Am I a 21st Century Teacher?

There are days when I see my students engaged in learning, working together to solve problems or creatively applying their skills in a project, and I am elated. I feel pretty good about my job as a facilitator in their learning.  Conversely, there are those days when my best plans seem to fail.  Confusion and misunderstanding prevail.  Am I well prepared to provide my students with 21st Century skills?  It depends on the day.
Although I feel somewhat qualified for 21st Century teaching, I desire more preparation, more information, and more ideas so that I can best help the children in my class.  Like our students, teachers must be learners.  We must continually seek knowledge that will assist us in doing our best.
I believe one of my strengths as a 21st Century teacher is providing a safe and supportive learning environment.  I work hard to create and maintain a classroom community where all students are respected and cared for.  I think it is this type of atmosphere that fosters discovery, risk-taking, and creativity. 
Sometimes I feel challenged by, not so much what to teach, buy how to teach it.  I want to present information to students so they understand and become engaged.  Finding activities and tools that support lessons can sometimes be a struggle.  Time is a huge factor.  There's an abundance of information at my fingertips, but only 24 hours in a day (and I need my seven hours sleep).  Sifting through information can be time-consuming.
Are my students equipped with 21st Century skills?  I believe so.  Can I do more?  You bet!  As I continue to grow as a teacher, my students benefit from my learning, successes and, yes, even failures.

Technology and Me

I love learning new things that can help my students learn and improve engagement in the classroom.  Technology is a tool that can do both.  Learning and becoming proficient with new technology can be intimitating.  However, the benefits out-weigh any uncomfortableness that I may have.  Learning takes practice, and practice takes time.  As teachers, we must spend the necessary time with new technological tools in order to use them successfully in the classroom.

Another barrier besides time or the willingness to learn is availability of current technology in schools. The importance placed on techological education varies from school to school.  Some schools provide their students and teachers with many of the latest technology tools, while others have only the basics.  Teachers who would love to use assistive technology are bound by availability.

Philipians 4:13 states, "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me."  I stand on this promise in my personal as well as professional life.  In school, He gives me strength and courage to do things I can't do on my own.  It is by His grace and power that I venture into areas, such as new technology, that may seem intimidating.  I seek to do my best for my students, and for God, as a teacher.  That includes learning new strategies and discovering new tools that will benefit my students.

Learning new strategies and discovering new tools is my goal for this class on educational technology.  I hope to put into practice the things I learn and become more efficient in the technology that is available to me.  I seek to provide a classroom where students are engaged in learning and technology plays an important role.