P21

http://www.p21.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=254&Itemid=119

Pretty interesting stuff.  I mean, we're told quite often that we need to do our best to bring the 21st century technology into our classrooms.  That sure is easy to say, but the bigger chore is to find a way to make it actually happen.  It was nice to see a website that has taken the issues facing a modern classroom, and found a way to interweave them with the use of 21st century technology in a way that hopefully prepares students for life in the modern workforce.

Not that working in a classroom equals living under a rock in any way, but I guess I didn't have an idea as to how great the gap was between the life/workforce skills that students exited school with, and the skills that are required to take part in the modern workforce.  The gap is apparently large enough to move fifteen states so far to take part in the overall initiative to bring more useful technology into the class and better prepare students.  Aside from that realization, the rest seems to be common knowledge.  Keep up with NCLB, increase rigor, and build strong life/work skills in the process.

There really isn't anything to disagree with.  It's a sound movement to take part in.  Who wouldn't want to create more rounded individuals who are better prepared for higher education and the workforce?  Seems silly to ask.  However, as with just about anything like this, the website seems cryptic.  Like you need to spend money, by way of PD, to really be able to take advantage of it.  What I do like though, is the enormous list of affiliates that work with the P21 people, like Apple, Dell, and Verizon.  Those resources could prove to be very valuable in moving forward with updating my class and curriculum.

The way I see it, this can only help my students.  As an educator, it is my job to see that these students learn as much as they can while they are in my room.  Readiness for what comes next in their student careers as well as beyond that as part of the workforce, would definitely fall under those parameters.  I plan on taking full advantage of the resources offered by the P21 affiliates and using for the betterment of my classroom and students.

For the betterment of all studentkind.......

For the record, I am a 5th grade teacher and I mainly teach science, but also teach reading and language arts.

So how do we really make use of this blog-o-sphere as teachers?

Well, for starters, use it to give them all equal voice.  In any classroom you go to, I don't care where or when, there will be kids who don't stop talking, and there will be students who don't make a peep.  This handy-dandy 21st century marvel allows the timid to speak up without having to actually open their mouths.  Suddenly, we have a brand new viewpoint to base discussions from and further our thoughts.

Also, I would definitely use my blog as a sort of informal assessment for a days discussion.  For instance, say we spent the day in the computer lab searching around a website on the human body.  In the last ten minutes of the class, I can post a question for them to answer based upon what they learned during the hour.  Voila!  On one web page I have the data showing how much my students learned during the hour.

To give a prime example of how I'd use a blog in a class, the best example would be in reading.  Currently, we are working our way through Where the Red Fern Grows.  A great use of the blog for this novel would be to create an online discussion for each chapter.  As we finish a chapter, I can post a question for all of the students to respond to.  As the week progresses, we can periodically go back to see what others are posting on each others posts, and use those as in class discussion points.  We've created an enriched learning environment by using discussion questions that the students created and came to themselves.

The great thing about the web is that, when used correctly, it becomes a worldwide community of learners and educators.  By allowing our students to post their work online, it opens up their ideas to the ideas of countless others.  These differing viewpoints can offer a glimpse into the lives of others across the globe.  And as we all know, when you let a student use a computer as opposed to writing by hand, we almost always tend to get better results.

BOOM!

So here we go.  First blog of what I'm sure will be many to come.  Not so much to say this time through.  Just keep an ear to the ground, the train is bound to come at some point.