October 7 2009 PD-Superintendent message

21st Century? : 

21st Century? October 7, 2009

Slide 2: 

A Little History Lesson

In 1958 we were in crisis. : 

In 1958 we were in crisis.

A Nation at Risk! (1983) : 

A Nation at Risk! (1983) Content Standards and Expectations Time Teaching Leadership and Fiscal Support

1995 TIMSS Grade 8 Mathematics Performance : 

1995 TIMSS Grade 8 Mathematics Performance Zhao, 2008

Slide 6: 

Despite the billions of dollars being spent on ‘education reform’ since 1983, the U.S. has implemented none of the meaningful recommendations of the 1983 report and as a result has seen no real improvements to our math or science education system. ----Robert Compton,2008, creator and executive producer of the documentary Two Million Minutes. Source: http://www.2mminutes.com/pressblog6.html Two decades later, A Nation at Risk remains significant in terms of setting the debate and ushering in an era of reform in education, but its goals have not yet been realized. The changes wrought by twenty years of task forces, committees, and study groups have not produced the hoped-for improvement in student achievement. Few of the commission's recommendations were properly implemented, and many of those that were proved too timid to bring about effective educational reform. --Diane Ravitch 2003 Source: http://www.hoover.org/pubaffairs/dailyreport/archive/2848976.html Zhao, 2008

Slide 7: 

U.S. treading water in reading Bloomberg News ServiceRussia, Hong Kong and Singapore shot to the top of 45 countries and provinces participating in a fourth-grade reading test, while England fell below the United States, according to results released yesterday. (Honolulu Advertiser, November 29, 2007) U.S. Students Fall Short in Math and Science Teenagers in a majority of industrialized nations taking part in a leading international exam showed greater scientific understanding than students in the United States—and they far surpassed their American peers in mathematics. (Education Week, December 4, 2007) Zhao, 2008

But the story can’t be left there. : 

But the story can’t be left there.

Slide 9: 

http://www.weforum.org/pdf/Global_Competitiveness_Reports/Reports/gcr_2007/gcr2007_rankings.pdf Zhao, 2008

Slide 10: 

Source: http://www.worldmapper.org/ Zhao, 2008

Slide 11: 

How do other countries look at the education needed in the 21st Century?

Japan : 

Japan Since 2001, Japan has been working to implement its Education Plan for the 21st Century, which has three major objectives: The first is “enhancing emotional education,” that is, cultivating students as emotionally well-rounded human beings. The second objective is “realizing a school system that helps children develop their individuality and gives them diverse choices” by moving towards a diverse, flexible educational system that encourages individuality and cultivates creativity. The third is “promoting a system in which the school’s autonomy is respected” through decentralizing educational administration, enhancing local autonomy, and enabling independent self-management at the school level. (Iwao, 2000) Zhao, 2008

Slide 13: 

[Korea 2000] Revised 7th National Curriculum The ultimate goal is to cultivate creative, autonomous, and self-driven human resources who will lead the era's developments in information, knowledge and globalization. Promote fundamental and basic education that fosters sound human beings and nurtures creativity Help students build self-leading capacity so that they well meet the challenges of today's globalization and information development Implement learner-oriented education that suits the students' capability, aptitude and career development needs Ensure expanded autonomy for the local community and schools in curriculum planning and operation. Zhao, 2008

Singapore : 

Singapore Since 1997, Singapore’s key educational strategies are: The explicit teaching of critical and creative thinking skills; The reduction of subject content; The revision of assessment modes; and; A greater emphasis on processes instead of on outcomes when appraising schools. In 2005, the Ministry of Education in Singapore released another major policy document Nurturing Every Child: Flexibility and Diversity in Singapore Schools, which called for a more varied curriculum, a focus on learning rather than teaching, and more autonomy for schools and teachers (Ministry of Education, 2005). Zhao, 2008

Why? : 

Why?

Slide 16: 

Imagination is more important than knowledge. It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. Albert Einstein

Technology redefines - Everything : 

Technology redefines - Everything

What did we do before? : 

What did we do before? E-mail. Word-processing. The Internet On-line banking and purchasing

Before : 

Before Text-messaging Podcasts Wiki’s Skype

Before! : 

Before! Google E-Bay Wikipedia ????????

Our Challenge : 

Our Challenge

(W)hy would the world’s employers pay us more than they have to pay the Indians to do their work? They would be willing to do that only if we could offer something that the Chinese and Indians, and others, cannot. --New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce (2007). Tough Choices or Tough Times : 

(W)hy would the world’s employers pay us more than they have to pay the Indians to do their work? They would be willing to do that only if we could offer something that the Chinese and Indians, and others, cannot. --New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce (2007). Tough Choices or Tough Times

Because of the Death of Distance : 

Because of the Death of Distance

Slide 24: 

As electrically contracted, the globe is no more than a village. Marshall McLuhan, 1964 “Honey,” I confided, “I think the world is flat.” Thomas Friedman, 2005

Books to make us think! : 

Books to make us think! A Whole New Mind – Daniel Pink (2005) Five Minds for the Future – Howard Garner (2006)

Slide 26: 

Daniel H. Pink (2005).A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age

A Whole New Mind : 

A Whole New Mind Information Age: L-Directed Thinking Sequential Literal Functional Textual Analytic Conceptual Age: R-Directed Thinking Simultaneous Metaphorical Aesthetic Contextual Synthetic Asia Automation Abundance Zhao, 2008

Essential Aptitudes in the Conceptual Age : 

Essential Aptitudes in the Conceptual Age Design Story Symphony Empathy Play Meaning

Five Minds for the Future : 

Five Minds for the Future Disciplinary Mind Mastery Schools of Thought Professional Craft Synthesizing Mind Integrate Ideas Communicate Creating Mind Uncover new ideas Clarify new ideas Respectful Mind Awareness and appreciation of differences Ethical Mind Fulfillment of responsibilities Gardner, 2006

Global Citizenship : 

Global Citizenship The completely untraveled person will view all foreigners as the savage regards a member of another herd. But the man who has traveled, or who has studied international politics, will have discovered that, if his herd is to prosper, it must, to some degree, become amalgamated with other herds. --Bertrand Russell, 1950

Are we preparing citizens for the globalized world? : 

Are we preparing citizens for the globalized world? Unique talents Creativity, Imagination, and Passion Cross-cultural competencies Understanding the globe Foreign languages Understanding other cultures Global responsibilities Zhao, 2008

What does it take? : 

What does it take?

Personalize education: Is there a core curriculum? : 

Personalize education: Is there a core curriculum? Creativity and discipline: Skills, knowledge, and attitude Globalization: Schools as global enterprises Zhao, 2008

Digital Citizenship : 

Digital Citizenship Living in the digital world Consumers Citizens Community leaders Making a living in the digital world Digital workers Global workers (Re)Creating the digital world Innovators Entrepreneurs Zhao, 2008

What can we do? : 

What can we do?

Be informed of changes. : 

Be informed of changes. Model attitudes and behaviors. Lead changes in curriculum, policy, and events in your schools. Advocate changes in the state and the nation. Zhao, 2008

Imagine a District where… : 

Imagine a District where…

Slide 39: 

People work together to improve instruction in all classrooms and rigor is the norm.

Slide 40: 

People strive to personalize instruction for all students and resources are focused on the classroom.

Slide 41: 

People model professionalism creating a healthy and supportive environment for students to learn.

Slide 42: 

People treat each other with respect and learn from our differences.

Slide 43: 

People believe that communication is the most important subject we teach.

Slide 44: 

People take risks and encourage students to take risks.

Slide 45: 

Consistency of expectations is clear throughout the system.

Slide 46: 

The use of data is seen as part of establishing and assessing common goals.

Slide 47: 

People employ technology as a tool to instruct.

Slide 48: 

Students turn on to education when they come through our doors.

Slide 49: 

Can you imagine?

Slide 50: 

Is it or could it be the Framingham Public Schools?

Slide 51: 

We can only do this together!