Developing 21 st Century Learners; impact on High Schools

1. Dr. G. Thomas Houlihan Executive Director Council of Chief State School Officers Developing 21st Century Learners; impact on High Schools Dr. G. Thomas Houlihan Former Executive Director Council of Chief State School Officers

2. A National/International Perspective(what I’ve learned) Current Issues Lessons Learned 2006

3. LESSON #1 The Constant Tension Between State and Federal Control • Who pays for what • Is funding enough? • Constitutional questions

4. LESSON #1 The Constant Tension Between State and Federal Control THE REAL ISSUE IS WHO CONTROLS CREATIVITY OF OUR SCHOOLS– 21ST CENTURY IMPLICATIONS!

5. LESSON #2 Educators have a difficult time believing in schools they haven’t seen. (Just can’t grasp) • “We are different” • “You don’t teach our kids” • “Our kids have too many problems”

6. LESSON #3 The Growing Consensus for HS Reform! • NCLB - The tip of the iceberg • Bill Gates - NGA Summit • Global Issues - China, India, European Common Market * Partnership for 21st Century Skills

7. LESSON #4 Leadership Matters! • “As the teacher goes, so goes the classroom” • “As the principal goes, so goes the school.” • “As the superintendent goes, so goes the district.” • Single biggest obstacle in education- leadership ability to lead change!

8. 21st CENTURY ISSUES Issue #1- Research on attitudes towards high schools

9. Alliancefor Excellent Education A Presentation of Survey Research on the Public’s Views on Public High Schools (2005-2006 results)

10. Views Toward High School For the first time high schools top people’s concerns

11. The American public feels the most urgency to improve high schools, but they see room for improving all levels of education. Now I am going to ask you some questions about different types of public schools. For each one please consider everything you know or have heard about public education and tell me how urgent you think it is to improve this kind of school. Here’s the first one ___ __(read item). Is it extremely urgent, very urgent, somewhat urgent, a little urgent, or not at all urgent to improve ___item? Across demographic groups the public sees more urgency surrounding high schools.

12. African Americans are particularly likely to say improving public high schools is extremely urgent. Now I am going to ask you some questions about different types of public schools. For each one please consider everything you know or have heard about public education and tell me how urgent you think it is to improve this kind of school. Here’s the first one ___ __(read item). Is it extremely urgent, very urgent, somewhat urgent, a little urgent, or not at all urgent to improve ___item? Percent saying improving public high schools in urgent

13. The public thinks the percentage of students attending college, followed by drop-out rates and the percentage of students getting jobs are the best indicators of how well a public high school is doing. For each of the following please tell me how good an indicator it is of how well a public high school is doing. Using a scale of 0-5, where zero means it is not a very good indicator and 5 means it is the best indicator ? Mean 3.7 3.3 3.4 3.2 3.4 3.2 3.1

14. Defining the Problem Preparing for Jobs

15. Given the goals they see for high schools- preparing for jobs and college- Americans do not see high school living up to their goals. Do you think a diploma from America’s public high schools prepares graduates to get a good-paying job?* Do you think a diploma from America’s public high schools prepares graduates to succeed in college?* No demographic group thinks schools prepare graduates for jobs. More educated people also think schools do not prepare for college. *Split sampled questions

16. Solutions for Success Americans believe improving reading and writing is key

17. By increasing and overwhelming margins, Americans believe that improving reading and writing is the most important factor to increasing the graduation rate. Now I am going to read you some pairs of statements. As I read each pair, tell me whether the FIRST statement or the SECOND statement comes closer to your own views – even if neither is exactly right. Improving reading comprehension and writing is not the most important factor to increasing the graduation rate Improving reading comprehension and writing is the most important factor to increasing the graduation rate 2005 All demographic groups side with this statement. 2004 *Split-sampled questions

18. Americans are not ready to give up on our high school students and they strongly feel that poorly-performing students can still get the help they need to succeed, rather than thinking it is too late. When you think about students who do not do well in high school, do you think by the time they get to high school it is too late to turn them around and help them succeed or do you think students can still get the help they need to succeed? There is little difference across racial groups

19. When asked which of several factors they would be most willing to pay more in taxes for, they pick these top priorities. Now I am going to read you some strategies that some people believe are the building blocks to help every high school student to succeed at college or in life. For each item please tell me how willing you would be to pay more in taxes to make that item happen – extremely willing, very willing, somewhat willing, a little willing, or not at all willing?

20. The public sees the high drop-out rate as having an impact on the nation’s economy and ability to compete in the global economy. SSA: What impact does a high drop out rate have on the nation’s economy, does it have a lot of impact on the economy, somewhat, a little, not at all or will it make no difference on the economy? SSB: What impact does a high drop out rate have on America’s ability to compete in the global economy, does it have a lot of impact on global competition, somewhat, a little, not at all or will it make no difference on America’s ability to compete globally? Impact of high drop-out rate on nation’s economy* 91% Impact of high drop-out rate on America’s ability to compete in the global economy* 92% African Americans are particularly likely to perceive a big impact on the country’s economy, while whites are most likely to see the impact to the country’s ability to compete globally. *Split sampled question

21. 21st CENTURY ISSUES Issue #2- The ability (or inability) of schools to embrace change

22. Ready or Not . . .The World is Different • Work is different ... • Tools are different ... • Communication is different ... • Information is different ... • Kids are different ... • Learning is different … • Teaching must be different ... And Leading must be different!

23. 20th Century 21st Century 1 – 2 Jobs 10 – 15 Jobs # of Jobs Mastery of One Field Flexibility And Adaptability Job Requirements Subject Matter Mastery Life Long Learners Teaching Model Expectations have changed

24. Who would you hire? Someone who could · master a core subject Someone who could: · master a core subject · effectively communicate · effectively collaborate · be a self-directed learner · be creative · be information/media literate · be a critical thinker · be a problem solver · be accountable and adaptable · be socially responsible

25. The Minds We Need: • A Disciplined Mind • A Synthesizing Mind • A Creative Mind • A Respectful Mind • An Ethical Mind Howard Gardner (2005);

26. How do educators move forward- 21st Century skills?SYSTEMS THINKING!! 2006

27. SYSTEMS THINKING Any system is designed to produce exactly what it produces!

28. To change performance we must change the SYSTEM, and this requires new approaches and a new way of THINKING and DOING

29. 21ST Century Issue; Good is the enemy of GREAT. We don’t have GREAT schools, principally because we have good schools.

30. 21ST Century Issue; Good is the enemy of GREAT. High Schools; • Athletics • Other Extra-curricular activities • Cultural impact of high schools

31. Partnership for 21st Century Skills • Core Subjects * Global Awareness * Financial, Economic and Business literacy * Civic Literacy 3 Key Elements- 21st Learning;

32. Partnership for 21st Century Skills • Learning Skills * Communication skills * Thinking and Problem-Solving skills * Interpersonal/Self-directional skills * ICT literacy 3 Key Elements- 21st Learning;

33. Partnership for 21st Century Skills 3. Assessments * Measure mastery of 21st cent. skills * Diagnose interventions * Demonstrate proficiency- multiple ways w/ multiple assessments using technology 3 Key Elements- 21st Learning;

34. Apple 60 GB iPod with Video Playback

35. Have you seen THIS? • For Spanish . . .

36. click above to download Spanish learning programs for your Ipod NOW!

38. What about THIS? • For Mandarin . . .

40. Results 1 - 10 of about 1,010,000 for learnMandarin iPod. (0.20 seconds) • June 18, 2006 • Results 1 - 10 of about 4,440,000 for learnChinese iPod • July 13, 2006

41. “When the rate of change on the outside exceeds the rate of change on the inside, the end is in sight.” • -- Jack Welch, CEO General Electric

42. “The very thing that frightens us today, the change curve, the phenomenal rate of change is an ally. • It’s not a change curve, it’s a possibility curve. The times of most change always hold the most possibility.” • DeWitt Jones

43. REMEMBER PERSPECTIVE!! 1. We have the best K12 system in the world! -- skill levels -- rate of innovation -- taking risks -- self-confidence • With learning and sharing, we can be so much better!!! - Katty Kay, CCSSO Leg Conference

44. REMEMBER PERSPECTIVE “ The more I travel, the more I find that most heated debates in many countries are around education. And here’s what is really funny- every country thinks it’s behind.” - Tom Friedman, 3/25/06 International Herald- Tribune

45. REMEMBER PERSPECTIVE • Tony Blair- Innovative charter schools • Singapore- obsessed with math scores • US- K12 math/science • Japan/India/China/- liberal arts concerns - Tom Friedman, 3/25/06 International Herald- Tribune

46. THE FUTURE?? “My guess is that we are at the start of a global convergence in education. China and India….inspire more creativity. America…more rigorous in math and science.. A great win-win.” - Tom Friedman, 3/25/06 International Herald- Tribune

47. THE FUTURE?? “It’s a win-win. But some will win more than others- and it will be those who get this balance right the fastest.” - Tom Friedman, 3/25/06 International Herald- Tribune

48. THE SECRET The genius of America’s success is that the US is a rich country with many attributes of a scrappy, developing society- open, flexible, adventurous and hard working!! - Newsweek (6/12/06)

49. WHAT WE MUST DO….. We cannot compete in some areas (cheap labor), but what we can do is take the best features of the American system- openness, innovation, and flexibility- and enhance them to respond to new challenges. - Newsweek (6/12/06)

50. WHAT WE MUST DO….. Embrace (and lead) change. A future of slow, steady decline or a willingness to embrace change and move forward? That is the question…. -Newsweek (6/12/06)