How do I describe myself as a learner in the 21st Century?
One of the main goals in my life is to be a lifelong learner. If I can't always be learning new facts, methodologies, interests, and data, how can I expect my students to be excited to learn? I graduated from high school in the year 2000 and much has changed about how I learn even in my 30-some years of life. My academic learning used to be mostly confined to classrooms and libraries, textbooks and encyclopedias. With the rise of the Internet age, there is instant information at my fingertips at all times. When I want to research something or learn something new, there is even too much information at the palm of my hand. It used to be hard to find and now it is hard to discern. I have learned that as a learner, I need to constantly be finding new information, but also making sure that the information I find is accurate, reliable, and helpful.
How do you describe yourself as a teacher in the 21st Century?
While I believe that I received an outstanding education and that most all my teachers were top notch, I cannot rely of the way I was taught to teach my students now, even just a decade or so later. SO much has change with the way students interact with the world, with each other, and with new information. I need to be staying a step ahead of my students with the way I understand these interactions. The new technology can be a scary thing for teachers, but when used carefully and correctly, the new technology can open up so many new and exciting things in the classroom. It also can be a motivator to get students interested in learning. In contrast, a classroom that does not make the most of the technology now at our disposable will discourage students from being excited about learning and discredit the information, not matter how accurate.
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