes to teaching this new generation of students. I think about things I am learning in my courses and compare these ideas to things I see happening in my school and I know that things need to change. One example that stands out for me is a recent SIT meeting I witnessed at my school last week. One of our newer staff members started making suggestions about a school website where teachers can post homework and pertinent information for parents and students to access. A few of the older teachers nearly bit this new staff member's head off. The response was a stern "NO. It's more work for me. Some of my students don't have internet access. It's a waste of time." Honestly, watching this was really sad. Our new staff member tried to suggest several different ways to compromise and make less work for the teachers, only to be shot down each time. Coincidentally, the close-minded staff members doing the shooting down were the same ones that I have often wondered why they haven't retired yet. While it is important not to take an ageist stance, something needs to be done to help older teachers who may be burnt out get excited about changing practices. The education that was sufficient 20 years ago no longer makes the grade and teachers need to realize this.

Think, think, think....

SO. I've made this blog. I've subscribed to my classmates' blogs. I've set up an RSS feed. How can this technology be integrated into my classroom? Because I teach art at the elementary level, I see all kids grades K-5. I do not see this as a hugely helpful art tool with the little ones, as we're trying to master the proper use of scissors with some of them still! However, I think a site like this has potential for my older students. Particularly, the 5th graders. Something like this can become an online "art gallery" for my older kids. Our library media teacher, with whom I collaborate frequently, teaches basic technology skills in addition to her library media curriculum. So our kids are fairly tech savvy. If I create a blog for the entire 5th grade and post login info where all can find, my students can pick pieces of artwork that they have created during the year to post. Parents could access our blog and see not only what their own child is proud of, but what their peers are doing as well. It would be a new forum for the artwork to "hang." As it is now, I have 3 bulletin boards in the cafeteria to hang the work of 6 grades. With such little space, not everyone makes the cut. With an art gallery blog, EVERY student could have their artwork posted. Even better, it could be something they chose as opposed to me picking a dozen or so pieces to hang. This week, I hope to research my blog a little more to find out if there is a way for each student to have a personalized login instead of sharing the same one. Then we could have a grade-wide forum where student post and view their works.

So Here Goes......My First Work Related Blog Post

I’m starting my blog here as a part of my coursework through Walden University. As I stated in my profile, I am not new to blogging. What is new to me is the fact that blogs and work can go hand in hand. As many other young professionals, I have a personal blog. I have made sure that most of this blog is only viewable to my designated friends, and not the whole world. I use my blog as a place to vent frustrations, a place to post funny news I have noticed, and a place to express myself and keep my friends updated on my life. Blogging is something that, in my mind, is something that needs to be kept completely separate from work. You hear the horror stories about “My cousin’s best friend’s neighbor got fired for stuff he put up on facebook!” Despite the fact that most of my brain thinks “How stupid was that guy? Why didn’t he just make his profile private?,” it still makes me worry. Because, well, you never know. This blog, however will be something new and exciting. It’ll be a place where I can post those ideas that bounce around in my head about possible future lesson plans, maybe get feedback from peers, new ideas, or a different way of looking at things. So, needless to say, I’m excited to get this thing under way. I hope it turns into something not only fun but useful as well!