21st Century Skills in My Classroom

If you were to ask me last week how well prepared I felt for 21st century teaching and learning, I would have said I felt pretty comfortable. However, today, I feel like I have a lot to learn. This week I have been reading about some of the many technology options out there for teachers...options I had never even heard of or thought possible for classroom use. I am amazed by the possibilities, and so excited! Can you imagine how much I could engage my students if I could get them in front of a computer with some of these tools?! There is so much writing in English class, and why I thought it had to be pencil-and-paper writing is beyond me. Look at what I can do now! The wheels are already spinning and I am trying to schedule time in the computer lab to try some of these new technologies. I am keeping my fingers crossed that all goes well.

I thought I was adequately equipping my students for success using 21st century skills, but now I see that I am not. I do have to take into consideration, though, the resources that we have available to our students. Even though there are so many tools out there, I cannot access all of them. Several of the sites are blocked to students, and the computer technicians have specific opinions about the reliability of some of these sites. Getting the sites unblocked may take some doing. I think I am above average in my school building as far as technology is concerned, but when I look at the big picture and the world outside this school, I don't think I am quite where I could be.

One of my greatest strengths, in my opinion, is that I am not afraid to try new technologies. I am okay with using my students as sounding boards for new ideas. They will definitely tell me if something doesn't work! I like reading about new technologies and possibilities and planning out how to use those in my classroom. One of my challenges will be the lack of computer availability in my school building, as well as facing some of the attitudes of administration and technicians. Like many school corporations, we lack funds to implement more computers and some of the technologies now available. There are grants out there, though, and all it takes is a grant proposal to possibly be on my way to 21st century skill stardom!