Eeeek! I put off working on my application for week for knowing that I’d be around on Sunday afternoon, after returning from Cambodia. I’m realizing that wasn’t the smartest idea, as this was supposed to be posted on Wednesday! Hopefully you all can forgive me for my lateness, I must start looking at our applications before the weekend.
I found the website to be very informative, with quite a bit of information on their point of view of the 21st century. Looking around the website has a very clear mission/belief statement, and they present it in a way that is not very threatening (no major changes). I do wonder, if when a state adopts the P21 framework, will the state support the technological needs that will rise? The P21 framwork involves the schools and teachers, and I think we will need training, and constant on-site support of any initiatives.
I was surprised to see that the “arts” is considered a core subject. It claims that NCLB also see the arts as a core subject. I completely agree that the arts are an incredibly important part of society, but I find myself thinking a little pessimistically. We “arts” people are often one of the first to go, which is not indicative of a valued core subject to me. I also found it interesting that they added the Career and Life Skills to the P21 overview. However, there is very little mention of computer/technology skills (considering how many board members are technology-related…). I think more than just being an Information, Media and Technology Skill, computers/technology should be a life skill. Fact is (to me), computers and technology are part of everyday life, and should be taught as such.
Much of what this website discusses things that I teach in my classroom, although perhaps in a more passive way than they suggest. In addition to making sure I’m meeting the National Art Standards, I now have a entire new set of standards to work into my curriculum. I think that is it great that someone is looking into the future and trying to be proactive about it, rather than reacting to it. I am concerned at the amount of responsibility that is being placed on our shoulders as teachers, however. I think that many of these skills can and should also be reinforced (or taught) at home.