21st Century Skills: A Portfolio ApproachBethpage SchoolsNASTECH WorkshopMay 26, 2010

Goals for this Session

• What the Partnership for 21st Century Skills is all about• What Bethpage is doing• National Look at P21• Oyster Bay’s Plans for 2010-11 • Port Washington’s Elementary Portfolio• Bethpage teachers and students• Q&A

Bethpage Public Schools

• Suburban New York on Long Island• 3100 students in 5 schools• Middle Class• High Performing Schools

– 98% Graduation Rate– 98% Regents Diploma Rate– 74% Advanced Regents Diploma Rate– 96% Daily Attendance

Programs at Bethpage• Internet Radio Station• Senior Seminar• Academy of Technology• Cisco Academy• Biotechnology Program• Astronomy Night• Earth Day Celebrations K-12• Forensics• Ponds for Kids• Internet Television Station• iPods in LOTE• Great Music and Art Programs- Artists in

Residence Programs

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

• What to do when you have a high-performing school in a state that has not embraced the Framework for 21st Century Skills?

• How much better can the numbers get?

• We did not want to wait

• Good to Great argument

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

“I'm calling on our nation's governors and state education chiefs to develop standards and assessments that don't simply measure whether students can fill in a bubble on a test, but whether they possess 21st century skills like problem-solving and critical thinking and entrepreneurship and creativity.”

President Obama, March 10. 2009

Current Debate

19th Century belonged to Britain20th Century belonged to United States21st Century belongs to . . .

. . .whichever country has the best educational system.

States that have adopted P21 Standards• Arizona• Illinois• Iowa• Kansas• Maine• Massachusetts • Nevada• New Jersey• North Carolina• Ohio• South Dakota• West Virginia• Wisconsin

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

• Partnership believes No Child Left Behind is not the ultimate measure of a school

• How do we ensure students are prepared for the new global world?

• NCLB does not measure innovative thought, creativity, work ethic

Bethpage: 21st Century Scholar

• Portfolio-based (one for high school and one for middle school)

• Student-maintained

• Collection of “experiences” for students

• Students submit/maintain artifacts- written, recorded (musical, oral) or artistic

• Goal is “well-roundedness”

Portfolio• Portfolio will be electronic with individual logons• Students will submit requests and gain feedback• Students will receive credit for assignments

successfully completed• Electronically notify Ms. Thomas BEFORE starting

a project and she will give permission and award credit

• Every students has a 21st Century Folder on H Drive

Bethpage: 21st Century Scholar

• Bethpage High School students who complete the portfolio will receive a 21st Century Scholar Diploma recognizing their overall education at Bethpage

• It will be endorsed by Cablevision, Cisco and other corporate friends of Bethpage

• Raising scholarship funds to reward students at graduation

Bethpage: 21st Century Scholar

• Seven Categories of the Portfolio

– Communication Skills

– Information Technology Skills

– Health/Fitness Skills

– Global Awareness

– Financial/Economic/Business Literacy

– Career Focus/Self-Directed Skills

– Community Service

21st Century Scholar:Examples of Experiences

• Literature Circles• Math in a Jar• Percent Bee• Math is Not a Mystery @ Molloy • Pi Day• World Math Day• Robotics• Computer Programming• Field Trips• Math Fair• Mathletes

It is not a math program, but there is lots of math!

21st Century Scholar:Examples of Experiences

• Simulations• Literature Circles• Robotics• Field Trips• Nature Walks• LI Envirothon• LI Science Congress• No Child Left Inside• Guest Lecturers

It is not a science program, but there is lots of science!

21st Century Scholar:Examples of Experiences

• Literature Circles• Current Events Blog• History Day @ Hofstra• Online Course• Philosophy Musical• Podcasts• Geography Bee• GIS• Field Trips• Guest Lecturers

It is not a Social Studies program, but there is lots of Social Studies!

21st Century Scholar:Examples of Experiences

• Literature Circles• Online Blogs• Poetry Nights• Podcasts• TV Broadcasts• Poetry Out Loud • This I Believe• Field Trips• Guest Lecturers

It is not an ELA program, but there is lots of ELA!

21st Century Scholar:Examples of Experiences

• Creating• Concerts• Operas• Dance• Museums• Field Trips• Artists in Residence• Guest Lecturers

It is not an Arts program, but the Arts are heavily involved!

21st Century Scholar:Examples of Experiences

• Athletics• Dance• Mountain Biking• Hiking• Kayaking• Health Lectures• Healthy Cooking• Special Programs

It is not an Phys Ed program, but Phys Ed is heavily involved!

21st Century Scholar:Examples of Experiences

• Electronic Database• Bethpage TV• Bethpage Radio• Robotics• Online Blogs• Podcasts• Kiva.org• Field Trips• Guest Lecturers • GIS

It is not a Tech program, but there is lots of Technology!

New Assessments

• Learning.com Technology Assessment for Grade 8

• National Financial Literacy Assessment

• About to field test the iCritical Thinking Assessment

• Self-Directed/Career Awareness• Visiting colleges (Marist, Fordham,

Princeton, St. John’s, Hofstra)• Guest Lectures• Middle School Exploratory Camp• NYC Scavenger Hunt

21st Century Scholar:Examples of Experiences

Superintendent Conference DayMarch 27, 2009Students Teaching Teachers in classes on…

• Solar and Hydrogen Cars• GIS• Blogs• DNA/Genographic Project• Digital Photography

• Salsa dancing• Robotics• Digital Music• Yoga• Rosetta Stone

Introduced to the Middle SchoolMarch 2009

56 of the 88 teachers have sponsored one or more projects

64% of the faculty!

Why we think this is important

• Students directing their own learning• Personal Learning Plans• Opportunities • Project Based Learning• Critical Thinking• Faculty rejuvenation • School Day Extended• Engaging students on important topics

Next for Bethpage

• 21st Century Seminar Class at High School– Interdisciplinary classes taught by 3 teachers– A Geography Class based on the Amazing Race– Nutrition Class

• Introducing 21st Century Program to Grades 4 and 5 in Fall 2010

Remember, you are already doing much

of this. . .