21st Centruy Skills the Challenge Ahead

Quote: "Advocates of 21st century skills favor student-centered methods — for example, problem-based learning and project-based learning — that allow students to collaborate, work on authentic problems, and engage with the community."

Reaction: Growing up in this transitional period in society and in the school system I have personally learned that the more engaged the student is and the more minds that work together the more the information is retained. 

Quote: "Why don't teachers use the methods that they believe are most effective? Even advocates of student-centered methods acknowledge that these methods pose classroom management problems for teachers. When students collaborate, one expects a certain amount of hubbub in the room, which could devolve into chaos in less-than-expert hands. These methods also demand that teachers be knowledgeable about a broad range of topics and are prepared to make in-the-moment decisions as the lesson plan progresses."

Reaction: This is a terrible excuse for not implementing better ways of teaching. To be a teacher you have to care about the students you teach and want to help and have a kind heart. I've seen burnt out teachers that were in the profession for the wrong reasons and they have no motivation anymore and nobody gains anything from this. Point being, where there is a will there is a way. If we really care about our students we will find a way to give them the best learning experience possible, even if it means sacrificing our current comfort zones. 

Quote: "There is little point in investing heavily in curriculum and human capital without also investing in assessments to evaluate what is or is not being accomplished in the classroom. Fortunately, as Elena Silva (2008) noted in a recent report for Education Sector, the potential exists today to produce assessments that measure thinking skills and are also reliable and comparable between students and schools — elements integral to efforts to ensure accountability and equity. But efforts to assess these skills are still in their infancy; education faces enormous challenges in developing the ability to deliver these assessments at scale."

Reaction: I strongly believe that formal testing is flawed. We do not get an accurate summation of what is learned by testing what facts were memorized. Intellectual capacity can be measured far better than by taking a traditional test, all that accomplishes is that we know how to fill in a bubble. 

Reflection: Overall, most of us know that the education system needs some work and wrinkles ironed out here and there to make it more efficient. After all, we have grown into a new age of students and teachers heavily reliant on technology and communication, which is a good thing. We are due for a new education reform that considers with this change in society. We to not need to rely on a dated system that is not teaching students to learn.