Are You Ready As a 21st Century Teacher?

Are You Ready As a 21^st Century Teacher?

We are living in a technology-enhanced world. Nowadays, we have internet, smart phones, Google, Facebook, online media, blogging, interactive Whiteboard, and so on. Technologies have huge impact in teaching and learning process. As a teacher in the 21^st century, we have to learn, adapt and use the new technologies to teach students in a better way. We need to connect and communicate with students and create a rich learning environment by using interactive teaching technologies.

I recall that when I was a student in elementary/middle/high schools during 1980’s and 1990’s, teachers always used chalks and blackboards, and taught based on textbooks and workbooks. The main focus in the teaching and learning process at that time was that a teacher gave a lecture and students practiced, practiced and practiced more. Learning in the classroom was boring and it was easy to get lost from time to time in that kind of learning environment. By watching the video “A Vision of 21st Century Teachers”, I totally agree that technologies have changed our living styles nowadays and also have great impacts in teaching and acquiring knowledge. Using technologies like multimedia and blogging as tools in teaching, they are very helpful to attract students’ interest in learning a subject and engage them in the teaching and learning process. By using the Facetime and the internet, teachers and students from different countries may interact and cooperate in projects and can gain from face-to-face and online learning activates, so it easily gives students a sense of the global community. By using blogging, teachers and students can share their analysis of literature and create digital music mixes for presentation and discuss issues in their living and the world around them. Using digital cameras/camcorders to capture things in the real world is helpful to explain some complex concepts in classrooms, and visual learners can comprehend difficult concepts easier. It is interesting to observe that technologies can unleash the power that students may bring with them into the classroom in terms of creative thinking and productivity.

  

After I watched the video, I have some thoughts about a 21st century classroom looks like. I think a 21^st century class should have a strong foundation in every subjects, and exploring curriculum topics by using technologies and using various projects to help students learning and acquiring knowledge. Students can have better connected and engaged in the learning environment. As an elementary school teacher, I try to use technologies like multimedia and blogging to motivate students’ interest in learning Chinese and make them feel fun to learn in my classroom. I will use combine art tools with text editing, clip art, blog and voice recording that provide students with tools to communicate ideas and demonstrate understanding. As a 21^st century teacher, I think my classroom should be a place for students that get excited in learning and acquiring new knowledge.