Are you a 21st century Teacher?

What does it mean to be a 21st Century Teacher? These are the

characteristics of a 21st Century Teacher:

Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity so that all students achieve in
the global society.
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and
technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity and innovation
in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Creativity appears in many forms, from
creating physical models to creating questions.
Teachers can facilitate learning by making the educational process easier for
students. This does not mean watering down the curriculum or lowering standards.
Rather, facilitating learning involves teaching students to think critically and understand
how the learning process works. Rather, facilitating learning involves teaching students
to think critically and understand how the learning process works. Students need to learn
how to go beyond the basic facts—who, what, where, and when—and question the
world around them.
The teacher plays the central role in the educational process. ... This is why it is very
important to encourage teachers in language and language expression classes to
stimulate and develop the creative thinking of their students by promoting new and
interesting ways of finding different solutions to various problems
It is the teacher's role to make students aware that there are multiple ways to get to
understanding and that they need to investigate and ask questions. To encourage
creativity, teachers should design lessons with a variety of options for assignments
and tasks. This student-led choice will encourage them to tap their own initiative,
knowledge and interests to complete the task.

Facilitate learning in multiple modalities.

The teacher as a facilitator and resource person
This article in the series looks at the critical role of the teacher as a facilitator and resource
person and their responsibilities in relation to teaching the mathematics and problem-solving
underpinning a context-based teaching approach.
Of course, the ultimate purpose of all this planning is that the students undertake the
investigation and learn and apply a range of knowledge and skills.
In order for students to successfully achieve the learning and outcomes expected it is vital
that the teacher monitors their progress and intervenes when necessary to teach any
identified mathematics and problem-solving skills that are necessary or missing for the task
being tackled.
These can be introduced in a number of ways, depending on the skills
and experience of the students. This could happen through:

 whole class activities and explanations prior to or during the investigation as

questions arise from the students' work;
 small group activities based on explanations, worksheets or tasks provided by
the teacher; and,
 individual skills and practice sessions, including worksheets and extracts from
textbooks, computers and the internet.

1. Work as effective members of learning teams.

2. Use the full range of digital-age tools to improve student engagement
and achievement.
3. Work with their students to co-create new learning opportunities.
4. Use data to support student learning and program improvements.
5. Be lifelong learners.
6. Be global educators.
7. Work with policy leaders as change agents
8. Teachers are committed to students and their learning
9. Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects
to students.
10. Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student
learning.
11. Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from
experience.
12.Teachers are members of learning communities.

I think good teaching is good teaching. I also like how the 21st century teacher
characteristics outline how technology has provided more opportunities in education,
and how insightful teachers maximize these opportunities for teaching and professional
learning. For example, if we are “committed to students and their learning,” we
incorporate the “formal and informal” learning opportunities our students have beyond
school. We know how our students learn informally outside school either through their
“real world” and online experiences. We know the books they read for personal interest,
whether it be on hardcover, paperback, Kindle, Nook, or iPad. We know the sports and
musical instruments they play. We know what they like to do on the computer, whether
it is games, social networking, or watching instructional online videos on how to use
technology on YouTube. We know their experiences with their families.

As effective teachers did in the 20th century, effective teachers in the 21st century will
incorporate what they know about students in their formal instruction. The technology in
the 21st century will allow the effective teachers to bridge these learning experiences
more naturally and seamlessly.

As more digital tools become available and technologies that facilitate learning in
multiple modalities through synchronous or asynchronous online environments become
more prevalent and accessible, just as effective teachers in the 20th century maximized
available resources for their classroom, 21st century teachers will continue seeking
additional tools and avenues to improve student learning.

Effective teachers in the 20th century were lifelong learners, teacher leaders, and
members of professional communities. Technology in the 21st century maximizes
additional opportunities through online teacher networks such as the Teacher Leaders
Network, Classroom 2.0, and any number of teacher groups and forums on the Internet.

And, while teacher engagement in policy in the 20th century continues in the 21st
century, technology though the Internet and social networks bring a level of policy
engagement on a much higher scale than previously possible.

So is effective teaching in the 21st century really any different from effective teaching in
the 20th century?

The tools may be different, but the commitment, learning, enthusiasm, and student
focus are the same.

Perhaps effective teaching is timeless and yet, evolves with the tools of the times...
 st
1. The teacher of the 21  century is flexible & adaptive
The new teacher must be flexible & adaptive enough to be aware of the
emerging teaching/learning realities in the 21st century.

Teaching has moved away from the 20th-century classroom, into the
learner-centered environment, for a more personalized model of
learning.

Part of the reason for the shift can be attributed to the desire to take full
advantage of learner abilities, and make him more aware of himself.

In addition, the proliferation of technology devices means learners can

do a lot more on their own without the direct supervision of the educator.

Still, the teacher is challenged to work closely with the individual children
to learn their needs, strengths, weaknesses, and remain aware of the
influence of technology in their lives.

Of course, the acknowledgment comes with its boons and banes. The
21st century is loaded with innovations and dependencies that keep
changing, and the teacher must stay informed.

Flexibility in the classroom also involves acknowledging that learners are

diverse and information and teaching environments keep evolving.

The modern teacher must be aware that learners too can now acquire
and challenge incorrect information from the teacher. The onus is upon
the teacher, therefore, to accept the changes and adapt accordingly.

Also true is the explosion of FAKE data and information, where the
teacher has the uphill task to sort between what is right and wrong
information.

2. The 21st century educator is a lifelong learner

Whereas the teacher focuses on facilitating knowledge and skill
acquisition – and most of the time BASED on what he too acquired from
previous teachers and life experiences, the evolving trends in technology
require he stays on top of the knowledge curve with new information.

He must read a lot and just as well, be an ardent follower of global

trends in education.

The educator, therefore, is a persistent learner, an enthusiastic reader,

and a greedy one at that, of emerging knowledge-base and technology
trends.

He should also remain informed about the following global realities:

 cultural relativism
 religious relativism
 racial diversity
 civil literacy
 etc.

The drive to remain current and informed becomes a motivating factor,

which should trickle down to the learners.

3. The new educator is tech savvy

Technology is the pivot upon which productivity and socio-economic

activities rotate in the 21st century. It is used extensively in science,
finance, manufacturing, the labor market, communication, and domestic
entertainment. It will ultimately take over all facets of education as the
years go by.

New technology means new ways to affect productivity, communicate,

and teach. Technology is designed to explore and store data, improve
productivity, and make our lives better. For the Teacher, it calls for the
right balance between old learning models and emerging learning
realities.

A case in point is the implementation of the Smart Learning

Environment (SLE) to ensure learning remains relevant.