21st Century Teachers

Post date: Aug 11, 2016 6:48:22 AM

By: Dr. Merlinda C. Dominguez

EPS- Mathematics

21st-century Skills are abilities embedded in the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum that learners must acquire. (DepEd Order 55, s. 2016) These include: a. Communication Skills refer to the ability to express one’s self clearly and collaborate with others. b. Information, Media and Technology Skills refers to the ability to gather, manage, evaluate, use, and synthesize information through media and technology. c. Learning and Innovation Skills refers to the ability to think critically, analyze and solve problems, create and implement innovations, and generate functional knowledge. d. Life and Career Skills refers to intrinsic and socialized personal values, ethics, and attitudes for life after basic education and learning within the workforce.

At the turn of the century, the demand of the world-class graduates who would be globally competitive become more pronounced. Vivien Stewart(2007), in her article Becoming Citizens of the World, pointed out that the new skills set that students will need go well beyond the basics and Math, Science and Technology. She says that these skills are necessary, but to be successful global citizens, workers and leaders, students will need to be knowledgeable about the world, be able to communicate in languages other than English, and be informed and active citizens.

There is therefore, a need for schools to be able to prepare students adequately for these challenges. Toward this end, teachers need to work hand in hand with their principals. In a time of intense competition between and within societies, intellectual capital, the most critical resource in any country today, becomes more and more important. An educated nation is a productive nation. The development of a country’s brain power greatly determines how far its progress would be. Countries that perform best in educating their children are most likely to enjoy the highest levels of economic success. Schools are mandated by society to create an intellectually strong populace. They are strategically positioned to provide the foundation for developing minds.

A 21st Century teacher produces a 21st century learner. Some suggested activities that can be considered:

    • Develop and demonstrate positive discipline every day among our learners.
    • The teachers of K-1 must teach pupils to read. It must be 100% readers among pupils. Search/duplicate any techniques that fits the ability of the learners, be it traditional or Fuller Method. The most important is the learners were able to learn to read.
    • The teachers of Grades 2 and 3 must teach reading with comprehension. By this time the pupils will be able to answer the 3Ws: What, When and Where and if and possible ask them also the question How?
    • The teachers of Grades 4 to12 must have a follow up regarding the reading ability of the pupils. Develop different competencies embedded in the TG, CG and LM
    • Be consistent, have a follow up and provide the necessary assessments and intervenstions.

Now that the implementing of K-12 is institutionalized, the teachers are pretty sure that they will be able to make their learners 21st Century learners. Because they are 21st Century Teachers too.

Toward this end, teachers and administrators should possess and internalize the 4 Cs as what the Regional Director, Dr. Malcom S. Garma is always mentioning during the EXECOM meeting shared to us by our Superintendent, Dr Carolina S. Violeta: Communication, Creativity, Critical Thinking and Character Building.