Bright futures was written to bring attention to Middle School reform. The report states the reforming Middle School is important because it's when students are at a critical point in their development, and focuses on incorporating twelve core practices into the Maine classroom. The article continues by saying that Maine has made many advancements in terms of education through the technology intiative programs (such as providing one laptop to each student), but there is still a long ways to go. There are many skills that students need to have to succeed in the 21st century, and the article lists many of skills the author believes are necessary, providing a rationale for each one.
Though a lot of the core practices were common sense, it was nice to have them brought to my attention. Yes, of course, you should emphasize creativity, and students should have engaging and challenging material, etc, etc. But these things aren't always on my mind. It was nice to be reminded about what's really important in the classroom, and quite relieving to see that the state feels the same way. It's easy to get bogged down seeing how many problems there are with the current school system, but we can't let it get to us! Afterall, as educators, we wants what's best for the student, and Bright Futures is a great way to start.
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