Knowing that students learn more from teachers who are better prepared in their content fields it is necessary for teacher training to change in response to new knowledge, higher expectations, and advanced technology. Teacher education programs, therefore, must be enriched, well designed, and attainable. With this in mind the curricula offered to both students and teachers must be concrete, comprehensive, culturally diverse, and continuous. With the "Four C's" at the forefront of any educational program those responsible for providing the curricula for the twenty first century must also be willing to, and acceptable of, change with respect to empowerment, leadership, communication, and opportunity.
Knowing that change benefits students, teacher and community one must be always vigilant that change in education is a process and not an event. As such curricula changes that will reap the most benefit and have the greatest impact are those that produce the greatest amount of personal and organization acceptance and satisfaction. That is to say that curricular changes for students and teachers must pay close attention to both professional and personal need within a strategic framework.
Discussion cannot end, however, with commenting on what the student will learn in the twenty first century. Most assuredly the driving...
Sustaining the political, scientific, economic, and technological advances in the United States can only be secured through developing the intellectual potential of our youth. Therefore, schools will have to incorporate twenty first century skills and proficiencies into the curricula within the context of academic values. To this end all school curricula must focus on cultural literacy and global awareness, risk-taking and inquisitiveness, advanced or higher-order thinking, personal and environmental responsibility, and strong interactive communication.
Regrettably America's educational system is slow to start the process of needed change. Until all academic factions are aligned there will continue to exist the teacher who teaches the same thing for twenty years, a community that has little involvement in the educational system other than rejecting all too often mil increases, and parents who are seemingly too busy to input their time and knowledge into their child's school system. The government alone cannot, nor should not, be the overlord of America's educational system and its advancement. The only resolution to America's educational problems and its need to advance into the twenty first century is a strong cooperative effort amongst all parties.
