21st Century Education

As part of my master's progam, I was required to view and evaluate the website for the Parntership for 21st Century Skills located at http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php. The site is based on the concept of educating students for the technological world they will be entering. The website was well organized with clear connections to conceptual framework, technology requirements, and the general success stories of classroom integration into the 21st century.

I was surprised by the noted states that have developed full programs to prepare their students for the technological future. The ten states were scattered throughout the nation suggesting that the general grouping of standardized tests is not always indicative of a region's educational advancement.

Unfortunately, this site seems to be yet another example of how teachers should work with technology when it is abundant in the classroom. There was little suggestion as to teaching with limited technology resources. I understand the push for all inclusive education, but some districts (many with the recent economy) simply do not budget for more than a single computer in the classroom and one or two computer labs for the building.

With the technology issues in mind, there are still viable implications from the website to assist in the classroom. There are professional development resources for teachers as well as links to the technologically focused states which may lead to classroom interactions between students across the country. In either case, the main goal is to prepare the youth of today to successfully live in the world of tomorrow.

Blogs in the Classroom: Courage for Conviction

As a middle school teacher, I deal with many students who are struggling to find their own voices. As adolescence sets in, so do new ideas and understandings of how people interact. Some students have the self confidence to express their beliefs among their peers. The majority of thirteen and fourteen year old students, however, simply do not. Blogs can be that safe outlet for opinions without the stress of standing alone.

Thus, in my classroom I hope to use a science blog and a history blog to encourage students to comment on particular topics that require an opinion founded in facts and research. I currently use prompts entitled "What Do You Think?" which ask a question and the students must answer. Many of their written answers are well founded and thoughtfully written. However, few volunteer to share their answers in the classroom. By giving the students various names (I'm thinking about using countries throughout the world), they can write their thoughts with the knowledge that the teacher is the only one who knows their identity. The positive feedback received in class discussions can help the students gain confidence. Hopefully, this practice will lead to discussions by the end of the year without the need for anonymity.

Three Things a New Teacher Should Know

A common belief in the educational system is that teachers should figure out the general run of a school on their own. The national educational support system often focuses on lesson planning, classroom management, and reflection. Everything else is left to the ultimate teacher: Time. So I thought that I would post the top three things I wish I had known going into teaching. Please feel free to add to the list. I'm sure it will help.

1) Some students will never be absent. They are never the students you actually want to see everyday.
2) Teaching middle school is the same as being in middle school. If you don't pick a good lunch table on the first day, you'll regret it for the rest of the year.
3) Come in early, but not too early. Administrators notice the first ten or so teachers that show up in the morning. Being number 12 will help you stand out without getting you caught the day your alarm doesn't go off. This will happen at least once, usually on a day you're getting observed. I'm not joking. It happened to me.