I'm excited about a National organization, The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php founded in 2002 by the US Department of Education in partnership with several well known organizations. The foundation partners education with business, community and government leaders to position educators with 21st century skills necessary to ensure students are equipped to be "effective citizens, workers and leaders in the 21st century." I discovered the Web site while completing an assignment for one of my graduate classes at Walden University. The site offers many tools, resources, upcoming events and related news and information on the different states already participating.
I often find myself in discussion regarding the need for schools to mirror 21st century business practices. I had not previously been exposed to the orgainzation, but found the mission statement to echo the sentiments of many teachers and non-teachers alike. We teach students how to read and write, but aren't doing enough to prepare them for real life corproate America. I have not seen anything to this magnitude to prepare children for their future career and feel this is a must needed initiative, especially in my school.
My wife works for a fortune 200 corporation and my day to day life as a school teacher is a complete 180 from her day at the office. In hearing some of my frustrations with the politics and administration of the school, she would say they really need to treat schools more like a business. I was pleasantly surprised to see such a big push for education to mirror and partner with the businesses of the 21st century. Many of the 21st Century themes and skills rang familiar to the conversations I've had with my wife about corporate expectations and measurements. As a VP of Sales, much of her performance is measured against results and behavioral leadership skills up to and including a large percentage of her pay.
The site spoke much about the skills that students need to possess to succeed in life and in a career in the 21st century, but lacked information and ideas on how to incent teachers much the way businesses compensate their leaders on their performance in influencing these necessary skills. I think this is critical in order to effectively incorporate the themes and skills into day to day lessons. Also our school curriculum is lacking tools and resources on many of the key themes and skills and more awareness is needed. Students will be ill prepared for life situations and career if more is not done to develop their professional future. As a contemporary educator, every lesson should deliver experience and life skills for our future leaders, if we aren't preparing them for essential basic life lessons, in many cases no one else will either.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Blogging in the classroom - Bottom of the first
In learning about blogs, I realized I am not taking advantage of this great resource in my classroom. I've really been missing the boat. I can see many uses for a blog and so many times we as teachers are concerned about budget (or lack thereof), but this is one tool that we can use and free of charge! In addition to being cheap it also serves as a connection between school and shall we say, "real life". A blog serves as an excellent communication tool. I can share with parents about lessons and daily learnings. As a parent myself I would value any additional information on what is occuring in the classroom. I could incorporate pictures and share stories each day and invite parents and other teachers to see what we are discussing. Blogs offer another means to interact and get parent involvement, which ultimately helps the children and makes my job easier.
Second, we use a journal today as a means for students to discuss daily assignments. As I learned in class, children become more concerned about grammer when they know others will be viewing their work. In addition, they will better learn to navigate through the internet and on the computer and improve typing skills. Most importantly it will act as a forum to share thoughts and interact and even collaborate with one another. Several of my students are already accustomed to blogs via Facebook, My Space, etc. and having an online journal via the blog will definitely excite and invigorate them!
I could see using an online blog to replace standard written essays. Not only would they be able to share their work with other students, but showcase their hard work for their friends and other family members.
In school today, their is less time to focus on opinions and not much opportunity for self expression, but a blog encourages these very important pieces of learning. I will use a blog to enhance the lessons by allowing students to document their thoughts and interact with one another, bringing the lessons to life by sharing real life experiences.
As a fifth grade teacher, I focus on math, science and social studies. I can see how a blog saves paper, time and allows a forum to give children a voice. I can only imagine the excitement when my students see that someone has posted a comment to their work!
Second, we use a journal today as a means for students to discuss daily assignments. As I learned in class, children become more concerned about grammer when they know others will be viewing their work. In addition, they will better learn to navigate through the internet and on the computer and improve typing skills. Most importantly it will act as a forum to share thoughts and interact and even collaborate with one another. Several of my students are already accustomed to blogs via Facebook, My Space, etc. and having an online journal via the blog will definitely excite and invigorate them!
I could see using an online blog to replace standard written essays. Not only would they be able to share their work with other students, but showcase their hard work for their friends and other family members.
In school today, their is less time to focus on opinions and not much opportunity for self expression, but a blog encourages these very important pieces of learning. I will use a blog to enhance the lessons by allowing students to document their thoughts and interact with one another, bringing the lessons to life by sharing real life experiences.
As a fifth grade teacher, I focus on math, science and social studies. I can see how a blog saves paper, time and allows a forum to give children a voice. I can only imagine the excitement when my students see that someone has posted a comment to their work!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
First Blog - Top of the First
Let me be the first to welcome all who read this to my first attempt at blogging. This also serves as my reflective essay for one of my current classes that I am taking through Walden University as part of my Masters program in integrating technology into the classroom.
As part of this class, I have been made aware of the importance of becoming literate with regards to the web and the internet. I have realized that being a reader of high quality when it comes to books and other printed texts does not necessarily mean that someone will be of the same quality of reader when it comes to the internet. Also, I have realized that the internet brings along with it a whole new set of difficulties, and students who have difficulty reading printed text could very well have twice as much trouble when it comes to reading and evaluating the internet and various web pages. Until now, I assumed that if a student was a high-level reader that he or she would also perform well when reading the internet for information. Finally, the act of reading the internet also involves the same skills that a reader of text uses. Among others, it involves activating prior knowledge, predicting, determining important details, synthesizing, monitoring, and repairing. The use of the internet to locate information involves the New Literacies Perspective and its functions - generating important questions or problems to be solved, locating relevant information, critically evaluating the usefulness of that information, synthesizing information to address the questions or problems, and communicating information to others. This involves successfuly "surfing" the internet and navigating with a topic in mind, finding the needed web pages, deciding if the pages offer accurate and relevant information, and then determining how to express your results to the rest of the world.
Because of this course, I have realized that being able to read and evaluate information on the internet is just as important as being able to read and evaluate information from a text. In the years to come, it may become more important, especially in this quickly ever-changing world where the need for information and to send information as quick as possible is a necessity.
A professional goal of mine will be to make the internet and the use of technology more of a major part of the education of my students. Up until now, I have viewed the internet as something to make use of when my students and class had the time and if we didn't have the time, well, it would be all right. I also felt that my students would learn how to navigate and use the internet on their own or from dribs and drabs in class. I now see my responsibilty as and educator to make sure all of my students are not only literate when it comes to printed text, but also when it comes to the world wide web. I will need to incorporate the internet into my classroom on a regular basis. To do this, I will have to take a close look at my curriculum and see how to make the internet fit. I will definitely make use of the QUEST model of inquiry in my plans.
As part of this class, I have been made aware of the importance of becoming literate with regards to the web and the internet. I have realized that being a reader of high quality when it comes to books and other printed texts does not necessarily mean that someone will be of the same quality of reader when it comes to the internet. Also, I have realized that the internet brings along with it a whole new set of difficulties, and students who have difficulty reading printed text could very well have twice as much trouble when it comes to reading and evaluating the internet and various web pages. Until now, I assumed that if a student was a high-level reader that he or she would also perform well when reading the internet for information. Finally, the act of reading the internet also involves the same skills that a reader of text uses. Among others, it involves activating prior knowledge, predicting, determining important details, synthesizing, monitoring, and repairing. The use of the internet to locate information involves the New Literacies Perspective and its functions - generating important questions or problems to be solved, locating relevant information, critically evaluating the usefulness of that information, synthesizing information to address the questions or problems, and communicating information to others. This involves successfuly "surfing" the internet and navigating with a topic in mind, finding the needed web pages, deciding if the pages offer accurate and relevant information, and then determining how to express your results to the rest of the world.
Because of this course, I have realized that being able to read and evaluate information on the internet is just as important as being able to read and evaluate information from a text. In the years to come, it may become more important, especially in this quickly ever-changing world where the need for information and to send information as quick as possible is a necessity.
A professional goal of mine will be to make the internet and the use of technology more of a major part of the education of my students. Up until now, I have viewed the internet as something to make use of when my students and class had the time and if we didn't have the time, well, it would be all right. I also felt that my students would learn how to navigate and use the internet on their own or from dribs and drabs in class. I now see my responsibilty as and educator to make sure all of my students are not only literate when it comes to printed text, but also when it comes to the world wide web. I will need to incorporate the internet into my classroom on a regular basis. To do this, I will have to take a close look at my curriculum and see how to make the internet fit. I will definitely make use of the QUEST model of inquiry in my plans.
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