21st Century Teaching

Before taking Technology and Topics for educators, I am not sure I would have known to use the term "21^st century teacher" and I probably wouldn't have thought it applies to my own teaching upon first hearing it. I teach a language that is 2200 years old in very much the same way that the 70 year old Carmelite priest who taught me during the 20^th century. After some reflection, however, I have come to the realization that I am in many ways a 21^st century teacher. While I present new material in a more traditional method, they way in which I have my students work with that material after its initial presentation is very much in line with 21^st century teaching. My students often collaborate on review material, both in groups in the classroom and electronically through shared documents. I consider critical thinking as a necessary component of learning Latin, both to understand not just the nature of Latin's morphology and syntax but also to consider the ideas presented by the great minds of Western Civilization. In fostering these critical thinking skills in a collaborative environment, I believe I am in many ways a 21^st Century Teacher.