Waking Students up to Global Change

The latest “buzz” in education is “21st. Century skill development.” We hear much spoken about how schools need to better prepare students to participate as global citizens capable of addressing the important issues of our times. It is exciting to think about schools being a place where this relevant skill-based learning actually takes place, but the complexity of the task raises many questions.

What are these “21st. Century skill?”
What does curriculum look like that incorporates the development of these skills?
How do you support teachers “reinventing” their practice?
How much of this reinvention is as much about changing teachers as it is about changing what they teach?
How do you "incentivize" this change?

There is certainly no magic formula, but educators can't stop there. Robert Principe, the Director of Educational Leadership, Hiatt Center for Social Justice Education, will discuss how Beaver Country Day School (BCDS) building on its long-standing commitment to diversity and social action, has moved to significantly increase the integration of this skill-based global learning into the learning culture of every classroom. This effort is driven by a focus on “providing opportunities for authentic learning experiences beyond the traditional classroom” where students can apply their intelligence, creativity, critical social thinking, and technology to engage real world issues.