Characteristics of 21st Century Teacher

What is the significance of the topic to you as future educators?

   

     All aspects existing in this world are both inevitable and dynamic. It all undergo in the process of changing and enhancing to fit into the demands of the society we live in. Teacher is one of the evolving aspect specifically in educational system. As the world became modern and digital, educational landscape improves by initially adapting the characteristics of the 21st Century Teacher. These characteristics not only brings forth a quality of education, but life-long learners as well, so it is very a crucial topic as future educators, because it provides us an adept perspective towards a successful teaching and learning process. This topic plays a significant role to us, future educators, for it serves as a gauge or foundation of preparing ourselves to address the demands of modern education, as well as to gives us an idea to adapt these characteristics which are not observable enough and not yet possess. Hence, providing realizations and somehow efficient suggestions to us on how to be the best teacher in this 21st century that has the ability to cater the holistic growth of learners in the aspect education. In integrating technology, pedagogy of teaching and strategies, these all will be addressed together with the characteristics, to achieve a well-effective and successful learning phase for all by equipping future educators of today's generation to create a dynamic educational environment that flaunts teaching and learning process impactful,  meaningful, and engaging often molding students for future endeavors.

Cite some of the practices of the teachers in the early generation that you think are no longer applicable to this generation.

    Teachers in the early generation portrays several practices that are no longer applicable to this generation due to the dynamic educational system. The rights of both learners and teachers, pedagogies, and system of education has been tighten ensuring a quality education. Some of these practices helps the learners in many ways, yet on the other side of it, brought factors that affects their holistic well-being and their learnings. These are the practices which I personally had seen and experienced as a learner who still got to reached this type of traditional learning.

 (1)Strict Discipline Method: Teachers in the past often used disciplinary practices that was too harsh for the students yet enables them to learn effectively. One example to that is when I went to the classroom without cleaning and cutting my nails. So due to this, my teacher got some stick and hit my hands to make me realize that I must cut and clean my nails before going to school next time. However, today this is not applicable because our educational system securely tighten their rights in protecting the well-being of the learners to prevent them from harm or danger in other aspects of their being.

 (2)One-Size-Fits-All Teaching: Teachers in the early generation expected that one method or strategy of teaching was fitted or suited to all sorts of learners. Neglecting the diversity of learners including their preferred learning style and interests. Example to that is when my math teacher in high school always dictate the problems we need to solve, expecting that all of us are generally good at hearing. But for me, I learn the most when I see somethings through visualization of the problem. However, today's educational system equips and encourages teachers to recognize the diverse needs and characteristics of learners.  

 (3)Too Much Reliance on Lecture-Based Instruction: Teachers relies too much on lectures making the classroom a passive environment because it focused more on the teachers' perspective. For example, as I had remembered the time when my teacher continuously lectures all the lesson everyday, not allowing learners to have an opportunity to explore and scaffold their ideas towards a particular topic. But now, it is not only lecture-based instruction yet a variety of interactive and engaging methods such as collaborative discussions.

 (4)Solely Focus on Copying/Writing the Lectures First before Discussion: Students tend to always write or copy first the discussion on notebooks before discussing it making the time consumed in copying. Teachers of the past do it to serve as a guide in lecturing while today this is not applicable because the system prioritize the amount of time needed for students in their learning. So as of now, discussion first then the lectures of the topic will be sent thru social media platforms as a channel of teachers' instruction.

 (5)Passing a Learner by Accepting or Doing Something: Not judging or making hypothesis that all teachers of the past practice this, but mostly of them was observe. One example to that is mostly of the teachers I known before, passed a learner by accepting their offerings to teachers like floor wax and hollow blocks which of this current generation is prevented or prohibited. It is then supported by the educational landscape such as DepEd that students must pass by their own will and effort seen through their academic performance.

What are the characteristics of the 21st century teachers that you think you already possess?

    In my case, the characteristics of the 21st century teachers that I think I already possess are being a channel, learner, futurist, leader, collaborator, and venture player. Channel, for I serve as an instrument or a gauge in delivering the curriculum or topics into the dynamics of teaching such as when we are tend to have demo teaching, this characteristic is observably seen. Learner, as I often challenge myself to never stop learning yet strive more to learn in order for me to teach beyond what my capacity and knowledge is. Equipping myself to have that passion to always learn something so that my future students can also accumulate  knowledge more than I can offer. Futurist, I am a futurist type of person because I always see what future outcomes will I have especially in education, so in order for me to be the best efficient teacher, I must be adept to emerging technologies and educational tools to help my future students understand the discussions better. Leader, I possess this kind of characteristic because as a person who was born at the age of emerging digital world, I believed that I am known and skilled in using this newly-modern technologies and can be able to help my future students in utilizing these learning materials or educational tools. Collaborator, for I did not only learn at my own pace but also collaborating with other people, technologies, and strategies to cope up learning. Hereby, giving value to my work or the task given to me. Lastly, I am a venture player because I always take chances and opportunity to apply new knowledge, skills, practices, and other more to level up my capability at something especially when it comes to students learning, I passionately believe that I will always take risk on knowing something just to gain some knowledge and share it to them.

Aside from knowing some of the characteristics of a 21st century teacher, what else should be learned by you as future educators?

    As a future educator, I believed  I rather be must, not should, possess resourcefulness, emotional intelligence, and conflict-resolution skills. These are the aspects a future educators must learn and internalize because in education we are not only focusing on the learners' cognitive growth, but also recognizing and molding their affective domain. Resourcefulness, teachers of the 21st century must be resourceful enough in utilizing tools that are present and integrating them into their instruction making the learning environment engaging and active. Moreover, future educators must be emotionally intelligent in acknowledging, understanding, and managing learner's or one’s own emotions by helping students in this way. We should be sensitive enough to sense some difficulties or challenges encountered by our future students so that further problems will be prevented. Thus, this will only happen if we, future educators has that conflict-resolution skill. Conflicts may arise and is not inevitable to exist, so teachers of this current generation must have the skill in addressing and resolving disputes effectively while maintaining respect for all students. By possessing these characteristics or skills, we can surely maintain or rather improve our classroom learning environment.

What do you think are the reasons why the approach should change from teacher-centered to student-centered?

    There are several reasons why the approach should change from teacher-centered to student-centered and these reasons will be elaborated below.

(1)Preparing for an Ever-Changing Educational Landscape: Since the world we live in is dynamic, therefore, the skills and knowledge students' needs are also evolving. A student-centered approach will allow education to cater these changes by helping students learn how to scaffold their learnings, rather than just memorizing the lessons or solely relying to teachers' lectures.

(2)Aligning with Students' Needs: It is not suitable for learners if the educational approach focuses mostly on teacher-centered approach because every student is unique with diverse interests, abilities, and preferred learning styles. A student-centered approach emphasizes the focus on students, leading education to be more relevant and meaningful to learners for the reason that their individual educational needs or aptitudes are being catered which will usually help them to stay motivated and engaged.

 

(3)Focus on Molding Life-Long Learners: A teacher-centered approach will not help mainly on shaping life-long learners, that is why a student-centered approach will be appropriate because it will develop learners' curiosity, independence, and accountability of their learning stratum helping them to learn not only for once in a lifetime, but for a lifetime learnings.

(4)Equipping Students for Future Careers: A teacher-centered approach will not equip students for future careers because some characteristics or skills they need to learn cannot be attain or acquire in this approach such as being a collaborator, since this approach is commonly known as a passive approach where students learn passively the knowledge. Therefore, a student-centered approach is more applicable for it highlights learners' active learning, cooperation, and critical thinking, preparing them for their real-world careers or jobs. 

(5)Fostering Inclusivity: Teacher-centered approach, not generalizing it, but mostly focus on traditional way of teaching which somehow unexpectedly overlooks the diverse needs of students. Thus, a student-centered approach must be the right approach because it assures that every learner is valued, heard and catered, making an inclusive environment where all have equal chances and opportunities.

(6)Staying Authentic: Teacher-centered should be change to student-centered approach because the educational system commonly focusing on learner's growth and development must be accurate and updated based on the society's needs comprise of individual learners. In this way, students will more likely to relate with lessons that feel real and relevant to their lives.