Global Achievement Gap: Chapter 1

The New World of Work and the Seven Survival Skills
Tony Wagner starts off by pointing out what the global achievement gap is and that there is two of them.  The first one is the gap between  the quality of schooling that most middle-class kids get in America and the quality of schooling available for most poor and minority children- and the consequent disparity in results.  The second one is the gap betwen what even our best suburban, urban, and rural public schools are teaching and testing vs what all students will need to suceed as learners, workers, and citizens in today's global knowledge economy.  No Child Left Behind was well intended but clearly isn't doing much for students today and not preparing us with survival skills for learning, working and citizenship.
Through out the chapter Wagner outlines the Seven Survival Skills that we need.
1.) Critical Thinking and Problem Solving- We as students need to learn how to think outside the box and not be able to answer a question only if it is in test question form.  We need to look at the way we look at questions and the prospective on them.
2.) Collaborations Across Networks and Leading by Influence-  Global awareness is laid out by the Partnership as using 21st century skills such as critical thinking and problem solving to understand and address global issues.   Learn from and work collabloratively with individuals representing diverse cultures, religions and lifestyles in a  spirit of mutual respect and open dialogue in personal, work and community contexts.  Understand other nations and cultures, including the use of non-English languages.
3.) Agility and Adaptability- WE have to think, be flexible, change, and be adaptive, and use a variety of tools to solve new problems.  Everything changes constantly and you have to be able to adapt and work with it.  You have to be able to take on these tasks and going above and beyond the status qouta that was given yesterday.
4.)  Initiative and Entrepreneurialism - Being able to go out and take the inititave over and over and trust your thoughts.  You have to keep going above and above.  "Leadership is the capacity to take inititave and trust your self to be creative."
5.)  Effective Oral and Written Communication-  In the work force today communication is done through email and memos and there is a effective way of doing that.  We aren't able to communicate up to standards.  We as teachers also need to teach our students how to write.  I know personally I am a horrible writer and that is because I was never really taught.  I know how to write a 5 paragraph essay but that is about it.  And that is also about the only thing I remember about any of my English classes in high school.  Teachers need to focus much more on the communication in the world today.
6.)  Accessing and Analyzing Information-  In today's world there is an incredible amount of information that is constantly changing.  We need to be consistent on having the most recent info and keep it stored in our brains.  We can no longer read the front page of the news paper to be informed and understand.  There is much more research, access and evaluate information.
7.) Curiosity and Imagination- We need to start thinking out of the box.  Using both the left and right sides of the brain.  Now days you must be on the top of your creative game because the competition is high and someone else will scoop up your prize.