After reading the article about 21st century skills, I have to say it was surprising to read about the facts of high school students. In the article, it stated that 84% of employers say that k-12 schools are not doing a good job preparing students for the work place. In my opinion, that is a huge number. If 84% of employers feel this way, then they should come into the classrooms of America to see what is going on in them.
Is all the testing (in particular MCAS) in today’s classrooms affecting the way children are learning and preparing themselves for the future? I have to say, with the facts that were presented in this article, I think 21st century skills can be a useful tool for students and for teachers.
I do think that testing has become a huge issue. All I do is prepare for the CMTs. Kids are not learning…they are memorizing. We jump from one skill to the next, and there is not enough time for application or retention. I think that assessments can be valuable, but they are not what all of our money and time should be spent on. Ughh…why does this screen keep changing sizes…I can't see what I'm typing!
I have to agree with Devin (I think). Although I agree with the ideas presents in the reading, funding often becomes an issue. Often times there are very good structured plans that require time and investment from schools and districts. Students now often ask the question, "will this be on the MCAS?" because they are so trained that they need to pass it. Forget giving them the opportunity for discovery learning, even though it has been proven to aid in retention and critical thinking skills, but force feed them all the topics they will need to know so they can pass the test, to have the opportunity to graduate. I even know a teacher that teches at the undergrad level at WSC that says the same thing about her college students. They often ask the same thing about will it be on the test. We are creating a group of "test" takers rather than critical thinkers. Not that passing the test means you are going to be a productive teacher but you still need to pass it.
Here is another side of the coin: What about a district where the Middle School is more up to date with technology then the High School? The students tend to go backwards with theiretechnology skills when entering the HS. My MS was built within the last 9 years and has more in the means of technology then the HS. (even though at this point that doesn't mean much). Still when the students go to the HS they do not even have the opportunity to develop these skills due to lack of hardware.
It's obvious that as a nation we've started to realize some of our shortcomings over the last decade or so, but as a result I think so many people are trying to find a quick fix. I think that NCLB and high stakes standardized tests like MCAS are a perfect example of this. Sure, these assessments and programs address core subjects, and maybe even the 21st century content, but critical thinking skills and life skills are neglected. I know that my students have great difficulty working together collaboratively and applying their knowledge to real-life situations.
Another thought…I know many of us have been thinking about this for a while, but as educators we need to make sure we are using assessments and data effectively. I see it all the time, but it doesn't make sense for a fourth grade teacher to use last year's data to drive their instruction. We need to be sure we're passing along data from previous grades so that teachers can develop lessons based on individual and group needs of the students that are actually in front of them.
If I read the phrase 21st Century Skills one more time……
I do agree with most of that article. I believe the skills they outlined are very important. I also agree that our schools do need some revamping, however, I wouldn't say that the majority of them do not try to incorporate the 21st Century Skills. Money is a huge issue…always will be. I noticed that was a recurring suggestion…funds for this funds for that. But, I honestly think a lot of the issues stem from our society right now. Parental support and laziness are big issues that I see. In just my 5 years of teaching, I can see changes in the kids. While I think
that schools' policies and curriculums need to be adjusted, I think the real issue is figuring out how to teach and motivate the students. They want you to do the work for them. They always rush. We need to help them realize the importance and value of the education they are getting…or should be getting.
I agree with your thoughts when reading the article. And money is always a huge issue in education.
I also believe that parental support is very important. The problem is that some parents are so involved in their
childs education, while other parents don't seem to care (all depends on the town/city you teach in). I like the whole thought of 21st century, but the only way to make it work is to have the funding and to follow thru with it. Often times things in education are introduced
and then forgotten about. I think 21st century skills are still "new" and educators need to be more aware of.
reading this article, I thought… why don't state and federal educational specialists spend time studying very successful educational systems such as Japan… and bring their ideas, such as standardized testing back to our system.
Is it all the fault of schools? No doubt MCAS forces teachers to teach towards a test but parents also should be part of the solution. I think it's important for schools to prepare students for a college or their jobs/careers but schools alone are not the magic bullet. Parents need to step up.
"84 percent of employers say K–12 schools are not doing a good job of preparing
students for the workplace, according to a 2005 survey for the national Association
of Manufacturers: 55 percent say schools are deficient in preparing students with
basic employability skills (such as attendance, timeliness and work ethic)…"
Basic employability skills such as attendance, timeliness and work ethic are skills that should be taught at home. Should schools be responsible for parenting skills? or just computer skills?
Overall the concept and promotion of developing 21st Century Skills in our high school students seems necessary and evidently obvious. But as a teacher I think it is natural to feel a sense of defensiveness in response….a "what do they expect us to do now?" thought process. I'm sure we all feel that every school year new demands are placed upon us yet none of the old demands are ever taken away…how much can you continue to pack into a school day?
I think this is a movement that will fail unless it is adopted not just by the teaching community but by all of society. If this is a value we are going to adopt for the good of the American society as a whole, than it needs to be supported in that way, rather than looking solely at what the schools need to do to change. Outside of test performance and the incorporation of 21st century skills, what else is different about the countries which are continually outperforming the U.S.? For example, do the youth in these countries seem to embrace the same sense of entitlement that American youth are frequently accused of possessing? Do other countries feel that their youth expect things to be done for them? If not, why not? What is different about the cultural values that could be influencing the "clientele" with which we work every day?