I believe it is a favorite pastime of educators to reminisce about how things used to be in the classroom.

I know that I have told tales about how when I was in school, everyone respected the teacher, never
disrupted the flow of a lesson, and never found themselves distracted by a device that could literally
provide them with all of the known information in the world. I have learned in my time as an educator
that two out of those three things were obviously not true. But in our 21st century classrooms, our
students know have the luxury of being connected to virtually limitless information at almost every hour
of the day. As students adapt to access to this information, teachers and educators must adapt to meet
the needs of connected, 21st century students.

One of the most important things for teachers to remember in the 21st century classroom is that we do
not have to always be right. The 21st century classroom blends the roles of teachers and students,
because everyone has access to the same information and the same resources. It is my vision that the
21st century classroom makes it difficult for an observer to determine who is leading the learning in a
classroom. Instead, the instructor demonstrates the ability to work with and analyze data in a way to
reach a specific conclusion. With access to digital tools and resources it becomes the role of the teacher
to demonstrate how to use information, instead of the traditional role of sharing information.

As the 21st century classroom continues to evolve and change, it is important that our classrooms are
places that are supportive of the diverse group of students that are preparing to be future leaders. It is
often side that students in school now are preparing for jobs that are yet to exist. I think that the
effective 21st century classroom focusses less on the job, but on the abilities and the skills necessary for
these future jobs. And at it’s foundation, this begins with increasing the ability to think critically and
analyze data.

By focusing on the skills and abilities, and less on the information, we can open the door for students to
grow. With so much emphasis currently on the information standards, skills and abilities are forgotten.
Through effective technology integration, teachers and administrators can take a step back from high-
stakes testing. The 21st century classroom should look to integrate technology effectively by following
ISTE standards for teachers, students, and coaches. These standards help to effectively incorporate
technology to emphasize the development of skills and abilities, and less emphasis on the retention of
information. Through effective technology integration, students are demonstrating their ability to use
information from a variety of sources, make connections with these different pieces of information, and
develop their own conclusions. This can effectively personalize student learning, providing them with
the pathway to their own success.

But perhaps the most important piece of my vision for the 21st century classroom begins with the
teachers. Again, we love to commiserate about how things were when we were younger. But we have to
start the shift in education by accepting that a shift has already taken place. If we continue to teach our
students the way that we were taught, without access to computers, smartphones, the internet, and the
Internet of Things, then are students will never be prepared for the world that includes all of these
advances in technology. Through instructional coaching, teachers can become better prepared for the
21st century classroom and student. Not only does instructional coaching provide personalized
professional development for teachers and classrooms, studies show that it also improves school
culture, increases collaboration between teachers, and leads to “improved teacher attitudes, skill
transfer, feelings of efficacy, and student achievement” (Desimone & Pak, 2017). My vision for the 21st
century classroom is one with a teacher that is engaged with their students through meaningful
collaboration and a mutual understanding that it is not teacher and student vying against each other in a
battle of grades and assignments. Instead, the 21st century classroom is led by a teacher-student that
leads students by example. Instructional coaching and technology integration will help to break down
the barriers of the outdated classroom and put the teacher and the student in their best positions for
achievement and growth.

References

Desimone, L.M. & Pak, K. (2017) Instructional coaching as high-quality professional development. Theory

Into Practice, 56, 3-12. Doi:10.1080/00405841.2016.1241947

ISTE | Standards for Coaches. (2017) Iste.org. Retrieved 21 April 2019, from

http://www.iste.org/stnadards/for-coaches

ISTE | Standards for Educators. (2017) Iste.org. Retrieved 21 April 2019, from

http://www.iste.org/stnadards/for-educators

ISTE | Standards for Students. (2017) Iste.org. Retrieved 21 April 2019, from

http://www.iste.org/stnadards/for-students