What is Your Future Going To Be Like...?

We started the year off with the video, SHIFT HAPPENS, to take a look into our present and future globalized world which is very dynamic and fluid. The BMHS teachers were shown this video to start our 2012 school year. So I naturally thought we should show to the other part of the Learning Team, you the student.

Student Reactions Were Varied ranging from defeatist attitudes to engaged "let's take up the challenge" attitudes. Some of the responses were: Wow, this is kind of scary?....I didn't know our country was so far behind....We can do better than that...we have a lot of work to do. 

Purpose of Showing the Video: I wanted you to take a look into the possible future in the context of figuring out where you ARE as a student-learner, where you WANT TO BE as a student-learner, to develop a philosophy and plan on HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THERE (Future Destination).

While the video can be somewhat intimidating as far as how fast and how far the global world is changing, if you want to be able to function effectively in that "shift happens world" with relevant skills and knowledge then YOU need to EDUCATE and TRAIN yourself to be able to do so. This is a team effort, Parents / Guardians, Teachers / Administrators, and Students. We all teach and learn from each other, but that only occurs if we collaborate to work together.

Question: HOW DO WE "RAMP UP" OUR GAME FOR THE FUTURE (to function in the Shift Happens World):

Answer: Develop 21st Century Learning Skills (taken from Tony Wagners's book, The Global Achievement Gap). He called them his Seven Survival Skills:

1. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
2. Collaboration across Networks and Leading by Influence
3. Agility and Adaptability
4. Initiative and Entrepreneurship
5. Accessing and Analyzing Information
6. Effective Oral and Written Communication
7. Curiosity and Imagination

If you develop these learning skills you will be ready and relevant for the challenges of the 21st century, if you don't then others will determine your future for you. Will you try to predict your future or will you make your future...?