We all have heard about the 4Cs- Creativity, Critical thinking, Collaboration, and Communication. But why should we integrate them into our classroom practices? How do they contribute to the development of well-rounded individuals?
Most of us might be of the view that grades ensure the success of the child in other areas of life and hence, a high-scorer is all a child should be. Good grades are something that also pleases the parents as they think that is a sign that their child is prepared for life and hence, we understand that teachers also feel that they are responsible for fulfilling the expectations of the parent community.
We don’t realize it but having such a mindset affects our instructional decisions. For example, limiting homework to questions that would be tested in an exam. Focusing on improving a student’s grades is important but we must understand that it is also important to parallelly focus on the personal development of a student. One of the major ways teachers can do this in the classroom is by focusing on integrating the 4Cs – Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Creativity. These are the skills we all need in the 21st Century.
