With changing times, one needs to embrace the future in order to survive & emerge as a winner in this extremely competitive world. The global education system has been evolving rapidly forcing the teachers either to adapt or get left behind. The 21st Century teacher needs to take their teaching experience to an all new high, by effective use of technology, in order to keep it relevant for the learners. In a world, where almost all the information is available on the press of a button, the teachers need to play a much more active role in the lives of a student to retain their importance.
The current generation consists of extremely sharp, technology driven, attentive and talented youth which seek an elevated style of teaching, vastly different from the traditional model. Since the dawn of the digital age, online education has gained in importance and popularity with a large percentage of students especially in the western world. This trend is quickly catching up the imagination of students in countries such as India, Russia, China and Brazil also.
Therefore, teachers are being increasingly asked to develop and administer online courses which should have the same or higher impact on a learner, in terms of information retention. Virtual Classrooms – the latest technological innovation in the world of education seeks to remove all physical barriers between a teacher and a learner.
It is imperative for the teachers to keep a tab on all the modern pedagogy tools and techniques in order to retain their efficiency.
Typical characteristics of a world class 21st century teacher:
- Get On The Beam
The 21st century teacher must be empathetic towards student’s point of view and opinion. They must ensure that what they preach is relevant in today’s context and is absorbed effectively by the students. Such teachers understand their student requirements better by keeping a channel of communication always open and by directing their efforts in helping their mentees to achieve success. This can be achieved by building an alternate channel for dialogue on Social Learning Platforms, which as per expert opinion eradicate the communication barrier between students and teachers.
- Adapt To The Current Trend
The 21st century teacher must employ contemporary teaching techniques to impart updated knowledge and information innovatively. As a teacher, one should be able to apply distinctive patterns of learning not only to improve the learning of their students but also to keep abreast with the latest advancements in their subjects of interest. Networking with researchers in the same field from across the world and discussing pressing issues of research, innovation, pedagogy etc can contribute immensely in the development of a modern teacher.
- Having a long term Vision
‘Focus on results and not the process’ is a norm which every visionary teacher follows. Even if your school, college, institution or university does not have advanced software, equipment or technologies, a world class teacher can always adapt elite social learning platforms available online, such as MyEdge.in, to improve student’s results by endowing them with state-of-the-art pedagogy.
- Leadership Skills
Some teachers have attained leadership qualities while some possess it inherently. As a leader, teachers consistently find ways of updating their skills and improving their art. They hold a lot of commitment and devotion towards providing the best learning environment to their students and encouraging them to interact within the class, even when it is virtual.
- An Outer View of The World
Smart teachers know their way out. They do not restrict themselves to the vicinity of books or notes but welcome new ideas and experiences that may have a lot of learning in store for their students. Collaboration with other teachers, community, peers and students will help them in contributing, inventing, adapting and learning. If they are well equipped with knowledge, they can enhance and embroider student’s productivity.
A traditional teacher is the one who is student-centric, integrated, knowledgeable, responsible and accountable. However, a world class 21st century teacher is different as he/she knows how to bridge the gap effectively between state-of-the-art technologies for teaching with the ambitions of the students. The main characteristics of a teacher are the same however the approach differs.
