I have seen the "Did you know" video in a couple different seminars. I find the statistics especially interesting regarding the technological leaps that larger developing countries like India and China have made recently. It is pretty mind blowing that China will have more English speakers that the United States within a matter of time. Last year, working in China at a school with highly driven students, I feel I have experienced first hand the high stakes that China sets for students. The students seemed to have a more global view and long term goals than most high school students I have worked with in the US. I think it would be fair to say that my current students are fairly oblivious to what they are up against, and they may take for granted the opportunities presented to them. I really like the quote from Thomas Friedman who said that he tells his daughters to do their homework because "people in India and China are starving for your jobs." I would love to find a way to promote international communication in my classroom, since the internet makes it easy to talk to people across the world. I struggle with how to integrate social networking sites into the classroom, but I especially am interested in how twitter could be used, because the short length of post appears to make it more accessible for all levels of students to read and respond.
The article on 21st century skills was especially interesting to me, because these skills can often seem vague, but this article did a good job defining concrete skills. "If students
have experience solving problems, working in groups, and communicating conclusions using evidence, they are developing the knowledge, skills, and abilities to participate in this century’s economy." The internet expands the possibilities for communication and collaboration. Students can problem solve with students from other countries and use both of their experiences to come up with better solutions. My mentor teacher this year is involved with Green Across the Pacific, and in this program students from China and Japan learn with students in Vermont about environmental issues and attempt to collaborate on solutions. I cannot imagine a better way to promote communication between cultures on global issues.
I think that the examination of the United State's educational system is not an over-reaction. In this ever-changing world, teachers need to make sure students are learning the skills they need to be successful in tomorrow's jobs. I appreciate the current focus on more inquiry tasks and practical application than when I was in high school. It helps prepare students to be better thinkers and problem solvers.
I am very interested in your experience teaching in China. What kind of school model do they have? Do they have school year round or on Saturday? Do they continue in a liberal arts sort of high school education or are students in the upper grades able to concentrate more on their interests and strengths? I know that some Eurpopean schools do this and when they do go on to their secondary education they are ultimately more advanced in their specific area. I think that US public schools could benefit from this kind of model. If the basic liberal arts were condensed into the lower grades, more students can advance in science and technology so that they can really compete in the global market.
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting that you taught in China. Hopefully you can use what you learned/saw over there to help motivate more students here in the US. The educational system here could use a bit of an overhaul and have more of a model similar to that of the more successful countries.
ReplyDeleteYou hit the same quote about problem solving and evidence that I did when I read that article. I think it is the cornerstone for what we should be promoting in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteDon, I agree that we need an "overhaul," but I think we need to be careful how we model other countries. These countries have very distinct cultures that are different than ours. We can take elements from others, but apply them in ways that are appropriate for our culture.