Challenges of being a 21st Century teacher

It is often said that teaching is the only profession that teaches all other
professions. Not far away from the truth and close to reality is the
understanding of the significance associated with this profession.
Teaching being considered as a noble profession, has always been looked
upon by the society as one in which people emulate those in this
profession. Teachers down history have been role models to inspire
common man and to dispel darkness in their ignorance ridden minds. As
far as formal education in concerned, the role of a classroom teacher was
confined only to the four walls of the classroom that adhered only to the
teaching-learning process. The teacher-student relationship was more of a
formal and dignified one where the teachers rebuke or reprimanding was
looked upon as something for the pupil to improvise on for the betterment
of their life.
However, the scenario is not the same today. The purview of the educator
is not confined to the four walls of the classroom as a classroom teacher
but expands across multi variant horizons in being a class counsellor,
friend-philosopher-guide,

vocational

and

career

counsellor,

subject

teacher, event manager, system administrator and so on. The demands

and needs of the 21st century student are undergoing a metamorphosis.
From acquiring education in a formal setup, parents as stakeholders also
expect their wards to be groomed in a holistic environment catering to the
all round development of the pupil. A school with its vision and mission
driven by excellence in education would only be successful if the pursuit
of excellence is clubbed with the betterment of the individual morally and
spiritually. Hence, modern day educators, curriculum drafters and school
policy makers must make evident changes in their institutional policies
foreseeing the motive of the educand. The social setting in which the
process of education is being set in, which includes the school and the
society, in which the educand is moulded, has by far one of the most out
reaching influence in the personality and upbringing of the pupil. School

and societal norms must be updated from time to time to improvise on

incorporating vital suggestions for the same.
In this technology driven era, one of the biggest challenges is keeping
adept with Information and Communication technologies (ICT) and
incorporating its vital elements in methodologies of teaching. Today every
child is born with a silver spoon where the use of any sophisticated
gadget becomes their mastery. The indiscriminate use and exploitation of
technology has even its far reaching affects. Modern tools of virtual
technologies of synchronous and asynchronous nature makes teaching by
far reach its global level of influence. Using tools of interactive smart
boards and electronic beams in transacting curriculum enables the
teacher to teach the smart way using virtual tools of learning for
assimilation

of

concepts

with

clarity.

Such

instructional

designed

programmed learning can also help to meet the needs of heterogeneous

groups of students and cater to ability grouping.
However smart may be our method of teaching and learning, despite
possessing adequate subject knowledge and content mastery, today no
teacher can survive in the field of education. If we do not stay in touch
with advancements in the discipline of our specialization, we become
outdated in the same. As the curriculum in most countries today is revised
once in three years, awareness of ongoing research and advancements in
ones discipline of teaching is a must for successful transaction to
students. Moreover, the explosion of knowledge today is so much that
students sometimes are more adept and aware of the same than
teachers. Hence, competing with their finesse must mar the complacency
that sets us in the process.
Last but never the least, a poignant area of challenge that keeps playing
with the conscience of most teachers is a dangerous personal conflict- of
being swayed away by non teaching careers. In such cases, the passion
and loyalty to the profession dies within the individual and comes into
play when tempted to take up other lucrative career opportunities hoping
for sound financial security and future prospects.

On the final note, however challenging and strenuous may teaching be

today, the nobility and regard for the profession still stands the test of
time. The mark of a teacher irrespective of their origin or nativity always
remains etched in the lives of students. An ideal teacher will always be
remembered for posterity and generations to come irrespective of
centuries or millennia that pass by.