Standard+4

**﻿ Teachers know how to teach. ** The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies, including the use of technology, to encourage children's development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
 * Standard 4 **


 * Evidence 4: **

As educators, it is extremely important that we understand students as Digital Natives who have different needs and learning styles. This paper was written to demonstrate my understand of the importance of 21st century skills in the classroom to develop critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills. 21st century skills are critical in helping students develop skills to prepare them for the real world. In this paper, critical thinking, effective communication, technical reading and writing, and independent thinking skills are addressed and applications are discussed. Use of 21st Century Skill in the classroom opens the door for the needs of diverse learners to be met.
 * Rationale 4: **

This paper was important to my development as a teacher because I was able to break down important skills that help meet the needs of diverse learners. I then examined where these skills are fostered in my classroom, showing areas where more development of these skills are needed.


 * KSD **


 * 4.K.2 The teacher understands principles and techniques, along with advantages and limitations, associated with various instructional strategies (e.g. cooperative learning, direct instruction, discovery learning, whole group discussion, independent study, interdisciplinary instruction). **

Discussed in the paper are different units, such as the social issues unit and economics, that involved various learning and teaching techniques including cooperative learning, direct instruction, discovery learning, whole group discussion, independent study, interdisciplinary instruction


 * 4.S.2 The teacher uses multiple teaching and learning strategies to engage students in active learning opportunities that promote the development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance capabilities and that help students assume responsibility for identifying and using learning resources. **

Critical thinking and problem solving opportunities are given in many ways, such as reasearching a social issue and coming up with a plan of action to solve this issue.


 * 4.D.1 The teacher values the development of students’ critical thinking, independent problem solving, and performance capabilities. **

21st Century Skill encompass all these valuable skills as well as technology and communication. Using the 21st Century Skills framework means that as educators, we are helping out students develop critical thinking, independent problem solving, and performance capabilities, among other essential skills.