Evaluating 21st Century Skills

As I was exploring the website of the Partnership for the 21^st Century Skills, I agreed wholeheartedly with their mission to help close the gap between the knowledge and skills students acquire in school and knowledge and skills they need for success in the workplace.  I made an immediate connection to my own personal  journey through school as I was analyzing this website and was reminded why I chose to become an educator in the first place.           

                                                                                                          
When I thought about the Partnership’s for the 21^st Century Skills mission, I thought of my own education and the journey I traversed to become a teacher.  I can honestly say that I learned how to be a teacher when I became a teacher.  All of the knowledge and skills that I had acquired throughout grade school and even into college did not prepare me for a classroom full of twenty energetic and curious 1^st graders squirming and rolling on the floor the first day of school!  It was not until I experienced my own personal triumphs and tribulations within the classroom that I first begin to truly learn what teaching was all about.  So why does it take so long for this to happen?  Why did I spend my entire life preparing for a career, that in reality, I was never prepared for?  How can we as educators prepare our students to reach their dreams before being hired?

           
One area I disagree with on this website was the mention of the build-off of No Child Left Behind and the accountability piece.  I personally feel as though through No Child Left Behind we have lost sight of our advanced students.  We tend to focus so much time and energy on struggling students and their test scores that we neglect to honestly meet the needs of our brilliant students as well.  I hope through the Partnership of the 21^st century skills that we can begin to refocus more time on above-target in combination with our low and on target students to ensure they are all reaching their full potentials.

           
An emphasis on this website is the alignment of the Common Core State Standards with the new 21^st century learning skills. For students, this is going to mean that critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication skills are going to be emphasized on a much larger scale.  The website indicated that executives believe that more than half of their employees are “average” at best when it comes to most 21^st century skills.  For educators, this should be the driving force behind change within the classroom and the obligation to make sure students are as prepared as possible for the workforce when leaving the classroom.

Blogging to Connect Students, Parents, and Teachers

              Finding ways to connect with the home has always been a struggle for me as a 6^th grade Math teacher.  I feel as though students and parents are always disconnected from one another, information is not relayed accurately or in a timely fashion, and parents/guardians are left with unanswered questions throughout the year.  However, I believe that setting up a blog within my classroom will be a fantastic tool for both parents and students and help solve these problems!  Students and parents will now have the opportunity to communicate with one another and myself about specific math homework questions, projects, tests, and any other topic that would require a group effort.  I envision students and parents collaborating together at home on math content and then posing any questions and concerns on the blog for discussion.  Students who are absent can have access to the classroom and parents can be notified of what was missed.                                                                                                                                          With the new implementation of the Common Core Modules, I see blogging as a communication tool throughout the year that can keep students and parents up-to-date with the latest news, upcoming assignments and/or tests, questions about specific math content, and a unique way to make connections with diverse families.  I can post sample questions and step-by-step procedures, clear up any confusion with what is happening within the classroom, and create a warm, respectful learning environment for students and their families.

Hello!

Hello!

My name is Sara Locke and I am from a small town in Upstate New York.  I have a husband who is a high school Math teacher and a beautiful one year old boy named Joey that keeps me on my toes!  I am currently in my third- year teaching, but my first year as a 6^th grade math teacher.  My first two years I taught first grade at a private school, but this last year I transitioned to a public school teaching solely 6^th grade.  I absolutely love what I do and have realized that teaching is my passion in life!