Assess the Four Keys in Action: Find Challenges and Opportunities in the Classroom Using Think, Know, Act, and Go
The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.
– Alvin Toffler
INTRO
Utilizing the Four Keys approach helps school leaders navigate how students are learning.
- Are your students curious?
- Can your students use feedback to improve their work?
- Do your students know their strengths?
- Can your students identify goals?
OBJECTIVES
- Observe classrooms to find examples of Think, Know, Act and Go and use your observations to reflect on challenges and opportunities to student readiness for 21st-century readiness skills.
What are the Four Keys to College and Career Readiness?
Many educators, families, and students are taking a hard look at the current educational system in the United States and finding there is a significant gap between what is and what ought to be if we want our country to succeed in the 21st century.
The Four Keys to College and Career Readiness (the Four Keys) provides a framework and common language to use as we work to close this gap by developing systems that support all students as they prepare for the future.
Based on over a decade of research and 20 years of experience in the public education system, Dr. David T. Conley developed the Four Keys so students, families, and educators can identify and prioritize the skills that are needed to be successful after high school. In it’s simplest form, we refer to the Four Keys as THINK, KNOW, ACT, and GO. In order to prepare students to be lifelong learners, they need the ability to THINK deeply about what they are doing; KNOW contextually why they learn; ACT purposefully to achieve their goals; and GO successfully through life’s transitions.
Asking the Right Questions
Review the 4 keys self-reflections questions for students. These questions serve as your guide when doing classroom observations. Students should be asking themselves these questions while engaging in learning.
Using these questions, we can begin to support students as they navigate pathways that are increasingly complex in their educations, careers, and personal lives. The Four Keys are not a linear process, but instead should be thought of as a set of skills and strategies that can be used to better understand how we learn, as well as a framework for approaching new concepts and situations we encounter as we interact with the world around us.
Reflect on the observations and record 2-3 challenges you observed that can be barriers to your students’ experiences becoming more aligned with 21st century readiness skills.
Reflect on the observations and record 2-3 opportunities you observed that can accelerate your students’ experiences to becoming more aligned with 21st-century readiness skills.
Summarize what you learned during the classroom walk-throughs. Share with staff the promising practices aligned to the 4 keys that can be used throughout the school.
Responses