Initiative helping isle teachers develop newly evolving skills

More than a decade into the 21st century, much has been written, discussed and implemented about teaching and learning. The intersection of technology and classroom teacher methodology has led to dramatic changes in the day-to-day world of education.

Critical industry pressures quickly convinced educators that the 20th century’s teacher-centered education system was not able to prepare effectively our children and grandchildren for today’s and tomorrow’s job markets.

During the last few years, our daily life has been rocked with the introduction of devices such as the iPhone and the iPad. Even my 3-year-old grandsons can use these devices, miraculously designed for intuitive use. Social networks Twitter and Facebook are universally used, and our students constantly face a challenging world, often preparing them for jobs that do not actually exist at the present.

Hawaii’s educators have astutely been able to identify certain skills that will enable our students to function in the 21st century learning and business environment.

"Schools of the future," "technology devices for all," "collaboration," "critical thinking," "problem and performance-based student-centered education" are the latest buzz words.

The efforts to change and then incorporate instruction to reflect 21st century teaching and learning skills has been a daunting task that has required a great commitment to provide professional development and mentoring for our teachers.

We determined that building collaboration time into the school day was essential; teachers needed to participate in collegial discussions and planning in order to integrate new teaching and learning strategies in their instruction. Of course, many schools have been held captive to current systems because of financial constraints.

Gratefully, in mid-May, 16 independent schools eagerly opened their final letter from the Hawaii Community Foundation. Working in partnership since 2008 with the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, the foundation’s outstanding program of financial assistance — known as the Schools of the Future Initiative — has collectively awarded these 16 schools $5 million to transform their learning environments and teaching strategies in order to better prepare students for work and citizenship.

Indeed, quite a bit has transpired in a short period of time. Most of the 16 schools have iPad pilot programs up and running in which faculty members across all depart- ments are exploring ways of using the tablet and education-related apps to facilitate learning. The iPad and similar devices have provided students and faculty with the wherewithal to access and research information at any time, create presentations, organize resources and prepare for an academic future that is increasingly digital.

Classrooms are being regularly "flipped" to provide more teacher-student interaction. Math teachers are not only putting the iPad to work in the classroom, but also using it, sometimes in sync with the Smartboard, to share class and homework notes with students outside of class. Classrooms are interactive, and learning is no longer about students sitting and listening to a lecturing teacher. Rather, participatory experiences are now the norm.

Indeed, the Hawaii Community Foundation grants are helping, in great measure, to prepare many of Hawaii’s independent schools and their students for the 21st century and beyond. There is high expectation for students to think critically, problem-solve, work in teams — skills that many of their parents did not experience. Annual conferences, special classes and professional development days are now common place in training our teachers develop these newly evolving skills. The investment in faculty development and in providing teachers with multiple networking opportunities have been very valuable "silver bullets."

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“On politics”: Richard Borreca, whose column runs on Tuesdays, is off today.