Partnership for 21st Century Skills

The website http://www.p21.org/ explains the new common core state standards (CCSS) and the needs for the increasing technology in our school curriculum.  I spent the day with the curriculum director of my school going over the common core standards and what that means for the previous standards.  I came to the conclusion that it will mean teachers will need to teach for depth rather than surface coverage.  I have always thought this would be the best way to teach, but have also worried about the standardized test that my students take.

The CCSS will create a national baseline for all students.  This means that all students in the United States will be expected to master the same standards.  This will be monitored by the key performance outcomes.  The standards are based on the 3R's and 4C's.  The 3R's are the core subject areas and the 4C's are critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity and innovation.  Higher order thinking skills will help students transfer knowledge from one subject area to another.  Isn't that our overall goal?

I must admit that I am not normally a fan of change.  I tend to think  if something is not broken then there is no need to fix it.  With that being said, I realize that many of our methods of teaching are broken.  We are not preparing students for the world they will soon be required to function in properly.  Combining the entire framework with the necessary support will increase student engagement in the learning process. 

The site has an enormous amount of information for educators. I especially appreciated the links to professional development.  I will be taking this site to my administrators and encouraging them take a look at the possibilities.  I am currently learning about some of the technical aspects of teaching students for success in the 21st century, but I am worried about my peers who are not pursuing their masters degree at this time. 

The ideas on the site like recording their reactions to a book and then pod casting it so that others can respond is a completely different idea than any I have thought of.  I see how this is a higher level thinking skill than just a reading response.  I do believe students will be interested in this type of learning.  I also believe that I have a lot to learn about teaching students how to navigate the Internet as a learning tool.  This is why I am here learning with the rest of you.  I am excited, nervous, and exhausted all at the same time.  How do you feel about the future of education?