21ST CENTURY TEACHER

ROSE ANN S. DIVINA

Teaching in the 21st century is way different. Learning happens at any time of the day, everywhere, not just inside the classroom.

That is why educators now have to find ways to teach to motivate students to learn and absorb more, in light of all the distractions in this technology-driven world.

Having a learner-centered classroom is desirable, as letting students make their own choices and their own their learning will increase their motivation. This will lead them to put in more effort, which can produce better learning outcomes.

Letting students produce their own content through videos, short clips, blogs and other social media platforms can also be done. Proud of their work, they can share these with others.

Like students, educators should also learn new technologies. This way, they can have their own experiences, and eventually become “experts”.

With this in mind, teachers should consider allowing their students to use theit devices inside the classroom as tools of learning.

Different students have different needs, so they should be allowed to be indeoendent and know how to find the answers they need. This makes the classroom a different and enjoyable environment.

Collaborating with students is also something educators should try. This is possible now, with the help of technology, by creating digital resources, presentations, and projects together.

Another useful method is project-based learning. Today’s students should develop their own research and create final projects to share, all using devices already in their hands, amd with the guidance of their teacher, of course.

Lastly, make every day a learning experience and utilize technology as much as possible. Remember, we learn something every day, so we might as well make it fun and engaging.

-oOoThe author is SST II at San Simon High School