The 21st-Century Teacher

Teaching in the 21st-century is quite different from teaching in the centuries before it. The 21st-century teacher has his/her role redefined. Teachers in the 212t century are learning facilitators rather than instructors. In this century, the role of teachers has become more robust than it was.

So, what does this mean for anyone aspiring to be a teacher?

This means that there are certain skills teachers in the 21st century need to arm themselves with if they must remain relevant. These skills are as follows;

·        A 21st-century teacher must be tech-savvy. This means that he/she must be familiar with the different technological tools available in navigating his/ her work. It is sad to note that many teachers in the 21st century do not know how to use a laptop or desktop. Some use their smartphones only to make and answer calls, check out Facebook posts, and respond to WhatsApp posts. This would be laughable if it was not pathetic. While it is true that a lot of teachers teaching in the 21st century are digital immigrants who are teaching digital natives, the fact remains that they are professionally required to become tech-savvy so they can meet the needs of their learners.

Take for instance the global pandemic that forced everyone indoors, a lot of schools were forced to shut down while others with tech-savvy educators continued with teaching and learning virtually.                                

·        A 21st-century teacher must be involved in continuous professional development. As a 21st century teacher, there is a need to always update your knowledge via attending conferences both virtually and physically. This is the era of knowledge and ignorance will no longer be an excuse. Developing a habit of reading books would be a relevant skill in this century as a teacher. Unfortunately, most teachers do not seek knowledge outside their area of expertise. Investing in professional development would be an added advantage to a teacher teaching in the 21st century.

·        A 21st-century teacher is invested in acquiring soft skills. Soft skills are skills that enable one to fit into a workplace. Organizations and the global community require that one has certain soft skills. How is this relevant to a teacher? Teachers cannot teach what they do not know. They cannot give what they do not have. Teachers need to not only be aware of the importance of skills like communication skills, people’s skills, critical-thinking skills, problem-solving skills, etc., but they should also take a step further by acquiring these skills so that they can effectively and efficiently communicate these skills to their learner.

·        A 21st-century teacher is a leader. This connotes that teachers teaching in the 21st century would first master the art of personal leadership before leading others. He/she should first have a clear understanding of himself/herself, the teacher needs to understand his/her temperament. Having a mastery of oneself would help in influencing others. Leadership is all about influence. A teacher who has developed personal leadership would be in a better position to lead others.

·        A 21st-century teacher understands the power of collaboration. He/she is willing to collaborate with all stakeholders in education for the benefit of the learner.

Having seen the above, the next question would be, “how can one then become a 21st-century teacher?”

Below are some actionable steps a teacher can take to stay relevant in the 21st century.

As regards becoming tech-savvy, I recommend;

·        Teachers join online communities like Tech-savvy teachers and Anto-Science Consultancy on Facebook. These communities help teachers to be aware of digital platforms available to teachers. They do these via free pieces of training which a lot of teachers are benefiting from.

·        Teachers can also leverage platforms like Cambridge online courses, Udemy, Shaw academy, etc. to learn one or two digital skills that will benefit them and their learners in the course of their teaching.

·        YouTube also has amazing videos that would teach a teacher how to use certain apps that he/she needs as regards doing his/her job.

As regards professional development, teachers can leverage online courses or go for physical professional development. Some of these listed below for teachers’ benefits are;

·        Online platforms like Udemy, Shaw Academy, Alison courses, Cambridge online courses, etc. These platforms have great and amazing courses that would benefit one as a teacher. Courses like Child Psychology, Educational Counseling, and Psychology, Special Education needs, Teaching IELTS, etc. are all on these platforms. A huge bonus apart from the fact that they are cheap and affordable, is that one can also get certified at the end of the courses. Alison has free courses though.

·        In case you prefer physical courses, there are teacher training centers like the Meadow Hall group and Corona College committed to helping teachers acquire professional development and certifications.

As regards acquiring soft skills, I recommend teachers leverage platform s like;

·        Udemy

·        Linkedin courses

·        Coursera

As regards developing leadership skills, I would recommend teachers read books by John Maxwell. He is a leadership guru and mentor. I would recommend his book titled The 360 degrees Leader.

Having seen the above, the next step is to determine what professional development you need to acquire as a teacher. This is important because teachers are unique and the need of one might not be the need of another. Again, teachers are teaching different learners and subjects.

Therefore, identifying what you need is the first step towards professional development. Below are some tips that would help you discover what you need as a teacher to stay relevant.

• Your subject area and the age group you are teaching should determine the professional development you should pursue. A teacher teaching in a British school should endeavor to become IGCSE certified. An English teacher should make sure he or she has the TESOL/CELTA/TEFL certification. A teacher teaching younger children in the elementary and pre-elementary levels should pursue EYF (Early Years Foundation) and Montessori Certifications. Etc.
• Your vision as a teacher should also influence your decision as regards the nature of professional development you need to pursue. For instance, if you have the desire to work with teens, taking a course in Child Psychology, Emotional Intelligence, and Guidance Counseling, etc. would be beneficial.

Staying relevant as a teacher in the 21st century is an intentional responsibility of the teacher. The pursuit of professional development is not a one-time venture but a continuous one.

Written by

Mbaegbu Amaka

The360degreesteacher