In
India traditional teaching was done in Gurukuls, Maths Vihars and Maqtabas.
Guru was highly esteemed. Gurus also accepted teaching as a service and they
performed teaching work with hard work, honesty and full devotion. Teaching
work was considered as social work. But presently, situations are completely
changed.
As we move further
into the new millennium, it becomes clear that the 21st Century classroom needs
are very different from the 20th Century classroom needs. In the 21st Century
classroom, teachers are facilitators of student learning and creators of
productive classroom environments in which students can develop the skills they
will need in the workplace. The focus of the 21st Century classroom is on
students experiencing the environment they will enter as 21st Century workers.
The collaborative project-based curriculum used in this classroom develops the
higher order thinking skills, effective communication skills, and knowledge of
technology that students will need in the 21st Century workplace. The
interdisciplinary nature of the 21st Century classroom sets it apart from the
20th Century classroom. Lectures on a single subject at a time were the norm in
the past and today collaboration is the thread for all students learning.
20th Century teaching strategies are no longer effective. Teachers
must embrace new teaching strategies that are radically different from those
employed in the 20th Century classroom. The curriculum must become more
relevant to what students will experience in the 21st Century workplace.
The 21st
Century classroom is student centered, not teacher centered. Teachers no longer
function as lecturers but as facilitators of learning. The students are
learning by doing, and the teacher acts as a coach, helping students as they
work on projects. Thus, for fulfilling present day demands new role of the
teacher in the 21st Century classroom requires changes in teachers’ knowledge
and classroom behaviors. The teacher must know how to:
- act as a classroom facilitator.
They use appropriate resources and opportunities to create a learning
environment that allows each child to construct his or her own knowledge.
The teacher is in tune with her students and knows how to pace lessons and
provide meaningful work that actively engages students in their learning.
- establish a safe, supportive,
and positive learning environment for all students. This requires planning
on the part of the teacher to avoid safety risks, to create room
arrangements that support learning, and to provide accessibility to
students with special needs. The teacher is skilled in managing multiple
learning experiences to create a positive and productive learning environment
for all the students in the classroom. Classroom procedures and policies
are an important part of creating a positive learning environment. The
teacher evaluates and implements effective classroom management techniques
in a consistent manner. She uses routines and procedures that maximize
instructional time. Students know what is expected of them, and the
teacher knows how to effectively handle disruptions so there is no adverse
impact on students’ instructional time.
- plan for the long-term and short-term.
- foster cooperation among
students within the classroom. The teacher models and promotes democratic
values and processes that are essential in the real world.
- encourage students’ curiosity
and intrinsic motivation to learn. The teacher helps students become
independent, creative, and critical thinkers by providing experiences that
develop his/her students’ independent, critical and creative thinking and
problem solving skills. The teacher provides enough time for students to
complete tasks, and is clear about her expectations. Students are actively
involved in their own learning within a climate that respects their unique
developmental needs and fosters positive expectations and mutual respect.
- make students feel valued. The
teacher emphasizes cooperative group effort rather than individual
competitive effort through collaborative projects and a team spirit.
- communicate effectively with
students, parents, colleagues, and other stakeholders. The teacher uses
written, oral, and technological communication to establish a positive
learning experience and to involve other stakeholders in student learning.
- use language to foster
self-expression, identity development, and learning in her students.
- listen thoughtfully and
responsively.
- foster cultural awareness and
cultural sensitivity in her students. The teacher encourages students to
learn about other cultures and instills in her students a respect for
others and their differences
In
the end we can say that characteristics of the 21st Century classroom will be
very different from those of in the classrooms of the past because the focus is
on producing students who are highly productive, effective communicators,
inventive thinkers, and masters of technology.
