Walden University Blog

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What would the model 21st century teacher look like? A model teacher should have several characteristics, (1) use up-to-date technology for learning, (2) be a learner themselves, (3) be a model 21st century skills for their students, and (4) be able to foster the skills in their students.

1. Use up-to-date technology for learning:  A model 21st century teacher should keep themselves up-to-date on learning technologies and know how to use them both in and out of the classroom for learning.  Additionally, they should be able to enable their students to do the same.
2. Be a learner themselves: A model 21st century teacher should be a learner if they wish to teach learners.  This type of teacher should be willing to learn through formal means, like a university, or informal means, as in a personal learning network.  Furthermore, they should also be able to learn from their students.  Sometime our students can teach us as much or more than we teach them.
3. Be a model of 21st century skills for their students:  A model 21st century teacher is interested in assisting their students in learning the 21st century skills as identified by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. A teacher should model how to think critically and problem solve, how to be globally aware, and how to show leadership and responsibility.  With out teachers to model this, students will not learn them.
4.  Be able to foster 21st century skills in their students:  The model 21st century teacher should be willing to design curriculum around these skills.  Whether they teach social studies or physics, they should work these skills into their curriculum and instruction so that students are able to develop the skills themselves.