 |
Dr. Stephen Young
Director of Curriculum and Instruction |
Dear Blind Brook-Rye Community Members,
As we move forward with improving the teaching and learning environment throughout our classrooms, we look to the 21st century and the academic content and associated skills our students must possess in order to compete in today’s globalized work force. We must offer a rigorous and relevant curriculum and, at the same time, offer our students the opportunity to learn in a collaborative, student centered classroom.
We must begin to offer a 21st century education with a focus on global awareness, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy, civic literacy, health and wellness awareness, or environmental stewardship, to name a few. We also need to continue our efforts in promoting and teaching critical thinking and problem solving skills, effective communication skills, creativity and innovation, information and media fluency, and contextual learning.
This additional content knowledge and essential skills will also need to be taught in a 21st century learning environment, including the use of personalized learning strategies, project–based learning, seamless technology integration, performance-based formative and summative assessments, service learning, and differentiated instruction. While we engage our students in the 21st century, we also need to teach them about the life skills of leadership, ethics, accountability, personal responsibility, and self–direction.
The education research is clear when it comes to raising student achievement. The key to improved learning for students is continuous job-embedded learning for educators. Teachers who meet together in professional learning communities, where the focus is on student learning, build a collaborative culture for sharing best practices, promote higher student achievement, and move away from a typical 20th century teacher-centered classroom.
Professional learning communities are an essential component for improving today’s education system. In our Blind Brook-Rye schools, we need to shift our focus and attention from teaching to learning. When we change that focus, student achievement increases and our students will be better prepared for the 21st century. We are about to enter the second decade of the 21st century and the Blind Brook-Rye school district is moving forward to prepare our teachers and students for the new challenges ahead.
The Blind Brook School District is committed to bringing 21st century teaching and learning into every classroom. This district will continue to provide all students, teachers, and administrators with the essential resources necessary to bring about this paradigm shift. Please check our website for additional information regarding this 21st century teaching and learning initiative. If you have any other questions regarding curriculum, instruction, or assessments, please contact me at any time.
Sincerely,
Dr. Stephen Young
Director
of Curriculum and Instruction
syoung@blindbrook.org
|
