Being a 21st Century Teacher |
Posted: January 31, 2018 |
Being a teacher is no simple task. It is one of the noblest and oldest professions in the world, and it often is undervalued and underappreciated. The profession of teaching has been evolving since the birth of humanity and continues to do so in today’s era. The 21st century is the epoch that has seen the most advancement since the dawn of time and will continue to do so even more as it continues. With all of this in mind, it is safe to say that being a teacher in the 21st century has undergone significant changes. Both technological advancements as well as changes in teaching theory has made being a teacher in the 21st century vastly different than in the past. Read below to find out about being a teacher in the 21st century:
Increased Technology The advancement of technology in the 21st century has affected all of society. Across the board, in every industry from waste management to computer engineering, technology has altered the way in which the world works. Teaching is most certainly one of these industries. Technology has changed the way in which teachers teach students of all ages how to learn. With increased classroom technology, such as Smartboards, laptops, and tablets, students are learning in different ways than in the past. Teachers have to accommodate to these changes and need to make sure that they are still properly teaching their students. As well as increased technology in classrooms, students are more comfortable with technology in their everyday lives. This affects their productivity levels and can potentially cause problems. Many schools have ‘No Smartphone’ policies, stemming from the idea that having Smartphones in class can impede student learning.
Change in Teaching Theory Aside from the increased technology in schools in the 21st century is a change in teaching theory. The way that students learn and teachers teach is significantly more productive in the 21st century. The past concept of ‘busy work’ and other seemingly pointless activities that do not promote actual learning are being phased out across the board. Teachers utilize other teaching tactics such as group activities in order to keep students engaged. Teaching theory has also evolved in saying that punishment will not lead to true discipline, and that by being on a friendlier level with students will make them respect teachers more and disrupt classes less. With these changes in teaching theory also comes an increased amount of relaxation activities in classrooms, such as student meditation and student chair yoga.
Final Thoughts Being a teacher is a challenging task. It has always been so, and continues to provide greater challenges in the 21st century. With the myriad of increased technology and the vast changes throughout teaching theory, the job is certainly changing with the times. As long as teachers continue to keep their students engaged in subject matter, students will continue to learn, no matter the century! Overall, teaching has undergone some serious changes in the 21st century, and will continue to do so as the century progresses forward.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|