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I’ve been wondering lately how to promote the idea that the traditional role of the “teacher” has slowly changed.  I would like to plant this seed with the idea that changes start when teachers are learners themselves; in essence, master learners.  To use the knowledge learned to transform our classrooms into learning communities.   

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I can remember when I was in first grade and I thought I could learn anything.  The new information was coming so fast.  Every day was a learning adventure with Dick and Jane and their family and friends during reading.  Once I began to read, I read everything I could see.   Needless to say, my learning self-confidence was at an all time high.   I was an invincible learner.  I was fearless.  As I think about learning today and teachers, I can’t help but think about my former teachers, particularly my elementary teachers in the 1960’s.  They presented information from such limited sources; mainly the textbook or basal.  And I couldn’t learn the content fast enough.   If I were a child in a first grade classroom (or any grade-level for that matter) in this technological age, with a teacher who was a facilitator of our learning community; I can only imagine how my dendrites would be growing and making connections daily. 

Today there are many learning opportunities for teachers from various sources.  Let’s face it; teachers are not the sole source of information for students anymore.  My former teachers taught to the best of their ability and served me well for the times.  They didn’t have the professional development opportunities or outlets for learning new concepts and ideas as educators have today.  (Although in my state, PD funds have been cut.)  If teachers today rely solely on the textbook as a resource, how many of their students learn more from the Internet; including cell phones, iPads, and iPod Touches, than they learn in their classrooms?  Students, who are inquisitive and seek out knowledge, will learn despite what’s going on in their schools.  Teachers, in past decades, had a captive audience of learners.  The outside educational experiences were books and Captain Kangaroo, The Electric Company and Sesame Street.  Any activity we did at school was exciting.  Fast forward to the present, and teachers have many students with technology available at home and the tools that go with it. It’s hard for a “sit and get” lecture to compete with today’s technology to engage the mind. Students are craving hands-on, collaborative and interactive lessons.

For this reason, 21st century teachers need to create their own learning experiences in order to be equipped to teach the ‘digital natives’ of Generation Z; a generation of potential learners, thinkers and contributors.  And I’m not speaking strictly about the technology tools, although they can be great conductors to new learning.  I think it's important that educators choose to engage in professional learning networks or communities, and autonomously learn above and beyond their textbooks in order to gather new methods to engage and teach students.  After all, doesn't every child deserve to feel like an invincible learner?  Peter Pappas at Copy/Paste has a post about engaging students, called, “Five Ways to Engage Students and Other Audiences” , if you'd like to read about ideas to engage students.







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