Is It Really Important?

So much fuss has been made about making sure the students of today have the necessary 21st Century skills to become productive citizens of the future.  As educators, we are told to prepare our students for a future we cannot even imagine.  Predictions abound about the number of careers our students will have in a lifetime.  Corporations chime in with their wish lists for the skills they expect their future employees to have.  Each state has set down strict guidelines as to what should be taught. Our students face high stakes testing every year in most subject areas.  We are expected to keep students motivated and meet their individual needs by adjusting our programs in order to make the mandated curriculum accessible to all students.  And among all of these pressures we know our students need to be adaptable, creative thinkers, cooperative, responsible citizens, problem solvers, and lifelong learners.  If these expectations were put into a job description, how many of us would apply for the position?  Hmmm?  And yet, we do.So we agree that being an educator is a worthy profession.  But can we afford to continue to teach students the same way we did when I first began teaching in 1975?  No. Yet this is the case at my school and at so many others.  Education has not kept pace with the new demands of this century.  How will we look our students in the eyes and explain to them why we did not prepare them for their futures?  How do we justify leaving them so far behind where they need to be?

We know the children of today are our future.  And as difficult as the job of educating them has become, it is a noble undertaking.  All of our blood, sweat, and tears are worth it if students leave our hallowed halls with the education that will allow them the freedom to choose their destiny and the knowledge and skills to be successful.  So is it really important for us to prepare our students for the 21st Century by making sure they have all the necessary skills? Absolutely. Where do we begin this daunting task?  How do we get up to speed?  How do we discern which skills are valuable, and which are all sparkle and no substance?  I don’t have the answers to these questions.  I wish I did.
There is a wonderful video that addresses some of these tough questions.  Lee Crocket spoke at the NECC in 2009 about Teaching the Digital Generation.  This video was one of the reasons I decided to pursue my Master’s Degree in Instructional Media. I think you will find this video is a real eye opener.  Please let me know what you think. Enjoy.