The+Global+Achievement+Gap

The recent publication called[| The Global Achievement Gap] by Tony Wagner emphasizes the skills students will need to stay connected and part of our global community. These skills include critical thinking, collaboration, problem solving, leading by influence, adaptability, initiative, entrepreneurialism, oral and written communication, analyzing information, curiosity and imagination. How will teachers help students become competent in these areas? I predict that just as Lankshear and Knobel advise these skills will be taught through new literacies. I agree that communication transcends through the written word and what if the language used to communicate an idea is not understood? The saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" holds true when communicating to people who don't understand your native language. Teaching students to communicate through visual text speaks volumes in this case. Knowledge should be shared, communicated and added upon so humanity can evolve into a species that can save ourselves. Teachers who dare to move away from conventional literacies, mindset 1 and explore new literacies, mindset 2 face a tough road ahead one that has divergent paths. The first path is continue the journey as we always have done waiting for the Education System to make changes and catch up to what we know are necessary changes for our students. We can continue down using mindset 1 and responding to the world as we have been --remaining isolated. Alternatively we can embrace mindset 2 and learn and evolve ourselves into what we know as teachers is necessary for our students to survive in the world. Schools have become trapped in a world that doesn't exist any longer and it is time for teachers to move forward and assume responsibility for what is being taught. Because I have learned and explored the truth, I cannot respectfully go back. What can I do next to connect my students to new literacies and prepare them for a new world?