Inside This Week’s Episode: — When you hear “21st century classroom” you might immediately think about classroom technology and other big changes that teachers need to make to meet the needs of today’s students. However, in this episode, we’re uncovering 3 myths of a 21st century classroom.

Links & Resources Mentioned in the Episode

EPISODE 95: What is a 21st Century Classroom??

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Do you ever hear educational buzz words and think “what does that mean?”

Am I doing that? Or even… do I HAVE to do that? Am I doing it right? 

Often times we hear buzz words and teachers groan because they’re afraid that that “buzz word” is likely going to bring about change in their classroom.  And change can be scary.

Maybe that’s how you feel when you hear the phrase 21st century classroom.

I say it all the time here on the podcast and YOU might hear it and think… What does that even mean?  Do I have a 21st century classroom?  Am I doing it right?

Today I want to squash some myths that might be floating around about a 21st century classroom.

So, let’s dive right in.

Myth #1:  A 21st Century Class Needs to Use Technology As Much as Possible

I wanted to start with this one because I think often we hear the words “modern classroom” or “21st century classroom” and we think “technology”.

Now - you know I love classroom technology. I love all the digital tools that we have available to us today as teacher. In fact, I spend most of my days creating digital tools like LINKtivities for students to use on digital devices.

And I DO think we should all be using technology in our classrooms on a regular basis.  We live in a digital world, we need to prepare our students for a digital world by teaching them critical 21st century learning skills. BUT I actually think that boiling down a 21st century classroom to ONLY using technology is also doing our students a disservice. 

In fact - I think a 21st century classroom is at its best when it blends tried and true teaching methods with the power of meaningful technology.  By tried and true teaching methods, I’m referring to things like guided reading groups where there is that close teacher-student interaction.  Technology does not replace a teacher and we still need those face to face experiences.

Tried and true teaching methods also include things like group projects where students learn how to collaborate.  In fact, one of the main pillars of a 21st century classroom is collaboration and hands-on activities.

Technology can not replace hands-on activities like science experiments.  Technology can try to simulate those experiments, but there’s nothing like getting your hands on a balance pan or a graduated cylinder, and an electric circuit.  Our students still need those tried and true learning experiences that teachers have been doing for decades — And they’ve been using them for decades because they work, they engage, and students learn.

All this to say:  a 21st century classroom is NOT synonymous with technology.  Technology is a huge part, but classroom technology is meant to enhance student learning.  We should not be using tech for tech sake.  The use of technology should come with purpose and intention.

Myth #2: You have to be comfortable with technology yourself before using it with your students

Now - this next myth is going to sound like I’m contradicting myth #1.  While I don’t think a 21st century classroom has to be all technology all the time, I DO think it plays an important role for all the reasons previously mentioned.

However - I think many teachers often feel uncomfortable with technology and feel overwhelmed when they are asked to use a new digital program, or learning software.  And when we feel uncomfortable - we typically want to avoid it all together, right?

I’m probably speaking more to the teachers who have been teaching for 15+ years.  If you’re a newer teacher, you’re likely very comfortable with tech because it’s all you’ve ever known.  You're more of a digital native than some of the rest of us. 

But - here’s what happens - if a teacher is not comfortable using technology - they are less likely to use it with their students because of the potential of it causing issues in the classroom.  But here’s the cool thing about students today.  They are NOT uncomfortable with technology.  They find it very user friendly.  They grew up with technology so it’s second nature to them.

So, why is this good news?  Well - you don’t have to be comfortable with technology— because your students already are.  What you’re worried about, they likely already know how to do.

Students will know how to navigate a website because they’ve likely been on 100s of other websites just like it at home.

This is an opportunity for you to lean into the strengths of a digital native: your students. Students speak technology and all things digital. 

Of course you want to be familiar with any digital tool you’re asking your students to use.  But, don’t let it stop you if it still feels new and clunky to you, because it’s likely that your students will pick it up with ease and maybe even teach you a thing or two. 

Students are not afraid to try new technology - in fact they are eager to do so.  WE might be apprehensive.  WE might shy away from trying something new. We like what we are familiar with. Our students, however, have literally been trained from birth to absorb new technology as it comes because it has been changing so rapidly their entire lives. It feels natural to them.

Myth #3:  You have to completely change how you teach to fit the mold of a 21st century classroom.

If myth #2 just rang true for you, if you are that teacher that feels uncomfortable with new technology, or the speed at which it changes - myth #3 is good news for you!

You DON'T have to completely change you teaching in order to meet the requirements of a 21st century classroom.  

In fact - if you’ve been teaching for years - you already have in place an incredible foundation of what makes a teacher great.  You’ve got that experience.  You’ve had the opportunity to hone in and nail down your classroom management.  And mostly likely - you already have in place the majority of the components that define a 21st century classroom. 

What makes you a great 21st century teacher is adopting the philosophy of being a lifelong learner and not letting yourself get to a place where you think you’ve learned it all and have nothing left to consider.

As a 21st century teacher, you keep what’s working and you layer in those relevant and current teaching practices that meet the needs of today’s students.  

There are some universal truths that have been true for kids generation after generation, but there are also so many different outside influences that were not a factor 15, 20 years ago.

Things like social media provide a perfect example.  With the birth of social media we need to address things like digital citizenship, something we didn’t teach this 20 years ago.

Social Emotional Learning, as you know, is also a huge part of today’s classroom.  It’s a new layer that we add to a  21st century classroom.

A veteran teacher knows the curriculum - and a teacher who is intentional about 21st century best practices weaves in these new layers into their everyday teaching.

The point is - you don’t have to uproot your entire way of teaching.  In fact, you shouldn’t.  You know what works and you shouldn’t abandon that.  The key is being intentional about taking what has worked with students in years past - those tried and true teaching practices - and marrying it with what works with today’s students.

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