My reaction to the 21st Century Partnership is positive. I was unaware of an organization being designed to inform educators and others about what is going to happen in education. There is an abundance of resources in the tools and resources menu including online publications, online resources, and guidebooks for implementation of the framework. The organization is focused and driven through the vision and mission statements explained in the about us menu. I agree with the position of a stronger connection between the community, schools, businesses, and government. This site allows for influential partnerships among all invested parties in the success of our graduates being prepared for the future. This brings rigor and most importantly relevance to curriculum in the classroom for students across the country and among states.
The information included in this site that surprised me the most would be the large number of states involved in this process. I was disappointed to find that Indiana is not at this time, but there has been discussion of developing a particular school to covering this need. Being interested in this topic, I found professional development available for teachers to become educated about the process. Many times these types of initiatives have ideas for how teachers can teach better but rarely provide the necessary training to implement changes at the building and classroom level.
The one stakeholder not addressed in this overall plan would be the vested interest of the parents and their involvement. In the mileguide it discusses the administration and teachers assessment, but the support at home is lacking. Parents are often not included in the decision making process, but we need their support for this framework to be implemented in the schools.
Some of the implications for my students revolve around the high standards and skills required of them for graduation. One concern of my ELL students is being able to pass the state tests. Several of my students lack basic skills entering high school and constantly are trying to catch up to their peers. There should be more support for these students, instead of just keeping them in school longer. A benefit of teaching 21st century skills would be students remaining on-task and engaged in the classroom more often. Another positive for the framework, students are developing the necessary skills to be successful citizens in society. For contemporary teachers, there needs to be more training, resources, and technology than what our school currently provides to make this happen for students. I am concerned about the lack of funding for all states, especially ALL at the same time. Since as educators, we want what is best for our students.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
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Heather,
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that you were surprised at how many states were involved in this initiative. My reaction was the opposite - I could not believe how few are currently participating. My reaction is discussed in my blog at http://msg-music.blogspot.com/ One part of your assessment with which I agree fully is parent involvement. Using more technology in the classroom could lead to greater parent involvement in education. For example, blogs and wikis are just some methods we use to communicate classroom events to the general public. Many schools now use an Edline or Blackboard system for updating class announcements or even posting grades to parents. As technology becomes more accessible to the community, we must stay ahead of the learning curve and we must train our students to do the same. This also leads to more on-task time in the work environment as you observed.
Hi Heather!
ReplyDeleteI actually was going to comment on the number of states as well. I was surprised how few there were! My state was one of the few- and I'd be curious as to where other states are in the process? I wonder who checks on the states progression or if it is not mandatory? I'm kind of in the same boat as you- I don't teach ESL, but I teach special education, so state testing is also very stressful for me and my students. I wish the site would have had more information on parent involvement as well. We use powerschool at my school so that parents can keep an eye on assignments and grades. I have found this really makes a difference. I think it would be nice to see some suggestions for how parents can work with their children at home so that we can collaborate together on strengthening the student's skills.
:)