21st Century Enriched School: How is it Different?

Lowest common denominator content standards for promoting information recall

Best practice, world-class 21st century standards that include use of technology

Multiple models of instruction, including Concept Development, Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving, Contextual Learning, and Mediated Learning

Linear instruction model with emphasis on student listening, memorizing, and repeating of facts in a segmented curriculum

Inquiry-based Instruction with emphasis on student learning-from-doing, investigating, and solving problems

Explicit development of critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and innovation, and communication skills across the entire curriculum

Highlighted mathematical and scientific thinking with integrated focus on critical reading in all content areas

Piecemeal innovations to improve information acquisition

Cognitive abilities developed via Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment

Basic skills curriculum of the 1950s

World-class knowledge standards guide curriculum with integration of prerequisite skills for success in the 21st century.

Motivates and champions student innovation

Integrates themes of global economic and environmental awareness, leadership and responsibility, health, innovation and technology, information management, and financial literacy

Textbooks set parameters and direction for each course

Textbook and on-line resources provide information for enriched projects

Project-based collaboration across the curriculum to develop student’s critical and creative thinking, intrinsic task motivation, and mastery of mathematics, science and other key literacies

Technology limited to information tutorials

Digital tools enrich thinking and learning across the curriculum

Closed, uniform classroom spaces; fixed time schedule

Various-sized classroom spaces to best address specific subject or instructional strategies; asymmetrical schedule

Learning environment that fosters creative 21st century instruction and promotes higher order thinking and collaborative efforts to solve problems

Recall tests

Multiple forms of assessment aligned with content and process performance

Principal as chief expert of school

Shared leadership and expertise encouraged and developed

Limited, erratic, and unaligned professional development

Intense professional development aligned with enriched learning goals in a community of learners focused on school improvement

Each teacher acquires own courses and degrees for personal improvement

Teacher as conduit between content and learner

Teacher as mediator to enable enhanced problem-solving and critical thinking

Student labeled by diagnosis

Dynamic assessment of learning potential with active integration of children with Special Needs into all classes and activities

Passive acceptance of identified learning challenges and modification of learning opportunities

Preparation of all teachers to mediate learning of students with Special Needs