Millions of parents, teachers and children around the world are calling on their governments to provide free, good quality, basic education for all the world's children. They are part of the Global Campaign for Education; we add our voice to their call."
- Nelson Mandela and Graca Machel, April 2002.

Education is a basic human right and fundamental to the fight for human dignity and freedom. For 72 million children and 774 million adults, that right is violated everyday.

Go visit the Global Campaign for Education to learn more about the initiative to change this statistic.

 
 

Not directly addressing 21st century trends in the actual school culture means we are doing our students a major, almost unethical disservice.  Our young students will not be prepared for those jobs that don't even exist yet.  I started a Wiki on "Trends for 21st Century K12 Education".  Go visit and add some more content.

 
 

Previous posts detailed my vision for a world driven by global stewardship (see below).  Briefly, I believe we need to educate for student action towards world betterment.  I stumbled across a talk from TED ( Technology, Entertainmen and Design) by Julie Bolte Taylor, whose lessons from a stroke included the difference between "I" and "We" and its connection to brain science.

For me, even her view about how the brain works supports my ideas, need, passion for global stewardship -
"Right here, right now I can step into the consciousness of my right hemisphere, where we are — I am —the life force power of the universe. I’m the life force power of the fifty trillion beautiful molecular genes that make up my form — at one with all that is. Or I can choose to step into the consciousness of my left hemisphere, where I become a single individual…separate from the flow, separate from you.  These are the ‘we’ inside of me. Which would you choose? Which do you choose? And when? I believe that the more time we spend choosing to run the deep inner peace circuitry of our right hemispheres, the more peace we will project into the world and the more peaceful our planet will be.”

 
 

The 21st century students are different than the students that preceded them.  They are connected, multi-taskers, aware, and engage in digital based communications - all day, every day when on their "own" time.  Social networking, personal blogs and wikis, and Facebook are obviously filling some gap (or possible a bottomless chasm) in the lives of young people..Educators not only should, but they have an obligation to bring these tools, ideas, and ways of interacting in the world.  I am an advocate of global stewardship and when given the opportunity so are many young people.  Some powerful initiatives are evolving that use social networks for social good in the classrooms.  One such initiative is Taking It Global.

 
 

7,000: The number of students nationwide who drop out of school every day. Schools known as dropout factories produce more than half of our country's dropouts. 2,000 dropout factories produce almost three-fourths of African American students and two-thirds of Hispanic students who didn't finish school.  Studies show that dropouts dim not only their own economic future but also that of their communities. The 1.2 million students who should have graduated with the class of '07 will cost the nation $329 billion in lost income over the course of their lifetimes. About two-thirds of all prisoners are high school dropouts.
Source: http://www.edutopia.org/stat-high-school-dropout-rate

If we want to change these statistics and ultimately, the course of American Education, then educational reform cannot be just a whim of a few, it needs to become a necessity demanded by the majority.

 
 

According to a new report, To Read or Not To Read: A Question of National Consequence. released by the National Endowment for the Arts, Americans — particularly young Americans — appear to be reading less for fun, and as that happens, their reading test scores are declining. At the same time, performance in other academic disciplines like math and science is dipping for students whose access to books is limited, and employers are rating workers deficient in basic writing skills.“The study shows that reading is endangered at the moment in the United States, especially among younger Americans … and not merely the frequency of reading, but the ability to read as well,” The emphasis in many schools on bolstering reading skills and preparing students for tests, he added, is insufficient for nurturing an appreciation of reading.The NEA says this decline has “civic, social, and economic implications” and points out in their study that “nearly two-thirds of employers ranked reading comprehension “very important” for high school graduates. Yet 38 percent consider most high school graduates deficient in this basic skill.” And, “Literary readers are more likely than non-readers to engage in positive civic and individual activities – such as volunteering, attending sports or cultural events, and exercising.”
References:
http://www.nea.gov/news/news07/TRNR.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/19/arts/19nea.html

The Best Gift To My Son By James Patterson

James Patterson, the author, writes a letter to his son.  It about the best gift he could give to his son - the love of reading.  This letter can easily be one the teachers should be writing to their students.  It should be a promise that all teachers make to their students. Dear Jack (Jackster, Boo, Bud), I have something grand to tell you—not dreaded advice or a boring lecture, just something cool as ice that I want to share. It’s a gift from your old dad—maybe the best one I’ll ever give you.  Jack, I want you to become a passionate reader for life, and not because you have to or because it might make you more successful or get you into Harvard or Stanford. I’m talking about real passion here, like the way you currently go crazy over The Simpsons and The Incredibles. It’s true—books can make you crazy—but in a good way. Now, I have a confession to make. Truth be told, I wasn’t exactly a gangbusters reader when I was your ripe old age of 9. I didn’t have a prodigious vocabulary like you do. And, of course, I didn’t know how to roam the Internet. Hey, I was just starting to ride my bike around the streets of Newburgh, N.Y.  Anyway, I think the main reason I didn’t read too much as a kid is because my parents and the nuns who taught at my school didn’t introduce me to books that I couldn’t put down. This was pretty much true of all my friends too. We read because we had to, not because we wanted to. But, Jack, there are so many wise, funny, exciting, magical, chilling and enlightening stories out there to read. There are the Harry Potter and Lemony Snicket books, of course; ev- erybody who isn’t a complete Muggle already knows about them. But there are other absolutely terrific, glue-you-to-the-page books. A great French writer named Gustave Flaubert once said, “It is a delicious thing to write, to be no longer yourself but to move in an entire universe of your own creating. Today, for instance...I rode in a forest on an autumn afternoon under the yellow leaves, and I was also the horses, the wind, the words my people uttered.” Jack, that’s how I feel when I write, and it’s also how you’ll feel when you read a great book. It’s truly one of the best things in life!  I believe that getting you to read is my responsibility, my job. In fact, it’s the responsibility of all parents, grandparents and teachers.

That’s why I’m doing my homework now and searching for some terrific books that I know you’ll love. Why? Because, Jack, with all due respect, you probably won’t do it yourself; neither will most other kids. And so, every Christmas, you will get at least one book from me—at least one. What loving parents wouldn’t get their kids a book to read over the holidays? And every summer, I’ll also find at least a couple of books that you’ll devour just like Chunky Monkey ice cream and that you’ll never forget. Maybe someday you’ll tell your kids about them in a letter. Well, that’s my gift to you, and I can’t think of a better one. If I do my job right, reading will bring you happiness and satisfaction every day for the rest of your life. I love you, Jack. Always have, always will. Your Pop

 
 

The 2001 No Child Left Behind Act requires technological literacy among all 8th graders.Most schools acknowledge the importance of technology to their students' futures, but while many have made significant gains in building the infrastructure required, the shifts in policy and practice needed to ensure that all students learn to use technology effectively have been harder to achieve. Technological literacy is an essential component of job readiness, citizenry, and life. Students must not only become competent in the use of technology and associated applications, they must be able to apply their skills to practical situations. Most experts agree that students should develop technological skills in the context of standards-based learning. National standards and guidelines have been developed for technological literacy. Key to many of these is the International Society for Technology in Education's (ISTE) National Education Technology Standards, used in K-12 schools nationwide.

So with the focus on increasing  literacy and math scores, has this part of this part of the NCLB mandate been met?  WASHINGTON, DC - Oct. 10, 2007 - A new, nationwide poll of registered voters reveals that Americans are deeply concerned that the United States is not preparing young people with the skills they need to compete in the global economy. An overwhelming 80 percent of voters say that the kind of skills students need to learn to be prepared for the jobs of the 21st century is different from what they needed 20 years ago. Yet a majority of Americans say that schools need to do a better job of keeping up with changing educational needs. In its report, the New Commission on Skills of an American Workforce warned of dire consequences should the country not adopt a strikingly bold approach. “If we continue on our current course, and the number of nations outpacing us in the education race continues to grow at its current rate,” it said, “the American standard of living will steadily fall relative to those nations, rich and poor, that are doing a better job.” - see http://www.skillscommission.org/news.htm for more articles.  Schools need a relentless focus on the results that matter for student success in the 21st century according to The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (the Partnership). The Partnership issued a new national report outlining a compelling framework for 21st century learning: Improving schools requires the nation to redefine “rigor” to encompass not just mastery of core academic subjects, but also mastery of 21st century skills and content.  Today’s graduates need to be critical thinkers, problem solvers and effective communicators who are proficient in both core subjects and new, 21st century content and skills. These 21st century skills include learning and thinking skills, information and communications technology literacy skills, and life skills. Twenty-first century skills are in demand for all students, no matter what their future plans — and they will have an enormous impact on students’ prospects.

 
 

With being a 21st century teacher comes the responsibility of global stewardship, of advocating for the rights of all children.  We have so many privileges in the United States - free public education, a roof over our heads, usually three (or more meals) a day.  The world is now flat.  Access to what is happening throughout the world is readily and realistically available.  No more can any of us clam "I didn't know".  As a teacher, I need to pro-actively work towards the rights of all children.   The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights—civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. It spells out the basic human rights that children everywhere have: the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life. The four core principles of the Convention are non-discrimination; devotion to the best interests of the child; the right to life, survival and development; and respect for the views of the child. Every right spelled out in the Convention is inherent to the human dignity and harmonious development of every child. The Convention protects children's rights by setting standards in health care; education; and legal, civil and social services.UNICEF is a working example of promoting the rights of all children.  Their explanation of the framework for the convention for all children can be found in their website.  Make sure you view their Photo Essay of the Rights of Children.  As an teacher, I need to educate my students, other educators, parents, and the community.  Watch the Invisible Children: 100% Campaign below.

 
 

I have a dream and that dream is that equal opportunities are afforded to all children no matter what ethnicity, social class, economic circumstances.  I do not believe we live in a world of equal opportunity.  If our students do not realized they have choices, then equal opportunity cannot exist.  It is a different situation when a kid decides to empty bed pans out of choice then if she does so because all the messages and choices she was given throughout her schooling was to do so. I am an educator.  I have a responsibility to not just treat the symptoms related to  achievement gaps that exist between the individuals of different ethnicities, heritages, socio-economic levels, and global addresses - but also the causes.  As a teacher, I have to educate for global betterment.  I have a mission and a vision of a just world where all children receive good teaching rather than a pedagogy of poverty (see Haberman's Pedagogy of Poverty vs. Good Teaching).  I teach children and I teach teachers – hoping that the result is systemic change.  As Mel Levine stated, “Success is like a vitamin.”  He was referencing success of children – but I can visualize this same attitude – paradigm for the change of the systems used to educate children.

Edutopia's Daring Dozen - 2007
This is Edutopia's 2007 Daring Dozen, twelve people who are reshaping the future of education. Every thriving culture has its exceptional citizens, and in the world of education, where it takes exceptional skills simply to survive, these folks stand out. 

I had the opportunity to see/listen to one of my heroes, Jonathan Kozol, a few weeks ago.  I also heard him about ten years ago.  His passion for the Savage Inequities in our country has only grown.  What follows is a video of his discussion of his new book, The Shame of a Nation.

Speaking of savage inequalities - the following film was made by a young woman who is African American   . . .  the film says it all . . .  and this is in the 21st century!