Realizing our “own interdependence” and start looking for
ways to improve the United States needs to be more of a focus (Friedman, 2010). The United States seems to have gotten very
depend on other countries as well as mixed up in other countries issues instead
of working to keep the United States running productively as well as make
improvements. I agree that the United States may needs something
to motivate people more on the possibilities.
I think that there are some things being done to improve the
United States, but there is much more to achieve. At a national level, there needs to be collaboration
among states on standards and supporting more inquiry learning. For example, student could benefit from
national projects more that let students compete as well as us problem solving
skills. At a state level, creating standards
that align with STEM education is one way to help guild schools and teachers in
the right direction. In addition,
supporting projects that allow students to collaborate with students across the
state to build collaboration skills, competitiveness, and a motivation to
improve would be ways to help students use their skills in real life examples. Providing students with projects that allow
them to problem solve real life examples begin to let students see
possibilies.
At a local level, it seems to me that supporting the
teachers in STEM training as well as 21st century skills would help
students prepare to make a difference in the United States. If teachers do not have the training they cannot
help students learn the STEM subjects s and the skills that go along with STEM
and 21st century skills.
I agree that the United States needs a Sputnik to help us
get more focused on what we are capable of.
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that teachers need to have training in 21st century skills and STEM training in order to have an affect on the students in our schools. Innovation and problem solving in the future is going to depend on the investments we make now in our students and educational programs.
One thing I thought of when I was reading your post is the class blog that my students keep and write on. When I went to teacher training in London, I met other teachers who also teach the subject I am teaching and one teacher is having his Environmental Systems students read our current event reviews and they are commenting on my students blog posts. They are reading science news, reviewing it, reading what other classmates around the world are reading and commenting on them. This is one way my students are making their own advances in scientific knowledge.
We need to show our students ways that they can be empowered in becoming a more scientifically literate citizen.
Regards,
Janice