21st Century Skills Needed

As I read through the Partnership for 21st Century Skills website, I was surprised that this site had not been mentioned to me before now. It's a very interesting site with quality information about the 21st Century skills all students need, and I was completely unaware of its existence!
The framework for these skills seems to be mapped out appropriately, and the skills students should acquire through the standards this program focuses on will be helpful to any student in their futures, most notably, learning to be life-long learners.

What surprised me the most, other than not being aware of the site before today, is the fact that only 14 states are listed as being part of the state iniatives. With technology growing so rapidly, I would think that many states would be jumping on board with 21st century skills as soon as possible! We all want our students to achieve their greatest dreams, and in order for them to read those dreams, they must be well-versed in 12st century skills that their counterparts will have. My own state, Pennsylvania, is not part of the iniative yet, and to not be part of this at the very beginning of its conception is a great disservice to our students whose lives are saturated in technology and 21st century expectations.

I like the idea that this idea is up and coming because technology standards should be mandatory because students will be faced with all types of technology in their futures. Teachers should be able to introduce this information to their students so they can be prepared for the workforce. Like it or not, technology is becoming a life skill in which everyone must be well-versed. If it is a mandatory standard, more technology will become available in schools to meet the standard therefore forcing teachers to use technology more effectively in their lessons and motivate students to think differently, to think beyond a pen and paper, to think outside the four walls of the classroom.

My Smart Board - constructing experience

As soon as I heard of a way to make my own Smart Board from a Wii remote, I immediately jumped on board (no pun intended!). Smart Boards, as you probably already know, cost thousands of dollars, and to be able to "make" one from household materials boggles the mind but also proves to be worthwhile. By using YouTube videos and an online program, create by Johnny Chung Lee (http://johnnylee.net/projects/wii/), a wii remote and a couple everyday household materials, I have managed to make my computer screen touch screen.

It really is amazing! It's so amazing that I've purchased an LED pen from eBay because I'm not quite handy enough to make my own. The minimal cost of the pen and the Wii remote make this project completely worthwhile. I have managed to make my own computer screen "interactive;" however, I'm still working on getting the Wii remote to work on the projected computer screen.

I did learn a few things. One - I'm much better at troubleshooting technology than I originally thought. Two - I've realized that not many teachers are all that impressed with the enhancements technology can make in their classrooms. If they are impressed, they are not willing to try, try again (as well all teach), but they want it to be handed to them on a silver platter, fully functioning.

I'm just not that type. I want technology. I want it now. I will do anything to make it happen in my classroom. If it were any other way, my overhead projector would still be whirring away while students complain about my handwriting.

Who needs a pen and paper? (Using blogs in the classroom)

I teach 7th grade language arts across all levels of students from learning support to the highest honors classes. I know for a fact that they are all up-to-speed when it comes to the internet and technology because half of them can explain to me how to work the computer, and the other half have tried to “friend” me on Facebook. I feel as though blogging is an excellent tool for students to use in the classroom, and it’s especially relevant to my English classroom. On a more, superficial note, you wouldn’t believe the horrendous handwriting I come across everyday. All joking aside, technology belongs to these students. They use it every day at home, and for most of them, they aren’t connecting through computers, but cell phones, Ipods, PDA’s, and even E-readers! It just makes sense to connect with students on their level, to allow them to have an audience, a real audience.

In my classroom, if possible, I would assign every student a blog. Not only can they use it as a place to express their thoughts and feelings on any topic,much like we journal in class, but they can also showcase the best of their work to a global audience. On top of sharing it with the world, they can share with their classmates and offer up advice and comments on any given part of their blog in a conversational setting.

I can give a simple starting question that will hopefully spark discussion and interaction and force students to think together and individually. The best part about the blog is that it meets many standards all in one. Students communicate together and effectively express their thoughts and opinions, and they do it all in writing, something with which they need more and more contact in any subject.

There will be opposition to this type of interaction because it poses a threat to some parents, bringing on thoughts of potential kidnappings and harmful content, but with the right stipulations in place, the blog can be an interesting, new and different, and FUN way of communicating. Plus, if I’m lucky, they may even want to participate outside of class time!


Oh and the best part... we're saving trees!

A new adventure...

This is the first time I’ve created my own blog. I’m stepping out of my safe box of posting trite comments on Facebook to only those who I choose to notify. It’s time that I become more thoughtful about my education and those who I educate. I’d like to preface this blog with a disclaimer that this is a requirement for a grad course, so I am not fully responsible for this leap I’m taking. However, I am truly a technology-based individual, cannot live with out my cell phone or my laptop, and love to write. This requirement is actually just the swift kick I needed to jumpstart my blog, a blog that I would eventually like to use as a tool in my classroom.

So, in addition to a handful of other New Year’s resolutions, I’ll add keeping this blog up-to-date with interesting and thoughtful comments about my teaching experiences to the list.

Happy reading!