21st Century Learning Initiative

I need some help. I've heard Cabell County school Superintendent William Smith talk a lot lately about 21st Century learning. Until a little while ago, I didn't realize that was a movement in education circles. I've just started looking it up, but I'm not sure I like it.

It could explain why my second grader comes home every day saying he's bored in school because they only teach stuff he already knows. It could be why I asked my eighth grader recently if he had learned the presidents in order, and he said no teacher had ever expected that of him.

As best as I can figure out from a half hour of looking on the Web, the 21st Century Learning Initiative combines knowledge of brain development with classroom technology with a need for children to be able to do do more than memorize.

I can understand that, but when I read stuff like this

There needs to be a global awareness; gone is the day when it was enough for students to be able to find China or Dubai on a map. Students need a greater degree of civic literacy than was usually imparted in the past in school. And students need a greater degree of financial, economic and business literacy than ever before.

it makes me wonder what's going on inside schools. Are we returning to the New Math (for those of you who remember the mid 1960s)?

I'll have to dig into this deeper. I appreciate any help anyone can give, or any help anyone can point me to.