P21 is an organization that promotes 21st century skills. They work to pass laws that will enable skills both locally and federally. Their mission statement says, they will "serve as a catalyst to position 21st century readiness at the center of US K12 education by building collaborative partnerships among education, business, community and government leaders."
I like their website and in particular the life skills. They said, "Good teachers have always incorporated life skills into their pedagogy. The challenge today is to incorporate these essential skills into schools." I find teaching these skills are challenging when they are not incorporated in the students home. They need to be taught because they do not come naturally to students. The skills include:
Leadership
Ethics
Accountability
Adaptability
Personal Productivity
Personal Responsibility
People Skills
Self Direction
Social Responsibility
I always strive to teach my students that they are responsible for their learning. Personal responsibility and people skills are huge skills that are reinforced in my every day practice. Students need to learn skills in order to thrive in the world. What surprised me about P21 is that they focus on core values. I thought they may focus on technology; however, if students do not have the interpersonal skills, they will not be able to thrive in the 21st century.
21st Century Skills and World Languages The article I read discussed how the 21st Century Skills demonstrates ways to fuse the three Rs and four Cs (critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity and innovation) with world languages. The map was released at a Capitol Hill Briefing by representatives from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Third grade students from Mount Vernon woods Elementary in Fairfax, VA demonstrated Mandarin Chinese incorporated with their 21st century skills. The core subject showed how world languages can be used with 21st century skill and that it promotes knowledge and skills. The skills are at a deeper level than just technology. P21 is a national organization that advocates for 21st century readiness for every student. P21 and its members provide tools and resources to help the U.S. education system keep up by fusing the three Rs and four Cs (critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration and creativity and innovation). The organization supports federal and local laws to support this cause. Examples of Integrating the Four Cs with World Languages. Retrieved May 25, 2011, from http://www.p21.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=993&Itemid=64. |
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills.
Viewed May 25, 2011.
I agree with you that these life skills are vital to ensuring the success of our students in the 21st century. I also completely understand your point on how not all students learn these skills at home. This means it is that much more important that they get them at school. I have found that these skills are not always taught through the curriculum, though. Many times these skills are taught by every day interactions and teachable moments throughout the school year. I also think that extracurricular activities are important to developing these skills in students. Therefore, schools should make a point to include different types of activities for students, such as teams, clubs, or committees, that will help students learn these important life skills.
ReplyDeleteHi Cami,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your posting--so true--while technology skills are an important factor for the 21st century--ultimately it is core skills that are so critical, now more than ever. Students need to be able to communicate effectively--they need to be self-directed--to take initiative and take responsibility for their decisions. The landscape changes and evolves at a very rapid rate--long after students leave school they will still need to learn-to adapt to changes. These are skills that will allow them to remain vital in the workplace--to know that they can pick up new information--that changes are not obstacles for them.
Having a strong foundation in problem solving will help them throughout life.
Thanks for sharing.
Susan