Education for the 21st Century Learners in Michigan

Having recently read “Learning the Treasure Within”, a report to UNESCO, I found many relevant ideas that can help Michigan schools meet the educational needs for 21^st Century learning. 

Michigan has a strong belief in the importance of lifelong learning.

According to Learning the Treasure Within, Delors J (1996 pp 20-21) the basis for the report is to focus on the four pillars of education:

• learning to know,
• learning to do,
• learning to live together, learning to live with others
• learning to be.

This is underpinned by the importance of “learning how to learn”.

For Michigan to educate for the 21^st Century learning, we must promote learning in its diversity of forms and raise the profile of learning in the community.  Economic and social knowledge are both important factors in preparing our youth to be successful, active participants in our communities and the world at large. 

In preparing students to become lifelong learners, teachers play a critical role in preparing students the how of learning.  Students have very different learning styles and learning needs.  A highly effective teacher will build relationships with their students to best understand each individual’s learning needs.  Many reports indicated teacher’s knowledge of subject and ability to build relationships with students have the most and best impact for growth in learning.

To prepare for college, careers, and citizenship, it’s not enough to only master academ­ics. Students also need to acquire a set of life skills. To be able to solve problems in our complex, fast-changing world, students must become creative thinkers who can work well with others.

These 21^st century skills are summed up as the “4Cs” by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (p21.org). They include the following, with my connections to the four pillars:

• Collaboration: Students are able to work effectively with diverse groups and exercise flexibility in making compromises to achieve common goals. (Learning to Live Together)
• Creativity: Students are able to generate and improve on original ideas and also work creatively with others. (Learning to Do)
• Communication: Students are able to communicate effectively across multiple media and for various purposes.  (Learning to Be)
• Critical thinking: Students are able to analyze, evaluate, and understand complex systems and apply strategies to solve problems. (Learning to Know)

My point here is being that these skills are critical for 21^st century learning and lifelong learning as referenced in the report “The concept of learning throughout life thus emerges as one of the keys to the twenty-first century.”  Delors J (1996 pp 20)

As our state considers what reforms are needed to produce 21^st century and lifelong learners, we must look to those educators and systems that are making progress as models. This is a time consuming and all encompassing process, as the report indicates

“Public opinion cries out for quick answers and ready solutions, whereas many problems call for a patient, concerted, negotiated strategy of reform.”  Delors J (1996 pp 15).  Therefore to be successful, we need to find solutions’ that can stand the test of time and not knee jerk reactions that get us nowhere.  Reformers, educators, business and political leaders need to work together to accomplish this task at hand.

In another article “Where are 60 Million Teachers? The Missing Voice in Educational Reforms Around the World” by Villegas-Reimers E and Reimers F (1996), they argue that reform efforts will fail unless that of the teachers voice is included in the reform discussion.  In this article, they share the performance of teachers is not just being in the classroom, but is a product of the training, incentives (pay and benefits), promotions, and supervision they need to receive in order for reforms to be effective.

In the past several years, Michigan teachers have taken many hits from new legislation regarding their positions; frozen wages, lower take home pay as a result of the Michigan retirement system and the extra 3% teachers contribute to benefit the system and not themselves, higher cost for health care benefits, new performance reviews without clear expectations and guidelines, and teaching to the test.  The article clearly indicates that these types of factors end up being cause for the loss of effective teachers and schools not getting the best and brightest for education our children.

“Our models of education systems act as self-fulfilling prophecies.  If policy makers, administrators or parents think that teachers are unimportant to education reforms, they will act in ways which will reinforce this viewpoint.” Villegas-Reimers E and Reimers F (1996 pp 483).  This is where I feel Michigan education is at in regards to teacher performance.  Our legislative leaders have left out the voice of educators in the reform discussion.  Teachers are extremely frustrated with the lack of conversation that needs to include them.  In order for Michigan to produce 21^st century and lifelong learners, we need to include educators, administrators, and parents into the conversation.

My hope, for Michigan to move forward, is for our government officials to see the value of having educators in the conversation for real reforms to be thought through, discussed and planned for implementation.  This is the real reform we must have to produce the exemplary students that industry and the world seeks to have leading the future of our communities and world.  Let the conversations begin!