Mission Impossible:The Total Transformation of a Public

School District

Andrea Bruno, Math TeacherMelissa Fleishman, Fifth Grade Teacher

Andie Merkowitz, Special Education TeacherPat Schettini, Superintendent

Richard Trakimas, Science Teacher

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Infusing Our Curriculum into 21st Century SkillsWhat are 21st Century Skills? 

• Creativity and innovation skills • Flexibility and Adaptability • Initiative • Self Direction • Productivity and Accountability• Cross-Cultural Skills• Social Skills• Life-long Learning• Leadership and Responsibility• Personal Wellness• Civics• Global Awareness

Why are 21st Century Skills Critical?

“As a basic rule I think it is important to know that you can’t just focus on what it is you are good at or like to do… you do yourself no favors by having only one skill.”

“They (managers) no longer see people as specialty tools. And their people need to become less specialized tools and more like Swiss Army Knives. Swiss Army Knives are versatilists.” Thomas Friedman, The World is Flat, pg. 294

How do we know Friedman was How do we know Friedman was right? We asked…right? We asked…

21st Century skill – Flexibility and Adaptability21st Century skill – Flexibility and Adaptability

Adam P. Engineer, Department of Defense at Raytheon, 27 years old.

How do we know Friedman was right? We asked…

“They have to prepare like athletes preparing for the Olympics, with one difference. They have to prepare like someone who is training for the Olympics but doesn’t know what sport they are going to enter.” Thomas Friedman, The World is Flat, pg. 294

“…math teachers and science teachers should get together and have students do a final project that encompasses both subjects...teach curriculum in both classes that go hand-in-hand with.each other (so that students go to science and use their math skills, and go to math and use their science skills). This way, math will be more comfortable for students who don't really grasp it.”

Katie C., Scheduling, Department of Defense, 25 years old

21st Century Skill – Lifelong Learning21st Century Skill – Lifelong Learning

How do we know Thomas Friedman was right? We looked.

“We Americans have to work harder, run faster, and become smarter to make sure that more of us are able to connect and compete, collaborate and innovate on the flat world platform - and derive all the benefits it has to offer.” Thomas Friedman, The World is Flat, pg. 635

“Keyboarding should not be a major course in the high school Business Department, but must be taught in the earliest of grades with the high school Keyboarding course replaced with courses that emphasize technical writing skills, inform students about Internet Search Engines, and use educational software. Students need to be able to use computers for research and information gathering. They need to know how to use computers in innovative ways. ”

Bill Endslow, Drama Teacher, RMHSBill Endslow, Drama Teacher, RMHS

21st Century Skill – Problem Solving Skills, Communication and Collaboration

 ... and if you needed some more reasons, here is what a group of technology professsionals

had to say

“High schools don’t prepare us for how much teamwork there is in college and in the work place.”

 “teach networking skills”

 “integrate technology into learning”

 “good written and oral skills are helpful”

 “work on semester long projects”

“learn more about how different pieces of life fit together” 

“never discount the value of learning how to work in a team and make critical decisions effectively”

 

We Must Prepare Our Students forTheir Future and Not Our Past

Challenge in Education, Panasonic Corp.

The Solution:

 Project Based Learning and Authentic Assessments

“Project-based Learning shifts away from the traditional classroom with teacher-centered lessons and instead emphasizes learning activities that are interdisciplinary, student-centered and integrated with real world issues.” Convergemag.com

What is Project Based Learning?

21st Century Skill – Creativity and Innovation Skills

Vision = Reality

Enduring Understandings

Performance tasks and projects: Complex, open-ended,

authentic

All Students Should Know and Be Able to Do

Quizzes and tests: constructed response: performance tasks and

projects

Worth being familiar withTraditional quizzes and tests

Selected Response

It Will Take a Whole New Approach…

Understanding by Design, Wiggins and McTighe

…but it is doable…

…it will look like this

Excerpts from Project Based Learning, Edutopia

Our District Has the Capacity and the Will ... But We Need the Resources

• Technical Infrastructure– Broader Band Width – Full Wireless Capacity

• Technology Hardware & Software• Professional Development• Partnerships with Colleges, Universities, and

Businesses• Assessment and Entrepreneurship Support

Thank you for your time.

Andrea Bruno

Melissa Fleishman

Andie Merkowitz

Pat Schettini

Rich Trakimas