Partnership for 21st Century Skills

My first reaction to this site was that it had a great deal of information on ways to integrate 21st century skills to students. There are many members affiliated with this organization that support the need for using 21st century skills to prepare students for future jobs. It was key that they added the skills necessary for the 21st century with the core subjects that need to be taught. These skills are important and can be taught to coincide with what students are already learning.

I was surprised to see the resources that were available to teachers. This organization has provided teachers with tools that will help us integrate 21st century skills into education without starting from scratch. They have taken the burden off teachers by supplying us with standards, assessments, student outcomes, and support systems. Everything is broken down and provides detail of student outcomes and support systems.

As a teacher, this encourages me to provide my students with an education that promotes both the core subjects that they need to know in addition to the 21st century skills they need for the future. We cannot expect students to leave school with just basic knowledge skills and need to encourage expert thinking and communication. It is not going to be an easy task if everyone is not on board. All teachers need to be focused on teaching core subjects in addition to 21st century skills. This is something that all states should promote. Students today are expected to know more than just reading, writing, and math skills. We need to encourage students to become lifelong learners and focus on their creativity, expert thinking skills, communication, and collaboration. These skills can be taught effectively in the classroom by using technology. If we want our students to be competitive with others for jobs, we need to provide them with the skills they need to be successful. I will need to do all that I can to support these skills and ensure that students have a great understanding for their importance in today’s society.

Using Blogs in the Classroom

I would like to use this blog as a way for students to discuss topics. I will post a question for students to respond to each week. This will be used as a way for students to share their thoughts and have classmates respond to each other. I will incorporate writing skills as well as content material that we cover in class. A blog will encourage students to have a "voice" that they will be sharing with others. This will allow all students to participate in discussions as well as gain a hands-on experience of mastering their standards. I teach second grade and I know this will be a slow process at first so that students can become familiar with the process. As we continue to work on blogging skills, students will master how to blog appropriately and share their thoughts with others. This is a great skill to teach students so that they can learn content material, discuss what they have learned with others, and use technology as an advantage for the future. Hopefully this will also contribute to more parental involvement through the use of technology.

A Reflection on Changing Times

As a veteran teacher of 20 years, I see educational changes everyday. I realize that not all changes are good, but I know that change is a catalyst to improve. Technology is proving to be a great catalyst. Technology has opened the doors of communication for teachers. Teachers are sharing ideas, methods, lesson plans, tips, techniques, and bits of personal information. Communication among teachers has never existed like it exists today. Collaboration and communication is providing me with a portal into the minds of great teachers, and that gives me the opportunity to become a better teacher.

Long gone are the days of locking up materials and hoping your cohort won't "steal" your bulletin board idea. There are enough great ideas to go around. Who would have imagined it 10 years ago? I pass by classrooms today, and I don't hear teachers' lectures quite so often. I see portfolio evaluations of students on CD-ROMs. I hear sound clips of students' reports being played. I hear students discussing their group's PowerPoint presentations. I see students e-mailing their mentors or parents. I hear my "you have mail" sound and I realize some concerned parent needs me to e-mail them their student's English grade. I see and appreciate progress. I see, am motivated, and have vision for education.

Teacher Testimony from Betsy Norris http://www.4teachers.org/testimony/norris/index.shtml

Learning New Things

I am looking forward to learning more about the many uses for technology in classrooms of the 21st century. Any information or thoughts you would like to share would be greatly appreciated!