Now that I've had some time to digest Tony Wagner's book, I've come away with yet another completely new outlook on the purpose of education. It's a common trend in this program that has given me a perpetually evolving perspective and The Global Achievement Gap has certainly added to that. I think it's the mark of an effective educator to continuously question the methods and goals of our schools and take action against failing directives. While our education system today isn't a total failure, Wagner brings to light several undeniable red flags for our future in the global scheme of things. The focus of which is that what students are taught today aren't exactly preparing them for the technologically robust and socially interconected years that lie ahead. Our current blueprint relies on an old and aging values of the early 20th century which emphasize a basic knowledge of the traditional subjects. What's more is that most are taught in ways that are merely memory-recall intensive. What Wagner finds is that more and more students coming out of this well entrenched system don't have the 21st century skills the job market and this emerging global society are in need of. Hence, Wagner suggests that schools move towards a model that begin to teach what he calls the 7 survival skills:
- Critical Thinking
- Collaboration
- Adaptability
- Initiative
- Communication
- Analysis
- Curiosity and Imagination
- Critical Thinking - The world is filled with problems and where one gets solved a new one undoubtedly springs up. It will be up to the students we are teaching now to solve these problems in the future. This will require adept critical thinking skills. As a math teacher and one who watches students exercise their own logic everyday, critical thinking is a skill that I believe everyone needs and certainly can't go without even in their daily lives.
- Collaboration - Social media is a microcosm of the way the world is evolving. More and more people in today's society, including on a global scale, need to have the ability to work together on projects. I feel that Wagner's communication skill can be included in this one. Students need to learn how to communicate effectively and at times rely on each other to solve important issues. Within this are several factors that go into being a valuable group member as well. Among them are the ability to have an open mind to ideas and methods that aren't your own and the willingness to help those around you.
- Adaptability - Yet another skill I agree with Wagner on. It's closely related to my own skill of "Perseverance" by most people's definitions. However, my interpretation of adaptability is first and foremost the skill of evolving positively with your situation. Often it's necessary to make changes to oneself or your surroundings based on circumstances or simple need. The willingness to follow through with them is what is important. The second part of my interpretation, and perhaps the more important aspect, is the ability to adapt by learning. Being able and open to learning new things makes for a versatile personality and by extension a versatile skill set. This is essential especially for the future job market.
- Initiative - The great Wayne Gretzky once said, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." I couldn't agree more. Initiative to me is the willingness to be a leader and the willingness to take chances even at the risk of making mistakes. Furthermore, I find it disappointing when students take the easy road when faced with a problem. Low effort usually results in low expectations and outcomes. Maybe this is the negative effect of grades that is such a hot topic these days. In any case, if it is possible, I feel it is necessary to foster high expectations and aims in students.
- Perseverance - Again, very similar to adaptability, but in the face of true adversity students need to know when to keep at it and push through in the real world. Facing challenges doesn't always mean changing to lesser pressures. Sometimes it means seeing big obstacles and working through them anyways. Another word related to this is courage. The younger generations including my own have the ocassional tendency to give too easily and defer the task at hand. However, more personal growth and greater rewards are often obtained by persevering. As far as being a math teacher goes, I wrote earlier in the year on Dan Meyer's video about creating patient problem solvers. In many ways, when a student struggles at a problem and has the patience to work it through to a solution, a better sense of accomplishment as well as more refined thinking is achieved.
- Creativity/Lateral Thinking - With this one, I only decided to change Wagner's wording. Curiosity and imagination are important indeed, and maybe I'm nitpicking here, but I prefer the word creativity. It carries a connotation as if something is being built or derived as opposed to something that is simply being thought about. With the former, I find that questioning and deeply thinking about issues in the world is very valuable. At the same time, it is equally as important to view the current limits of things and not be satisfied. For example, the progress of computer technology is possible because of brilliant minds who continually strived to better the last idea and then set out to create it. Students need to be able to think outside the box and strive to be original. This is how I define lateral thinking and it's product of creativity.
- Activism - This is something I'm honestly surprised Wagner hadn't included in his 7 skills. In a way, it is touched on in "Initiative" but I think this is a completely new category. I believe that activism is very important for a future that poses so many polarizing topics: The environment, civil rights, humanitarianism, animal rights, technology, government, etc. While many schools encourage activism on many things in small doses, it's a wonder why schools don't further foster student involvement with the community and society in general. This needs to be done in a few steps. Firstly, the youth needs to aware of current issues and properly educated on them. Secondly, we need to encourage students to be advocates of justice and equity. It's one thing to know about an important issue, it's another to disuade them from negative or toxic biases. Lastly, if possible, schools need to corrdinate more opportunities for students to interact and therefore become role players in community projects or motions. With this, education would become the first stepping stone in creating a generation of action takers towards societal issues.