21st Century Skills

21st Century Skills are not overrated, but there is a sense that every single one of us must be fluent in these skills. While I realize that the world is changing and that these skills are invaluable to our children and generations to come, I also live with real life people, teach at a real life school and communicate in cyberspace with many others. Perhaps it is the area that I live in, or the tense feeling in our nation at the moment, or maybe it is because I have brown eyes, I don't know, but I can't seem to believe that 21st Century Skills are what every kid needs, as is implied by all the information that I am inundated with. We talk a lot about multiple intelligences; doesn't that imply various talents as well? Doesn't that imply appealing to people with a variety of learning styles, and as such, doesn't that in turn imply people with a variety of skills, talents, and abilities?

We live in a world where technology is always changing...but where our public schools (a majority) cannot afford to keep up due to the costs. It seems that there are always some students without a computer at home, and some who have bigger issues on their minds than becoming computer literate. While I believe the offering should be there, and that for the most part, there does need to be required time spent being web-literate, there also needs to be time to refine those skills that make people fluent in their reading and writing skills in general, and fluent in their area of interest, whether it be agriculture, carpentry, cosmetologist...or whatever.

Furthermore, even if we manage to instill "playfulness that leads to innovation; design thinking; collaborations in which groups are smarter than the smartest person in the group; and real understanding that leads to problem solving and not just test passing... " as David Warlick calls 21st Century skills in his blog "21st Century Literacies"
( http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?p=1719 ) shouldn't we see and account for the fact that this isn't for all students? Does that mean we should forget that different students aspire to different things, and many have no interest, nor will they need an interest in, many of the things he is insisting that students learn, even though it is what people are calling 21st Century Skills? I guess what bothers me most is the implication that the prior century skills are outdated, that 20th Century skills are not valuable, but without these initial skills, wherein lies those of the following centuries? There is some value to be found in what has occurred. It's like the saying, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Keep what is good, and enhance it, and tweak it, for the best learning possible for each student.

What is good for one is not necessarily good for the other...and not everyone is a group worker; some people work best in solitude and independence. There is a lot to be said for 21st Century Literacy, but there is a lot about it that bothers me. A lot.