15 Characteristics of a 21stCentury Teacher

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Tsisana Palmer , ESL Instructor/Intensive English Program

Posted 06/20/2015 10:14AM | Last Commented 09/28/2015 12:07PM

Recent technological advances have affected many areas of our lives: the way we communicate,
collaborate, learn, and, of course, teach. Along with that, those advances necessitated an
expansion of our vocabulary, producing definitions such as digital natives, digital immigrants,
and, the topic of this post -- "21st-century teacher."
As I am writing this post, I am trying to recall if I ever had heard phrases such as "20th-century
teacher" or "19th-century teacher." Quick Google search reassures me that there is no such word
combination. Changing the "20th" to "21st" brings different results: a 21st-century school, 21stcentury education, 21st-century teacher, 21st-century skills -- all there! I then searched for
Twitter hashtags and Amazon books, and the results were just the same; nothing for the "20thcentury teacher" while a lot for the "21st": #teacher21, #21stcenturyskills, #21stCTeaching and
no books with titles #containing "20th century" while quite a few on the 21st-century teaching
and learning.
Obviously, teaching in the 21-century is an altogether different phenomenon; never before could
learning be happening the way it is now -- everywhere, all the time, on any possible topic,
supporting any possible learning style or preference. But what does being a 21st-century teacher
really mean?
Below are 15 characteristics of a 21st-century teacher:
1. Learner-Centered Classroom and Personalized Instructions
As students have access to any information possible, there certainly is no need to "spoon-feed"
the knowledge or teach "one-size fits all" content. As students have different personalities, goals,
and needs, offering personalized instructions is not just possible but also desirable. When
students are allowed to make their own choices, they own their learning, increase intrinsic
motivation, and put in more effort -- an ideal recipe for better learning outcomes!
2. Students as Producers
Today's students have the latest and greatest tools, yet, the usage in many cases barely goes
beyond communicating with family and friends via chat, text, or calls. Even though students are
now viewed as digital natives, many are far from producing any digital content. While they do
own expensive devices with capabilities to produce blogs, infographics, books, how-to videos,
and tutorials, just to name a few, in many classes, they are still asked to turn those devices off

and work with handouts and worksheets. Sadly, often times these papers are simply thrown away
once graded. Many students don't even want to do them, let alone keep or return them later.
When given a chance, students can produce beautiful and creative blogs, movies, or digital
stories that they feel proud of and share with others.
3. Learn New Technologies
In order to be able to offer students choices, having one's own hands-on experience and expertise
will be useful. Since technology keeps developing, learning a tool once and for all is not a
option. The good news is that new technologies are new for the novice and and experienced
teachers alike, so everyone can jump in at any time! I used a short-term subscription
to www.lynda.com, which has many resources for learning new technologies.
4. Go Global
Today's tools make it possible to learn about other countries and people first hand. Of course,
textbooks are still sufficient, yet, there is nothing like learning languages, cultures, and
communication skills from actually talking to people from other parts of the world.
It's a shame that with all the tools available, we still learn about other cultures, people, and events
from the media. Teaching students how to use the tools in their hands to "visit" any corner of this
planet will hopefully make us more knowledgable and sympathetic.
5. Be Smart and Use Smart Phones
Once again -- when students are encouraged to view their devices as valuable tools that support
knowledge (rather than distractions), they start using them as such. I remember my first years of
teaching when I would not allow cell phones in class and I'd try to explain every new vocabulary
word or answer any question myself -- something I would not even think of doing today!
I have learned that different students have different needs when it comes to help with new
vocabulary or questions; therefore, there is no need to waste time and explain something that
perhaps only one or two students would benefit from. Instead, teaching students to be
independent and know how to find answers they need makes the class a different environment!
I have seen positive changes ever since I started viewing students' devices as useful aid. In fact,
sometimes I even respond by saying "I don't know -- use Google and tell us all!" What a
difference in their reactions and outcomes!
6. Blog
I have written on the importance of both student and teacher blogging. Even my beginners of
English could see the value of writing for real audience and establishing their digital presence.
To blog or not to blog should not be a question any more!
7. Go Digital
Another important attribute is to go paperless -- organizing teaching resources and activities on
one's own website and integrating technology bring students learning experience to a different
level. Sharing links and offering digital discussions as opposed to a constant paper flow allows
students to access and share class resources in a more organized fashion.

8. Collaborate
Technology allows collaboration between teachers & students. Creating digital resources,
presentations, and projects together with other educators and students will make classroom
activities resemble the real world. Collaboration should go beyond sharing documents via e-mail
or creating PowerPoint presentations. Many great ideas never go beyond a conversation or paper
copy, which is a great loss! Collaboration globally can change our entire experience!
9. Use Twitter Chat
Participating in Twitter chat is the cheapest and most efficient way to organize one's own PD,
share research and ideas, and stay current with issues and updates in the field. We can grow
professionally and expand our knowledge as there is a great conversation happening every day,
and going to conferences is no longer the only way to meet others and build professional learning
networks.
10. Connect
Connect with like-minded individuals. Again, today's tools allow us to connect anyone,
anywhere, anytime. Have a question for an expert or colleague? Simply connect via social
media: follow, join, ask, or tell!
11. Project-Based Learning
As today's students have an access to authentic resources on the web, experts anywhere in the
world, and peers learning the same subject somewhere else, teaching with textbooks is very
"20th-century" (when the previously listed option were not available). Today's students should
develop their own driving questions, conduct their research, contact experts, and create final
projects to share all using devices already in their hands. All they need from their teacher is
guidance!
12. Build Your Positive Digital Footprint
It might sound obvious, but it is for today's teachers to model how to appropriately use social
media, how to produce and publish valuable content, and how to create sharable resources. Even
though it's true that teachers are people, and they want to use social media and post their pictures
and thoughts, we cannot ask our students not to do inappropriate things online if we ourselves do
it. Maintaining professional behavior both in class and online will help build positive digital
footprint and model appropriate actions for students.
13. Code
While this one might sound complicated, coding is nothing but today's literacy. As a pencil or
pen were "the tools" of the 20th-century, making it impossible to picture a teacher not capable to
operate with it, today's teacher must be able to operate with today's pen and pencil, i.e.,
computers. Coding is very interesting to learn -- the feeling of writing a page with HTML is
amazing! Even though I have ways to go, just like in every other field, a step at a time can take
go a long way. Again, lynda.com is a great resource to start with!
14. Innovate

I invite you to expand your teaching toolbox and try new ways you have not tried before, such as
teaching with social media or replacing textbooks with web resources. Not for the sake of tools
but for the sake of students!
Ever since I started using TED talks and my own activities based on those videos, my students
have been giving a very different feedback. They love it! They love using Facebook for class
discussions and announcements. They appreciate novelty -- not the new tools, but the new, more
productive and interesting ways of using them.
15. Keep Learning
As new ways and new technology keep emerging, learning and adapting is essential. The good
news is: it's fun, and even 20 min a day will take you a long way!
As always, please share your vision in the comment area! Happy 21st-century teaching!
http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/15-characteristics-21st-century-teacher

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/04/the-27-characteristics-of-21stcentury.html

Into the Twenty-First Century

As the normal schools morphed into four-year colleges and eventually state universities,
established state universities that did not already have them began to develop teacher preparation
programs. University and college teacher education programs grew rapidly as states developed
specific licensure requirements often based on college level coursework. As accreditation of
secondary schools grew, the need for teachers with college degrees also grew. The norm became
a combination of a degree with a major in an academic subject and completion of required
education courses. Scholars argue that universities were anything but altruistic in their
development of teacher preparation programs. Reasons included a desire to show some public
service commitment, a need to increase revenues from enrollment of teacher education students,
and the development of graduate programs in educational administration. In 2002, most
universities had firmly entrenched teacher preparation programs on their campuses. Campus
programs remain the major place of preparation for teachers. State universities continue to be
major sources of beginning teachers. Institutions such as Utah's Brigham Young University,
South Florida University, Indiana University, and Wayne State University, in Detroit, Michigan,
annually graduate hundreds of licensed teachers. In addition, liberal arts colleges with small
teacher preparation programs consistently graduate licensed teachers. More than 1,200
institutions continue to provide teacher preparation programs.
During the last decades of the twentieth century a variety of nontraditional centers of activity
evolved. The combination of the need for teachers in critically short areas such as mathematics
and science and the public criticism of campus-based teacher education produced situations in
which individuals and groups developed alternative routes for teacher preparation. Periodic
shortages in teachers, particularly in urban and rural settings, led to a variety of ways of
circumventing licensure regulations and university requirements. Teacher education was
occurring through a variety of vehicles, including colleges and universities, public schools, state
departments of education, special projects such as Teach for America, and district and university
affiliated programs such as a New York City project for recruiting non-traditional candidates.

Read more: Teacher Education - HISTORICAL OVERVIEW, INTERNATIONAL

PERSPECTIVE - Teachers, Teaching, Programs, and Schools StateUniversity.com http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2479/TeacherEducation.html#ixzz3tEVOlLtJ

Five characteristics of an effective 21st-century educator

Readers say key skills include foresight, lifelong learning, and the ability to evaluate new
technologies

By Meris Stansbury, Online Editor

Read more by Meris Stansbury
September 9th, 2011

"The effective 21st-century teacher will need to be adept in judging the educative and non-educative use of
technologies," said one reader.

Todays educators are constantly evaluating the skills students need to compete in the global
economy. But what are the characteristics or skills needed to be an effective 21 st-century educator?
We recently asked readers: What are the qualities of an effective 21 st-century educator? Here are
our readers top responses.
You might have heard that an effective 21st-century educator should be a guide on the side, not a
sage on the stage, but according to readers, theres much more to it than that.
For instance, one of the most common responses from readers was that 21st-century educators must
be lifelong learners and should be willing to learn not only from their peers, but from their students
as well.
According to readers, an effective 21st-century educator

1. Anticipates the future.

A good 21st-century educator is one cognizant of the rapidly changing technology trends; one in
tune with the direction of the economy, and future projected needs for business and industry; one
aware of the career opportunities for children in the coming years, and all of the requisite educational

skills and talents necessary to allow kids to position themselves to compete. Good 21st-century
educators are always pushing the envelope to ensure that their students are not left behind in the
wake of progress; in particular, he/she is one advocating constantly for change in educational
thinking and planning to ensure that a districts sub-group kids (minority and/or students at the
poverty level) are not being left behind for lack of access to proper resources to allow them to
compete with their suburban counterparts. Lastly, good 21st-century teachers are not teachers in a
vacuum; they are progressive in pushing for systemic change via curriculum sequencing,
prioritization of dollars, and prudent, strategic scrutiny of decision-making to ensure that the
preparation of todays children is always focused on preparing them for the world(s) in
which they will live and worknot the current world in which the teachers have to navigate
and dwell. Amy Baldridge, secondary curriculum supervisor, Xenia Community Schools
The 21st-century educator must be a fluid thinker, ready to look at situations with fresh, creative
eyes. He/she must go beyond the obvious to see the underlying patterns and core issues of a
given circumstance. Andmost importantlyan understanding of chaos theory is essential: The
butterfly flaps its wings and 3000 miles away the weather changes. Donn K. Harris, executive
director, artistic director, Oakland School for the Arts, Oakland, Calif.
Todays educators have the daunting task of preparing students for a future in the global 21st
century. As we begin to lag behind other countries in the areas of math, science, engineering, and
technology, we need to educate ourselves and pass this information to our students stat. STEM
education is necessary in all grades in all schools in order to remain competitive in this now global
society. The first challenge for teachers is to attract our students toward STEM education, and
the second is to keep them interested. An emphasis on science should be equally important as
reading and math. We, as a nation, are already falling behind other world nations. Todays students
are our future, and our future depends on their success. Bonnie Bahr, kindergarten teacher,
Baltimore County Public Schools, Baltimore, Md.
2. Is a lifelong learner.
I have found that not only for teachers, but anyone involved with using technology to
enhance their productivity, whether it be in manufacturing, sales and marketing,
science and research, or education, the most important quality is to be a flexible, lifelong learner, willing to accept and embrace change, willing to make a mistake
and be wrong (with the caveat that from those mistakes improvements are made and
new skills are learned), and to keep the focus on the process and the outcome, rather
than the tool. After all, when the day is over, technology are simply tools to improve our
quality of life; when they fail to do that, its time to invent new tools. Chuck
Dinsfriend, MBA, CTO mentor, director of Information Technology Services, Woodburn
School District
A great educator will embrace not only technology, but be willing to learn from
colleagues and students. David Brandvold
I believe that a good 21st-century educator should be able to pose open-ended
questions to students without having to know one exact answer. This educator
fosters students so that they become the captains of their own learning. Learning
becomes purposeful and meaningful for students as they work through real-world
activities. Jonna Wallis, 6-12 Language Arts academic coach, Professional
Development Center, Scottsdale, Ariz.

3. Fosters peer relationships.

In this technology-driven era, it is more critical than ever that we foster relationships
with and between our students. We must model and demand courtesy, we must model
and demand communication, and we must model and demand respect and cooperation
our students need us to show them how to treat each other. They may have 500
friends on Facebook, but do they know how to be a friend? Technology can foster
isolation, therefore interpersonal relationship skills must be taught in our classrooms so
that our students can go on to be effective in the workplace and fulfilled in their lives.
Helping students learn lifes lessons is becoming increasingly more important
interpersonal relationships, letting students know teachers genuinely care for them
and will help students be more successful in life. Julia C. Bernath, District 7 board
member, Fulton County Board of Education
4. Can teach and assess all levels of learners.
21st-century educators must be Situational Leaders. They must assess where each and every
student they teach is at relative to Learning Ability and Commitment to Learning. They must
work to bring all students up to a level where pedagogical learning is replaced by andragogy or an
adult learning style, where students have a say in their own learning. Gerald Morris, adjunct
instructor, Spring Arbor University, Davenport University and Baker College
To be an effective 21st-century teacher, a teacher must first possess the very same 21st-century
skills that their students are expected to have.And, in addition to those skills, they must be able
to help all of their students obtain and develop 21st-century skills. Mamzelle Adolphine

5. Is able to discern effective vs. non-effective technology.

School-age children are by far the fastest adopters of communications and information
technologies. The education system doesnt need to teach them how to use these technologies, but
it should recognize that technologies can help students learn more and faster. Classroom
technologies can also make more efficient use of a teachers time, whether its with tools for lesson
preparation, lesson presentation, lesson feedback, grading homework assignments, assessments,
or grading. The effective 21st-century teacher will need to be adept in judging the educative
and non-educative use of technologies made available to them and to their students at
school and at home. The potential downside of technologies is their potential for non-productive
usewasting time and resources. The upside though, is significant if used properly. Doug Hatch,
president & CEO, Core Learning

To APA Style:
Western architecture. (2015). In Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved
from http://academic.eb.com/EBchecked/topic/32952/Western-architecture