Am I a 21st Century Teacher?

A 21st century teacher is one that wears an array of hats throughout the day. In a time when education is rapidly changing, and education systems are struggling to keep up and keep everything in working order (I'm looking at you CPS!) teachers tend to have to be all things to all people, especially their students. That being said, the list of characteristics a 21st century teacher should embody is a rather extensive one. However, I believe there are a few foundational characteristics that any good teacher, especially a 21st century teacher, should embody. The 3 I am evaluating myself on are collaboration, communication and life-long self-directed learner. Teachers must be able to collaborate with students, colleagues, administration, parents and the list goes on. I feel that collaboration is one of my strongest characteristics as an educator. Working in our resource/enrichment center, I see a full range of students and teachers daily. As with anything else, I get along better with some that with others, but at the end of the day, I must find a way to work and collaborate with them, regardless. I try and remember that we are collaborating on a professional level, and the ultimate goal is to complete some task or activity. With those I get along with, collaboration is easy and successful. It is when personalities clash it can be difficult. I simply try and remind myself that we are collaborating on a professional level to achieve some common goal, and that becomes my focus. Communication for me, as a teacher, is a double edged sword. On the one hand, I feel I communicate very well with those that are part of my teacher world. Whether in person or in writing, I strive to provide detailed and helpful responses. Communicating in person in something I seek out within my school because I believe face to face communication is essential in a world where everyone can easily hide behind a device. If possible, and if appropriate for the situation, I will receive an email and go find the individual in person to give my response just to have the face to face communication. The other side of the sword on this one is being too available for communication, and that is where I struggle. Having work email on my phone, I am able to get messages anytime of day, long after school hours. Though it is very easy to respond from my phone, it then means I am available 24/7 which does not leave time to truly rest and recharge. Checking my email and being in constant communication with my education world, and not taking personal time for myself where I turn that part of my life off, is definitely something I need to work on. The final foundational characteristic of a 21st century teacher that I evaluate myself against, is being a lifelong & self-directed learner. With the ever increasing pace of technology innovation in the world today, which directly relates to technology in the classroom, a teacher must be a self-directed learner and be willing to learn every chance they get. I make it a point to try and stay up to date on what is being used in the classroom, even though I do not have my own classroom yet. I love to try out programs, apps and websites to see what great things are out there for me to use in the future or for me to share with colleagues that they might use right now. To keep up in the world today, and be the best educator I can for my students, I feel it's almost required of me to have a continuous thirst for knowledge. The day I no longer have a thirst for knowledge or a desire to continue to learn is the day I will know I am done teaching.

#Education #Teaching