Who is the 21st Century Teacher?

When it comes to recruiting 21st century teachers, it’s important to have a clear understanding of their traits and characteristics so your district can position itself for success and attract educators that align with your mission and vision. Of course, not every individual is confined to the characteristics below, however these are 6 common traits! You may even consider applying this knowledge to their onboarding or professional development to create a more conducive, modern employee experience. Ultimately, understanding these key characteristics can help you effectively market your school district to these prospective teachers.

1. They respond to various student learning styles with differentiated-instruction

2. Working in digitized classrooms, these educators are highly tech-savvy

3. The modern teacher is progressive and proactive with forward-thinking and interactive learning to prepare their students for the global-stage

4. They want to continue their education as life-long learners through continuous professional development

5. They value collaboration between students, teachers, and staff to promote a cohesive learning environment

6. They empower student engagement with gamification in classrooms

And as newer generations continue to enter the workforce, school districts may also benefit from understanding traits that specifically align with Generation Z and Millennial candidates. For example, in a world where information is literally available at our fingertips (thank you, smartphones!), Gen Z highly values instant feedback in their workplace because quite frankly, they’ve had access to instant information their entire lives. Check out the resources below for more information!