As we look forward to the bright future of our students, we must look first at what skills they will need to reach their goals. Our economy is an increasingly communicative and collaborative workplace, requiring more than simply doing one's job well. To help in the development of these vital skills, I hold the 4C's as paramount ideals in this realm, offering numerous opportunities for my students to practice them in group work, collaboration, and sharing of ideas.
The 4C's are....
1. Communication
2. Collaboration
3. Critical Thinking
4. Creativity
Although deceptively simple to "cover" in the instruction of content, to do so in an arbitrary manner is a disservice to the methodology. For the 4C's to truly impact our learners, they must be explicitly taught and actively used in the classroom setting on a daily basis. This does not mean that we shift our instruction away from standards and testing, as that would be impossible in the setting of the modern public school. Instead, every instance of group work can be seen as an opportunity for our students to demonstrate their understanding of content in a manner that speaks the collaborative communication and creative critical thinking. In a nutshell, we need our students to interact in a manner that mirrors the workplace of today, and it is our job to teach them how.
The 4C's are....
1. Communication
2. Collaboration
3. Critical Thinking
4. Creativity
Although deceptively simple to "cover" in the instruction of content, to do so in an arbitrary manner is a disservice to the methodology. For the 4C's to truly impact our learners, they must be explicitly taught and actively used in the classroom setting on a daily basis. This does not mean that we shift our instruction away from standards and testing, as that would be impossible in the setting of the modern public school. Instead, every instance of group work can be seen as an opportunity for our students to demonstrate their understanding of content in a manner that speaks the collaborative communication and creative critical thinking. In a nutshell, we need our students to interact in a manner that mirrors the workplace of today, and it is our job to teach them how.