21st CENTURY SKILLS

     I am all for providing our students with the necessary skills to prepare them for the 21st century.  I like the idea of the 3Rs and 4 Cs.  I feel in our math classroom there are opportunities for the students to practice and work on improving their critical thinking skills, communication skills, collaboration (especially during group activities and projects) and even creativity and innovation does take place in our classroom as the students come up with crafty and creative ideas when preparing for presentations or other ways of exemplifying their work.
     This organization has the support of Disney, Microsoft, Verizon, Apple,etc.  The Big belief is that what skills and knowledge the kids should have for the 21st Century in the real world isn't necessarily the same as what skills and knowledge they learn within the school.  I can agree with two supporting reasons: 1.  the economy is limiting what the districts are allowed to spend towards the latest and greatest of current technology & 2.  the fact that most states are feeling the heat of NCLB and the state testing scores.
     I can see (to a point) that in our math class we can incorporate the 4Cs into some of our group work.  The group work doesn't happen very often though - on average , perhaps once every 3 to 4 weeks.  Now, the critical thinking is often a part of math; although the mastery is not where we would like for it to be. 
     I can see the Technology courses that the students take having more opportunities to allow the students to hone their use of technology more so than any other class.  If the economy continues the downward spiral, we will most likely see less funding for up-to-date technology and even downsizing the teachers per school.
     There is no doubt, these students need the learning and thinking skills, life skills (ethics, leadership, self-direction), 21st Century content such as global awareness and finance and success in the academic subjects. 
     One question I do have is what may be the reason or reasons every state has not jumped on the partnership for the 21st Century Skills bandwagon?