Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century - Essay Example

?[Your full full May 13, Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century Teaching is a very sacred profession in which a teacher transfers his/her knowledge or ideas to the students. In the present world, a teacher not only needs to have an in-depth knowledge of the subject in order to be successful but also he/she should have the required set of skills and abilities to transfer the knowledge to the students properly. Teaching and learning in the 21st century has become very different from the traditional forms of teaching and learning. Online teaching, interactive learning environments, and technology has brought significant changes to the overall processes of teaching ad learning. Through online teaching and interactive learning environments, teachers are playing a considerable role in improving the communication skills of the children by making them interact with other students in different activities. Teachers are also playing a vital role in improving the social behaviors of the students by injecting the senses of responsibility and ethics in the minds of the students. How to Become a Great Teacher Not every teacher is a great teacher. Ragos states, “The influence of a great teacher is reverberating”. A great teacher possesses such qualities and characteristics, which distinguishes him/her from all other teachers. Some of the main qualities of a great teacher include sense of humor, positive attitude, high expectations, consistency, fairness, and flexibility (Kelly). Let us now discuss in detail what a teacher needs to become a great teacher. In the discussion, we will also include the ideas and responses of Mr. Bob Overstreet, who is a high school teacher from Walton High School. High Enthusiasm A great teacher is always enthusiastic about the job. According to Mr. Overstreet, high enthusiasm and passion to teach students are the keys towards a teacher’s professional success. The enthusiasm of teacher also injects an interest for the subject in the minds of the students. Students become more interested in the subject when they see the passion of their teacher for that subject. It is one of the core responsibilities of the teachers to make students take interest in the subjects. It is necessary because when the children take interest in their subjects, they get good grades in their exams. Therefore, teachers need to develop interest of students in the subjects in order to make them successful. Responsiveness Another important factor, which plays a considerable role in development of a great teacher, is responsiveness. A teacher needs to respond to the queries of the students in order to satisfy them. A teacher should never ignore the query of any student. It is also one of the main responsibilities of a teacher to strengthen the concepts of the students and it can only happen if the teacher shows interest by responding to all questions raised by the students about the lecture. According to Mr. Overstreet, a great teacher is one who never leaves any question made by any student unanswered. A great teacher not only responds to the students but also ensures that the students have understood every issue related to the topic. Moreover, a great teacher is one who not only shows interest in the subject related questions raised by the students but also answers other questions related to sports, physical fitness, or any other topic. Friendliness and Communication Skills Another quality, which makes teachers great, is the friendliness and excellent communication skills of the teachers. “There are many ways to be a successful teacher but the secret lies in excellent communication skills” (Reed). According to Mr. Overstreet, teachers need to be friendly with their students in order to create an effective learning environment. Friendliness of teachers plays a vital role in making the students learn in an effective manner. It is because when a teacher creates an open and sociable learning environment in the classroom, it motivates the students to get something out of it and that is the real essence of an interactive learning environment. Students also like those teachers who maintain friendly relationships with them because in this way, students do not hesitate to ask the teacher what they do not know about the subject. However, a perfect teacher is one who maintains his/her image in front of the students by not compromising on classroom discipline, respect of the teacher, and morals. Punctuality Punctuality is another quality of a great teacher. According to Mr. Overstreet, a great teacher neither himself comes late nor allows the students to come late in the classroom. Punctuality brings many benefits for both teachers and students. One of the greatest benefits of punctuality is that it keeps the teacher and the students up to date. For example, if a student does not come in the class on time, he/she will miss the starting point of the lesson being taught in the class, which will affect the student’s class performance. Great teachers always stress on the importance of punctuality in order to make students come to the classroom on time. Punctuality comes under the category of class discipline and great teachers never compromise on class discipline no matter what the circumstances are. Therefore, a teacher needs to know the importance of punctuality in order to become an effective teacher. Moreover, great teachers are always ready to deliver their lectures. They are very consistent and professional by nature. Great teachers understand the characteristics and behaviors of the students and deal with different attitudes in an effective manner. A great teacher understands the students and takes steps to improve their characters and behaviors. They never get panic or oversensitive in any situation because they know how to deal with any specific situation. They are also good decision-makers and they use this ability in a very professional manner considering all negative and positive aspects of any decision. Great teachers want their students to become able to interact with all types of people effectively. Great teachers not only improve the communication skills of the students but also make them confident enough to face different challenges of life. Supportiveness One of the greatest qualities of a great teacher is supportiveness. A great teacher provides support to the students in their legal matters. According to Mr. Overstreet, students really like those teachers who support them in presenting their issues in front of higher authorities. A great teacher is one who not only supports the students in their legal affairs but also motivates them to raise their voice against any kind of injustice. Great teachers stand up for the rights of the students creating a positive image in the minds of the students. Great teachers view things in the context of future. They care for their students in order to make them successful not only in the educational careers but also in their professional lives. “A great teacher must direct his pupils towards the path of hard work” (Maling). Great teachers appreciate their students in case of any achievement and motivate them to work hard for success. Transferring Knowledge Another quality of a great teacher is that a great teacher not only transfers course related information to the students but also keeps them up to date regarding general ongoing issues. According to Mr. Overstreet, great teachers not only improve the educational performances of the students but also make them productive parts of the society. Great teachers are very caring and they want to make their students active members of the society. They make the students aware of what is happening in the country and what are the issues and challenges, which their country is facing at present. A very good point regarding great teachers is that they make the students aware of both negative and positive aspects of the issues and that awareness proves to be very helpful for the students when they interact with other people and share their ideas with them. Therefore, we can say that great teachers play a considerable role not only in making the students aware of the social issues being faced by the country but also in making the student share their ideas with other people in an effective way. Encouraging Good Performances Another quality of great teachers is that they encourage good performances shown by their students. Encouragement acts as a positive feedback for the students and they try to repeat their performances in order to meet their teacher’s expectations. Appreciation encourages and motivates the students to excel in their educational careers by showing good grades. Great teachers not only encourage the classroom performances of the students but also encourage the students in sports activities. According to Mr. Overstreet, encouragement plays a critical role in the success of a student and it is the job of a teacher to encourage the students and make them take part not only in classroom activities but also in all social activities. A great teacher is one who loves his/her students (Lehmann). Students also respect those teachers who love them and encourage them for their good performances. Conclusion Summing it up, teaching is a profession in which a teacher transfers his/her knowledge or ideas to the students. Teachers play a considerable role in improving the classroom and social behaviors of the students by injecting the senses of responsibility, accountability, and ethics in the minds of the students. Great teachers are different from ordinary teachers in many ways. A great teacher has a dynamic and student-focused personality, which differentiates him/her from other teachers. Works Cited Overstreet, Bob. Personal interview. 11 May 2011. Kelly, Melissa. “Top 6 Keys to Being a Successful Teacher.” About.com, n.d. Web. 13 May 2011. Lehmann, Chris. “What makes a great teacher?.” Practicaltheory.org, 22 Aug. 2003. Web. 13 May 2011. Maling, Michel. “Things That Make a Great teacher Or Coach.” Ezinearticles.com, 07 Apr. 2011. Web. 13 May 2011. Ragos, Sherwin. “What Makes a Great teacher?.” Ezinearticles.com, 11 Sept. 2010. Web. 13 May 2011. Reed, Silas. “Teaching Jobs - How to Be a Great Teacher.” Ezinearticles.com, 24 Dec. 2010. Web. 13 May 2011. Read More