Week 4 ~ Creating 21st Century Thinkers

For class this week we were asked to review a website, http://p21.org/ and give our reactions to the concept, what surprised us, if we disagree and why, and any implications for my students or myself.  After exploring the site and getting a deeper understanding, I think it is a remarkable framework that should be taught and applied in all aspects of our lives but we seem to be a bit disorganized or just not on the same page across the country or even the world.  We have to start teaching with this framework now to prepare our children today for the future.

The Framework for 21^st Century Thinkers is a system of beliefs of teaching and learning that combines skills, content, and literacies to prepare students in multidimensional abilities in order to prepare them for a future that is not really mapped out yet.  The idea of it as explained on the site is right on with understanding what’s going on, or not going on, in the classroom and what our students will need to know to be successful later in a job that is not yet created.  How do we prepare them for the unknown? 

The list of core subjects that are essential are the typical ones you find in classrooms all over.  But the ideas is to take those core subjects and blend them with “21^st century interdisciplinary themes like global awareness, and different literacies like financial, civic, health and environmental.  Then they mention the skills like creativity, innovation, problem solving, communication, and collaboration.  Along with that, you add the information and media skills.  Wow, how overwhelming! 


Teachers are finding it difficult now with the accountability and the rigorous standards that we are required to teach and then school admins are adding more to our plates.  I am sure new teachers reading this will be scared or thinking how can this be done. 

Our country is so diverse in the education field.   Schools can be either one of the “haves” or the “have nots” as far as materials and equipment.  Applying this framework to many schools is probably out of reach.  I think this framework should be taught in our universities now to teach the new and younger teachers coming into this field.  Schools that can should teach their faculties this framework.  We have to begin somewhere.  I know I am more conscious now.  I consider my school to be one of the “haves” so I have had the access to technology and staff development that promotes 21^st century thinkers.  Our district implemented a program called “Working on the Work” or “WOW” created by Phillip Schlechty.  It focuses on engaging students by adding critical thinking traits to lessons and projects.  The desired result is the same. 

The future is approaching faster than we can imagine and we need to prepare our students to continue to make strides in all areas of life.  It is an overwhelming task but we have to start, even if it is in small chunks.  It won’t happen overnight but we have to prepare them.   

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. http://www.p21.org

Walden Week 3 ~ Reflection

I cannot believe just after three weeks how much I have implemented what I have learned at Walden in my classroom.  This week was about several topics.  I was excited to start a wiki with my classmates and discuss how technology is changing the work environment. 

If you don't know what a wiki is, visit http://www.commoncraft.com/ and scroll to view the video.  I wiki is a web tool that allows more the one person to collaborate and edit a document that is web based.   This is the link to our wiki: educ-6710group3.  We compiled some great resources, categorized, and rated them.  I showed my class the video and they are excited to learn it too.  Having my class at school becoming a part of my learning process gets me motivated to be creative in new ways.  they are pretty excited too when I tell them that I talk (and brag a little) about what great work they are doing in class.   I'll write more about that later on when we use this in class. 

Technology and the work environment...I cannot even begin to comprehend the complete impact or even predict what will change in the next  few years, or even weeks!  One of the main points in our lecture was that we need to teach our children skills that they will use in jobs that aren't even invented yet!  How can we do that?  By teaching them to be thinkers, problem solvers, decision makers, and to develop their creativity.  That is a tall order for us educators on top of all the content standards we are responsible for.  We as educators are still learning and developing those skills.  At the same time technology is advancing at a fast pace.  We need to gel together both the technological device and the user.  Children today have a heads start on us.  Technology has been a part of their life from the beginning.  We adults are playing catchup!  I am amazed how my 2-year old niece can pull up a game app on my sisters iphone and play it!  I wonder what she will be doing 20 years from now.

Walden Week 2 ~ Reflection

After almost completing two weeks of my class, I am a little less overwhelmed and extra excited about what I have accomplished.  I have also enjoyed following my classmates as they follow the same path as I am right now yet with different focuses.  During the course of this past week I have been establishing the focus of my blog.  Next week I think it is time to unveil it to my students and their parents. 

Communication:  Can't have enough of that!  People like to receive information and communication is many different forms.  Some prefer the paper form, like newsletters and notes.  Some prefer email now that it can be right at our fingertips at work or on the go.  Some prefer web based communication because it is more appealing to the eye and with instant notification when updates are posted, communication is always fresh and up to date.  Besides communicating classroom information, I can open it up for conversation between myself, students, parents, and the rest of the world!

Classroom: I also want to use it as a showcase.  I am so proud of my students and what they accomplish.  I want them to see that other can appreciate their work as well.  Between blogging and edmodo, if I can get them to want to write, that is a plus.  Perhaps if they see this blog, they will want to create one as well.  I am looking into http://kidblog.org .  I teach 4th grade ELA and Social Studies.  Writing, communicating, and sharing is what I want for them to embrace to enhance their learning.  Please check out and follow my linked blog at http://tlt121computing.blogspot.com/ to see what they have just accomplished. 

Connection: In two weeks I have already connected with new people from my class.  I have already gotten ideas from others and hope that I have shared some useful ones with them as well.  No one can do this all alone.  A teacher's knowledge has to keep growing too.  We have to keep up with the needs of our students, listen, help and inform parents, and also see what the the rest of the world is doing!

1:1 Computing Update ~ Assessments on edmodo

Check out my page on edmodo.com and my linked blog http://tlt121computing.blogspot.com/ to see my students in action as they take an assessment on edmodo.

1:1 Computing Update ~ Revolutionary War and Facebook

Visit my linked blog http://tlt121computing.blogspot.com/ to see my student's latest work by connecting a concept and technology of today to Revolutionary War Americans.

Now that I have had more time to get familiar with my blog, I had time to figure out what I want my blog to show.  You are reading from my main blog.  Here I will share my journey as I learn to connect myself and my students to the world using technology.  On the edmodo.com page I will share my understanding and experiences using edmodo in my classroom.  I hope to learn from my followers too as we share ideas and have conversation about this wonderful learning tool. 

I have a second blog linked where I will share and post about my experiences with our 1:1 Computing program.  I realized that blog pages are just for comments and that wouldn't satisfy my purpose.  To satisfy my need, I made a second blog.  Be sure to follow that one too!

I have always wanted to have a blog!  The purpose of this blog is to enhance the integration of technology in our classrooms by connecting and sharing with others.