The 21st Century Teacher

From the first day of Kindergarten to the last day of OAC (Gr. 13 for all you young ones out there), I can remember every teacher that taught me.  Some of them had very positive influences on me, others some negative ones, but one thing was quite constant: there was always a clear separation between the teacher at the front of the class and the students in their desks.  In my case, this division was something to be respected, and while many teachers did not make a big effort to get to know me as an “individual”, I never really felt like my teachers didn’t care about me.

Today, I believe there is a much bigger focus on teachers being the “helpers” of learning, and not just an adult that stands in front of a group of kids telling them what to learn.  In the ten years of my career so far, I have seen, and been a part of, getting “down to students’ levels” and interacting with them like never before.  We are encouraged to take part in activities in the classroom, in activities outside of the classroom, and to really get to know students and do everything we can to help them succeed.  While I believe this closer interaction between student and teacher has brought us a lot of knowledge in terms of how children learn, I also believe that this has put a huge pressure on us as educators.

Although I’m sure that the pressures of teaching have always been there, I have seen a rapid shift concerning who is responsible for a child’s learning.  I have come to realize that I am very lucky to have supportive parents, but also ones that made me work hard and be responsible for my actions in life.  My parents did not have a lot of time to sit down with me and do my homework, but they did instill in me the understanding that I am mostly responsible for my learning and attitude towards school.  Yes, my teachers had a part to play because they were the ones with the knowledge, but I had to find ways to make it work and seek help from those teachers when I did not understand something.  However, nowadays, I have seen an increased pressure to be exciting, engaging and dynamic in the classroom, but also an increase in blame when students don’t succeed besides these efforts.

Why does the responsibility of a child’s learning and development fall so heavily upon us?  Yes, we do have an enormous influence, but so do parents.  I would even argue, that parents have the greater influence.  And what about the responsibility of the child?  Should we not be teaching them, as a society, to take responsibility for their actions and to not place blame on others instead?  I recent interviews I have been asked the question: “Who is responsible for a child’s learning?”.  

The answer is ALL OF US.  

The 21st century teacher may be more dynamic, more trained and skilled in instructional strategies and delivery, fostering inquiry-based lessons, and getting to know students on a more personal level, but that does not mean that we can create student success alone.  We must be a team, to respect and support one another, have the best interest of children in mind, but teach them to be accountable for their actions and learn to respect themselves and those around them.  As I approach having my own classroom again in September, I have made it a goal to communicate well with the parents of my students that I need their help and support, and along with making children take an active part in their learning, we can grow student success together.