Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Website Review: Partnership for 21st Century Skills

I reviewed the website for the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (http://www.p21.org/index.php). As my district has placed an emphasis on teaching 21st century skills, I am somewhat well-versed in this area. Therefore, I did not glean any new information from this website in the aforementioned area.  That said, this website has a variety of good resources and its mission is noble. While I agree that "every child in the U.S. needs 21st century knowledge and skills to succeed as effective citizens, workers and leaders", we are not currently evaluated on that outcome. I also agree that "there is a profound gap between the knowledge and skills most students learn in school and the knowledge and skills they need in typical 21st century communities and workplaces". For most of us, if not all of us, the end of year test is our major evaluation. Until these skills are given the respect that they deserve, through some form of evaluation of our effectiveness in teaching them, then they will repeatedly be put on the back burner in favor of the tested material. Fortunately, some are already integrated in the testing. Therefore, they are generally addressed properly. The skill of problem solving is the most relevant example. Another fortunate development is the anticipated move away from testing as the major form of teacher evaluation. My county has been offering portfolio evaluations for a couple of years now. These portfolio evaluations focus on student products and 21st century skills, as opposed to test scores. This development could allow teachers to focus more on the attributes that are promoted by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

I teach eighth grade mathematics and science. I feel that a blog is a great way for students to connect with your class, even when they may be somewhere else. I would use a blog as a place for students to find useful information, including additional copies of assignments, notes, and links to additional resources. This would also prove beneficial for parents who like to stay on top of their child's classwork. I would also use it as a place to show off what we are doing in class each day, as well as exemplary student work. These things all combine to provide students with a greater opportunity for success. Additionally, my blog could be used to assist fellow educators who are looking for an example of what someone else is doing in a similar grade level.