Ourselves Redefined

Rigor Redefined, by Tony Wagner, talks about the seven skills to survive in the work place and what the students of today need to learn. The seven steps are critical thinking, collaboration and leadership, adaptability, initiative, communication, analyzing information, and imagination. I believe that there are more then these seven steps to have a good job and a great education.
Some more skills that students need to have will probably be listening and doing the job right the first time. I have lost count how many times I have been asked to do something by my mom and not done it correctly. If the students of today can do what they are asked, the first time, then everyone will have a better outcome.
Critical thinking is a vital skill that young people need to have today. I believe that is the reason it is number one on the list. We, the students, need to see the problems of tomorrow and think about how to fix them. As one senior executive from Dell said, “Yesterday’s answers won’t solve today’s problems.”
Leadership is another central skill. If a person can not speak up and get the job done, then how will others know about the problem? Also, team works in companies have expanded into an international work. In a world where companies expand into China and Europe, the students must be able to take charge. I know that this idea is hard for me, because I am shy in some areas more then others. If there are more people like me, who are shy, then we might not be picked as the others who can stand out and make an impression.
In this world today, young students must be adaptable. BOC Edwards said, “People have to think, be flexible, change, and use a variety of tools to solve new problems,” If anyone wants to stay with the world, then change is the key focus. If the world does not change then how can we build up ourselves? So many moments I think of I have learned a lesson because the things around me have changed so I need to change along with them.

Ashley Flores

I had recently gotten a text message the other day about a missing girl. The message read, “My 13 year old girl, Ashley Flores, is missing. She has been missing for two weeks now. Maybe if everyone passes this on, someone will see this child. That is how the girl from Stevens Point was found, by circulation of her picture on TV. The internet circulates even overseas, South America, Canada and etc. Please pass this on to everyone in your address book. With GOD on her side, she will be found. I am asking you all, begging you to please forward this email on to anyone and everyone you know. PLEASE! It is still not too late. Please help us find her. If anyone knows anything, please contact me at: HelpfindAshleyFlores@yahoo.com. I am including a picture of her. All prayers are appreciated!! It only takes 2 seconds to forward this… If it was your child you would want to help her too.” As I read this over and over again, I think about all the different ways that technology has changed everyone’s life. I received this message as a text message, but it was said to be an email. Also, I can hear the voice of the parent who lost their child. I believe the most inspiring sentence in this message is the last one, “If it was your child, you would want to help her too.” I cannot imagine losing my child. That is a parent’s worst fear is to loss their child, as in losing them to a disease or anything like that. All I wonder is if this girl will be found before it is too late. Also, what happened that the parent needed to do something himself instead of waiting for the police to do something with the situation?
In the past, people have used word of mouth to get the information around. Like if the king was passing through or if someone was dying. Then the newspapers and town criers took over the field of getting news around; for example, Chicago Sun-Tribune and The New York Times. Finally the internet exploded as the number one resource tool. As the parent who wrote this, “The internet circulates even overseas, South America, Canada, and etc.” In addition, to the internet, text messages and calling people have taken over the way people find things out. How did this technology come up over night? I mean, the internet did not have a ‘baby’ phase; it was as big as it is now when it started. So how does something like that happen? I also wonder what new ways of news will be here in the future. Maybe, just maybe, these new technologies will let us know the information two seconds after it happened. Hope is all there is in the world; hope for new technologies to give us information, and hope that this girl will be found.