The era of the 21st century is rapidly advancing to bring changes in the skillset of every profession. Even the education sector saw some significant changes post COVID, which compelled the educational institutes to switch to a digital medium of teaching. This transformation did not require a change in physical infrastructure alone. Rather there was a shift in the modes that teachers, students, and school management operated during regular classes.
In today’s world, teaching as a profession is witnessing profound changes across the globe. A new generation of teachers is required to step more into the depths and various aspects of students’ lives to allow them to grow holistically.
Here, we read about eight significant skills that the new age teacher should possess-
- Digital Skills
There can be no better understanding of the need to go digital than the real-world scenario that happened when the pandemic stuck in the world in the last few years. The education sector came to a standstill, with the schools, colleges, and universities closing. Some of the institutes that have already made headway in digital transformation could shift swiftly. However, many others did not have any technical expertise, resource, or know-how of the change needed. It was them and their students and teachers who faced the maximum brunt.
The need of the hour was for the teachers to hone their digital skills, which would ensure continuity in teaching without the need to go to school physically. Besides, the teachers need to develop the skills to use various online platforms for lecture delivery, resource sharing, and making it easy for kids to understand the course.
- Adaptability
The teachers of today are expected to be as adaptable as the students. This includes their acceptance of today’s learning methods and practices, shifts to digital mode of teachings, and using e-tools like the learning management system provided by eduTinker to understand the student better. If the teachers continue the same rot teaching method, students might not find it interesting, making them less likeable.
The uncertain situations and demands require teachers to be adaptable. Besides, as the learners grow, the teacher needs to understand their progression and adjust to the changing needs with time. It also helps in organisational achievements for the educational institutes to perform better.
- Communicational Skills
One of the most effective skills needed in today’s time is communication skill. A perfect teacher needs not to be just good speak, and they need to be a good listener too. As teachers act as role models for students, it is necessary that they can effectively communicate their ideas to them. It also sets an excellent example for students to follow them and upskill their communication.
This skill has helped many teachers build good relationships with students by getting them to understand their students better, participate effectively in their studies, and give them appropriate feedback. In the nascent stages, students learn many things as part of communication from their teachers, like pronunciation, diction, body language, and expressions, which makes them better in times to come.
- Regular Training
It is rightly said that a good teacher has to be a lifelong student too. This is one reason why teachers must always stay updated on the latest development and teaching methodologies. This is done by ensuring regular training to them by organisations they work for. Even if the educational institutions could not provide the training sessions, they should incentivise teachers to take the necessary training.
It not only helps to keep them updated but helps in career progression too. The technical know-how, time management, and student management skills get honed with such training. These skills help them make a better teacher and use the best way to teach the students.
- Cross Subject Understanding
Gone are those days when straightforward learning helped students achieve good marks and teachers complete the syllabus. With the myriad of subjects and cross subjects requirements in education coming up, the teachers must acquire appropriate skills to delve more into subjects and their application in various domains.
Also known as the deeper learning techniques, it helps teachers help students progress beyond the conventional method of studies. This requires that teachers intensively prepare for its effective implementation in the course designing and teaching methodology. Collaboration with different subject teachers is necessary for applied learning, so students are not stuck in one subject alone. For example- a student studying World War II and various countries associated with the wars in History subjects must also have a geographical understanding of where the countries are on the map to understand the how and why’s of the topic in depth.
- Professional Ethics
Teachers are the professionals who are responsible for building the future of society. In this capacity, they must also maintain quality professional ethics. This also demands that what the teacher teaches and practices are compatible in real life so that students learn better from them. This skill assists teachers in speaking frankly without fear or fervour to express their opinion independently in the best possible way.
The ambit of professional ethics is spread to many activities like academics, helping students achieve their goals in curricular and extra curriculars activities, to behold the organisation’s value in the best interest of everyone involved. Ethics like this help build the morale of every stakeholder involved and improves the working environment of all other teachers and staff.
- Emphasising Personal skill
The essential personal skills required to become a great new-age teacher are patience, dedication, and leadership. Especially when dealing with children, teenagers, and adults of different age groups who behave differently in various circumstances, you need to understand how to tackle the situations. One might have to take a step forward in dispute resolution, handling emotional outbursts, or challenges to the teacher’s authority posed by students. Developing patience helps teachers a long way.
Besides, remaining dedicated to one’s service helps enhance teaching quality. Teachers spend considerable time understanding what is good and bad for their students. It is up to them to display positive leadership skills for their students, as they get to learn a lot from teachers from a young age, which leaves a long-lasting impact on them throughout their life.
- Practical Experience
Practical learning needs to be blended with theoretical knowledge so that the students get more involved in learning the application of every topic they study. It is one of the skills most required in teachers of today’s generation, as it instils inquisitiveness within the students from quite a young age.
While most of the teachers of earlier times emphasized grasping the concepts based on facts rather than understanding their usage, such examples mustn’t be used in today’s age. Trial and error learning helps students develop more by understanding their work and improving on their mistakes.
The new-age teachers face multiple scenarios quite different from what teachers used to face earlier. The teaching profession is immensely challenging these days, and one must remain at the top of their skill enhancement games to perform best for themselves and their students.
