21st Century Skills

Partnership for 21st Century Skills website: http://www.p21.org/

This website seems to correspond with what we have been studying in the class, Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society.  The Partnership for 21^st Century Skills believes in the incorporation of the “4Cs” as well as the traditional 3Rs of education.  These “4Cs” include critical thinking and problem solving; communication; collaboration; and creativity and innovation.  This past summer, I attended the Educator Effectiveness Training for the Common Core Standards which will be implemented in Maryland in the coming years.  I mention this because I see many parallels between what the Partnership believes and advocates for and what is coming with the adoption of the Common Core Standards.  This is particularly true when it comes to the toolkit offered on their website.  I found this resource to be most helpful.  This toolkit emphasizes the importance of incorporating inquiry-based curriculums, acting on innovative ideas, using performance-based assessments, and working collaboratively with interdisciplinary colleagues.  The best part of the toolkit is the “Lesson Starters” for Mathematics and English/Language Arts.  These are ideas for lessons that connect the 21^st Century Skills with the Common Core Standards.  I hope that the Partnership continues to develop ideas for lessons for educator to use.  One of the most frustrating things I have experienced as an educator is for someone to tell me the benefits of “best practices” without giving me lessons or even ideas for lessons.  Why should I recreate the wheel when I know there are resources available if I search long enough?  Instead of reinforcing the why, I would rather be shown how.

Through the incorporation of 21^st Century Skills, my own classroom has changed immensely.  I have gone from teacher-led lecture to student-centered project-based learning and performance assessments.  I have made this change mostly due to the foundation of the curriculum in teaching pre-engineering.  As I see the benefits with my students in pre-engineering, I cannot help but expose my math students to this as well.  I have begun the process toward incorporating 21^st Century Skills in both of my classes because I see it as essential for my students.  I would not adequately prepare them for their future if I did not.