The Other 21st Century Skills
And how we need them in mathematics.
How do we teach students these skills? Why are they important in the math classroom?
There are lots of websites that help educators foster and develop these traits in their students. Here we'll give a definition of each and relate it to it's role in math learning. Further down the page are some websites and resources for developing these skills in the classroom.
How do you define grit?
Grit is a characteristic normally associated with sports and competition, but lately studies have been popping up all over concerning grit in education. Is it a necessary characteristic of learning? Many say yes. Loosely defined as having passion and persevering through obstacles, grit is just one of those things: you know when you see it. You definitely need grit in learning mathematics. Sometimes the hardest problems we solve also include many trials, but that's what makes them so rewarding in the end, the struggle!
What is resilience? Why do we need it?
The ability to bounce back after difficulty is called resilience. In mathematics, we need resilience in order to persevere in problem solving. Sometimes we hit a bump in the road. Sometimes we come to a road block. Sometimes the dynamite ignites and everything blows up. But if we are resilient, we come back. We try again and if we try again, we might succeed. Maybe not the second or third or fourth time, but its all those trials that teach us something and make the successes even greater.
Hope & Optimism
Hope is about having faith, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and believing you can reach it. Optimism is staying positive, even if the light begins to fade. We want our students to believe in themselves, to be hopeful that they can achieve. There is no single area of education in which more people openly admit, "I just can't do it" or "My brain doesn't work that way" than in math! I've never heard anyone wear it like a badge of honor that "I just can't read" but you hear people all the time say things like, "I was never good at math!" No. Just no. Everyone has the potential for learning high level mathematics and it's up to us to cultivate hope and optimism for our students!
Vision
What is in your future? Instead of asking, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Ask, "What kinds of problems do you want to solve?" When our students have a clear vision of what they want to accomplish and how they will get there, we help them develop their problem solving skills. Problem solving is directly related to vision in that you must know what your end goal or result is if you ever want to get there. Students will have trouble answering questions or completing goals if they are unsure of how to proceed. We should provide our students with a variety of tools in their toolbox to draw from. In math, we can give them the appropriate tools by instructing in various ways and stressing the value of different algorithms.
Self-Regulation
Self-regulation is the ability to control impulses to delay gratification. This skill develops around kindergarten and can be quite impressive in young children. For decades, research has shown that students with good self regulation skills will flourish academically. Check this video out to see some very young children with very impressive self-regulation skills: The Marshmallow Test
The Marshmallow Test
Empathy & Global Stewardship
Empathy & global stewardship are super important 21st Century skills. To be empathetic is to not only understand how someone is feeling, but also not to pass judgement upon that person. When you are empathetic, you can connect with someone and their situation on a deeper level. In math, we must be empathetic of others' ideas and ways of thinking. We also must be empathetic of other people's struggles. In our classroom, we must create a learning environment where shame does not exist, but rather where productive struggle is welcomed and encouraged as part of the learning process. Global stewardship in today's world has many ramifications. We are all connected. The reality of this statement has never been more real then it is now that we can see, talk with or listen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. We should teach our students to say, "I see your self. I see your self in myself."
Angela Duckworth's Character Lab
Angela Duckworth studies character traits such as grit and it's effects on student achievement. Founded by Duckworth, Character Lab is a place where you can learn about character traits and the development of them.
Introduction to WOOP: A Goal Setting Experience
Use Research to Build Character
Skills of Today's Learner
Accountability
Connections to the 8 Mathematical Practice Standards
There are so many connections between the practice standards in math and the other 21st Century skills. Interwoven throughout several of the standards are the characteristics of grit (MP 1) and resilience (MP 1), as well as empathy (MP 3) and self regulation (MP 6). How can you connect these character traits to mathematical practices in your classroom?
Stephanie Diehl, MEd
Math Specialist
Email: sdiehl@upsd.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/upsd.org/mrs-diehl-s-math-page/
Twitter: @MrsDiehlUPSD