Partnership for 21st Century Skills and NCTE Offer Lessons
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Lauren Barack -- School Library Journal, 12/16/2008 9:26:00 AM
Educators can thank an ongoing partnership for a series of new lessons that aim to teach 21st-century skills to fourth, eighth, and twelfth graders.Created by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the free guidelines include sample lessons that are meant to spark problem solving, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity in students.
Inside the downloadable map, educators will find a wealth of ideas for all grade levels. How about fourth graders using an online comic-strip program and creating a graphic novel based on a short story to encourage clear and effective thinking? Or eighth graders can build a public service announcement around a social, emotional, or health issue and air it on a closed YouTube channel.
P21 created similar lessons for social studies teachers in June of this year and is planning to issue similar guidelines for mathematics, geography, and science disciplines sometime in 2009.
At the core of P21’s mission: nurturing in students so-called 21st-century skill sets in order for them to successfully navigate the new global, digital economy. Without these abilities, experts fear students will be at a disadvantage as they graduate school and enter the professional world.
“I commend NCTE and English teachers across the country for providing a framework that shows how the discipline is incorporating 21st-century skills,” said Ken Kay, P21 president. “This work highlights the partnership’s mission to develop innovative tools that integrate 21st-century skills into the curriculum and positively impact student learning.”
