I found this updated video care of Leigh Hynes blog - Hynessight and it was also one of our recommended video viewing for the Mind Lab course, during Week 2 when we were looking at 21st Century skills. This is a thought provoking look at the role of a 21st century teacher.
I like this clip as it demonstrates the process of firstly thinking outside the square and then collaboration working together each with a different skill set. Then it also reinforces that when the initial task is completed it is often only the beginning.
This is another short and visual explanation covering 21st century skills of creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, media literacy, information literacy, problem solving for learners.
This is an Australian clip, (it's nearly 4 years old) I like the way it refers to the pace of change in education in schools, not just for students but also for teachers too. It reinforces for me how important it is to keep personalising learning in diverse and creative ways. You don't have to do it the same way and I am now finding that since being on the Mind Lab course I have changed my thinking towards what I have done in the past. I am fortunate this year to be now working in a smaller school where there is a ratio of two teachers for 38 children. We are focusing very much on collaboration, peer support to help other learn and gain new knowledge, share skills with others. We have hardly used any exercise books at all. We see it important to also focus on communication skills between each other and we are making sure that every student is able to share their opinion and be thinking about their learning.
So comparing 21st century skills
- collaboration
- knowledge construction
- self regulation
- real-world problem-solving and innovation
- the use of ICT for learning
- skilled communication
existing key competencies of:
- thinking
- using language, symbols and text
- managing self
- participating and contributing
- relating to others
Literature Review and class activity:
21st Century Skills / KC in leading
What skills do our 21st century learners need to thrive and how does leadership create the conditions to develop these
- Collaboration
- Knowledge construction
- Self-regulation
- The Use of ICT for learning
- Skilled Communication
- Real-world problem-solving and innovation
We compared the current key competencies with the 21st century skills. The article Microsoft Partners in Learning ITL research was very helpful with the six rubrics of 21st century learning. We then participated in a practical activity to make a video using the 21st century skills and the Three act structure to develop our story into a narrative. We chose to rewrite a Shakespeare play for a teenage audience to video. We used Romeo and Juliet to get a message across to our teenage audience that all is not lost, there is always someone there to help and suicide is not always the option in difficult times.
Some reflective questions for us to ponder....
How is the education we are providing in our classrooms providing for our children in the future?
How does the leadership in our schools create the conditions to enable our teachers to be creative and innovative in their teaching environments?
This reminds me of Dewey's quote:
If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.
What 60 Schools can tell us about teaching in 21st century - Grant Lichtman Preparing our students for their future, not our past.
I took out of this youtube clip that we as teachers and leaders not only need to walk the talk to students but to other colleagues and lead by example as we move towards intrinsically incorporating 21st century skills into our daily lives to encouraging those we teach and work with to do the same.Reflective Practice and Key competencies in Leadership -
Towards Reconceptualising Leadership - The Implication of the Revised NZC for School Leaders - Wayne Freeth UofC
I found this an interesting article as it helped to reinforce the shift of 'Knowledge as a noun' to 'Knowledge as a verb' Key phrases kept reinforcing for me that teacher agency and shared decision making, teamwork and community building are very important for us as professionals to keep to the forefront in our work. This article gave me a perspective that there are times that school leaders feel vulnerable at leading. It is often difficult to 'walk the talk' and there is a need for collective ownership, shared vision with school processes. This often requires a shift of power relations and leadership styles.
The challenge is now, more than every out there for us as professionals to question what we do and why we do it? I see it is more important than ever to build positive relationships within our school communities to provide and support collaborative and real world learning opportunities for children. I like to think that the children I teach see me learning new things each day along side them. There are things that they can teach me too. This is very cool.
