21st Century Skills

What are some of the connections you see between your externship and math or science essential concepts and skills?  21^st Century Skills?  Five Characteristics of Effective Instruction?  Eight Standards for Mathematical Practice? 

21^st Century Skills:

I have been surprised to discover the connections that exist between the externship and 21^st Century Skills. I know for many beginning teachers, 21st Century Skills are often overlooked. I knew they were an element in the Iowa Core, but I primarily focused on teaching the content areas. However, as I am working, I am realizing how important these skills are for students to develop. While the content areas are very important to set the background knowledge for what students need to know, they also need to be able to apply the information in their social, professional, and personal lives.

At SHL, some of the relevant skills I see are…

-          Employability Skills

o   Obtain the personal characteristics that empower them to be productive, caring, and competent citizens

o   Communicate and work productively with others emphasizing collaboration and cultural awareness to produce quality work

o   Adjust to various roles and responsibilities and understand the need to be flexible to change

o   Practice leadership skills, and demonstrate integrity, ethical behavior, and social responsibility in all activities

o   Demonstrate initiative, creativity, self-direction, and entrepreneurial thinking to produce successful outcomes.

o   Demonstrate productivity and accountability by producing quality work

-          Technology Literacy

o   Use technology resources to create original products, identify patterns and problems, make predictions, and propose solution.

o   Use interactive technologies in a collaborative group to produce digital presentations or products in a curricular area.

o   Use technological resources to develop and refine questions for investigation.

o   Utilize digital tools and resources to investigate real-world issues, answer questions, or solve problems.

Within the Employability Skills, I believe it is imperative for students to be flexible, reliable, innovative, and self-directed. Employers are looking for employees that can adapt to a position and provide new ideas to the program. It is my challenge to develop these skills. I will be thinking of new ideas on how to incorporate these dimensions.