Top ten reasons to award funding

to theReading Public

SchoolsUrsula Abad, Karen Callan,

Laurie Smith, Jo-Ellen McGinnity

Top ten reasons to award funding

to theReading Public

SchoolsUrsula Abad, Karen Callan,

Laurie Smith, Jo-Ellen McGinnity

Accessibility • Fully Wireless schools

 • 21st Century classrooms

         - laptops for every child        - Interactive projection systems        - MP3 players         - Video cameras        - Headphones/microphones        - Webcams        

Applications of Technology• Research tools

        * Wikipedia        * Internet searches• Writing and Publishing

      * Blogs      * Wikis• Communicating

        * Skype        * Frappr        * Flickr• Virtual Field Trips

        * United Streaming        * National Geographic• Student Engagement

        * highly motivating        * meaningful 

Support•Full-time technicians•Integrated technology support•21st century competitive salaries•Up-dated infrastructure•Small class size  

School Environment• Green Buildings (http://www.icampustech.com/pdf/ict_singlepage_060707.pdf )

        ~Paperless classrooms        ~Proper lighting        ~Excellent air quality and ventilation        ~Solar heat/light sources        ~Alternative energy sources            ~ Use of recycled materials            ~ Recycle programs• Classrooms (http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/creating-the-21st-century-classroom/)

            ~ team-orientated workspaces            ~ creative environments            ~ accessible technologies            ~ conducive to phsical activity & nutrition• School programs

            ~ Year long schooling            ~ Rotating six week modules

Student Coursework• STEM courses

        ~ rigorus, up-to-date, research based        ~ collaborative with universities and community        ~ collaborative with businesses• Core subjects (www.21centuryskills.com)

 ~ authentic        ~ differentiation        ~ advanced coursework• Foreign languages

      ~ opportunities for many languages      ~ begin at pre-school level• Internship programs

        ~ experience real-world applications        ~ entrepreneurships (Bruno, A. http://nlcommunities.com/communities/expanding_teaching_course/archive/2008/09/26/189295.aspx )

• Project-based learning         ~ virtual collaboration        ~ increasing verbal and written communication

Standards and Assessment

• Standards that address critical thinking skills, collaboration, and creative thinking (Pink, D. p.65)

• Power standards at all grade levels• K-12 portfolio, project-based, and open-ended

assessments, which include research and critical thinking skills

• Culminating senior project that begin in freshman year

Field Trips

• Visitations to local venues that enhances learning outside the classroom

• On-site work opportunities for possible future internships

• Enhance global awareness through international travel for the purpose of culture, language, science and social systems

• Student semester or year long exchange programs

Abad, U. Abad, U. (2008, September 30). Opportunities we can take advantage of in a Flat World. Retrieved from: http://www.google.com/reader/view/?hl=en&source=en-mmm#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fnlcommunities.com%2Fcommunities%2FMainFeed.aspx%3FGroupID%3D1807

Staff Training

• Knowledgeable in any updated hardware • Staff proficient in current applications; including

but not limited to – wikis, blogging, Flickr, Skype, movie making, podcasting, Frappr,

• Versed in internet safety, including safe searches, reliability of online sources, web ethics, responsible cyber citizenship

• Competent in moderating student posts, entries, etc.

• Applying and Integrating all current technology skills

Community • Courses/workshops for 21st century

skills; including parenting workshops to support global learning

• Providing online community resources• Continuing parent involvement within

all schools• Funding for parent/community grants to

support our 21st century classrooms• Partnering with public and private

sector

“.. But as knowledge hurtles forward, inventing the future becomes a harder and harder task - one that takes more of the right education, the right infrastructure, the right ambition, the right leadership, the right parenting.  We need to get our whole country focused around meeting this challenge.”

Friedman, p.399

Help us to prepare our students to become the

leaders of the twenty-first century!!

Bibliography

• Bruno A. (2008, September 26). The World is Flat Response. Retrieved from: http://nlcommunities.com/communities/expanding_teaching_course/archive/2008/09/26/189295.aspx

• eSchoolNews (2008) The 21st Century Classroom. Retrieved from: http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/creating-the-21st-century-classroom/

• Friedman, T. L. (2007). The World is Flat. New York: Picador/Farrar, Straus & Giroux

• Ideal 21st Century Model Classroom (2008). Products for 21st Century Classroom. Retrieved from: www.icampustech.com/pdf/ict_singlepage_060707.pdf

• Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2008). Framework for 21st Century Learning. Retrieved October 1, 2008. From: www.21century skills.org

• Pink, D. (2006). A Whole New Mind. New York: Riverhead Books

• Abad, U. (2008, September 30). Opportunities we can take advantage of in a Flat World. Retrieved from: http://www.google.com/reader/view/?hl=en&source=en-mmm#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fnlcommunities.com%2Fcommunities%2FMainFeed.aspx%3FGroupID%3D1807