SMART-1

21st Century Skills

This chapter contains information that I consider extremely relevant and useful for today's teachers. We must realize that there is a generation gap in technology and consider how much more advanced children today are in the same technology we came to know at later ages. I think it is easy to forget that times are different and to think that children will not have some skills when, actually, they do. I really loved the quote from Thomas Friedman about that simple phrase that has gone from "finish your dinner-people in India and China are starving" to "finish your homework-people in India and China are starving for your jobs." That is such an example of how much the world has changed from the generation of our parents to our generation. And then, how much the world is going to change from our generation to the generations of children that we are going to have in our classroom. 

The definition of 21st Century Skills as given in the book is "the content knowledge and applied skills that today's students need to master to thrive in a continually evolving workplace and society." We read how there is a debate about whether to simply teach 21st century skills, simply teach content, or a combination of the two. There are three documents listed that discuss 21st century skills. These three documents contain a few common themes. "It's important to remember that they [21st century skills] do not replace content area standards: they support them by emphasizing the importance of using modern tools and strategies to achieve academic goals."

Then on top of that you have to remember as a teacher that technology is constantly changing, so current technology that you can teach students in elementary grades is no longer current technology once they get into the work force. Teachers must learn to teach their students for change. They need to equip students with all of the necessary skills to work with current technology and equip them with minds to be willing to accept and learn future technology. Students need to understand that technology will constantly be changing and they will constantly have to be adapting. Also, teachers need to understand those two very important facts.

In this chapter there were sections on common objections and also changing viewpoints, and these were very important to read so that we will know differing points of view.

I think it is important for teachers to understand that it is not enough to simply type a previously hand written document into word and call that incorporation of technology. Students need to have the opportunity to explore what is available to them in new and exciting ways. They cannot learn about technology if they are not given the opportunity to be able to dive right in. They can take advantage of technology as they are given chances to explore what they have at their fingertips. Of course, as a teacher, you still have to monitor what the students are using. Also, there is not always time to give to play around and explore. There are standards for technology that are very helpful in guiding teachers in ways to use current technology. Help students apply technology to real world situations and incorporate critical thinking skills. You do not have to rewrite your entire curriculum, just evaluate it and see where there can be slight changes made to make your classroom technologically rich.

*My favorite quote from the chapter: "Perhaps one of the most important findings was that secondary education should help all students flourish, whether they were college bound or not." I think this quote can be applied to more than just secondary education, and that it is just as important in elementary.