How to Hire a 21st Century Educator

Throughout the history of education there have been many measurement standards when it comes to hiring the educators in our public and private schools. This process has been an intricate part of school systems and communities to ensure the best teachers are given a chance to influence the lives of others, as well as help shape the profession of teaching.

The future of education will be dependent upon educators who have a variety of teaching tools such as technology, social media, leadership and interpersonal skills that allow for growth when dealing large groups and individuals. When hiring a 21st Century Educator, those in educational administration need to pay close attention to individuals who either posses or show potential in all of the traits listed above.

In today’s society, an educator must have above average technology skills to create the best teaching environment for all students. Having this skill will allow for the teacher to adapt to individual needs of students, use a number of teaching models to present and asses information, this helps keep the individual teacher organized and prepared for a number of teaching tasks. A large majority of programs are now online, and in order for teachers to help students attain measurable goals, the teacher must have above average technical skills to fix, troubleshoot  or analyze to make learning meaningful.

The use of social media will be another trade for future educators because of the way students, parents, and communities communicate on a daily basis. This ability to use social media goes beyond just having a Facebook page or Twitter account. Educators must be able to establish a routine method to stay in touch with all stake holders in order to make an impact on the entire community. Now, this becomes tricky; this means that the educational administrator must know how to utilize and use social media efficiently.

The final two aspects to hiring a 21st Century Educator are leadership and interpersonal skills. When looking at a future educator, these two skills must exceed the average because a person working in education for the next 30 years much have a level of leadership so students and co-workers look at that person with confidence and respect. The interpersonal skills needed to work with a diverse population in and out of the school community will make a difference as well. The next generation of individuals will come from a variety of backgrounds  which will play an important part in their understanding and comprehension of society.

Hiring individuals is never an easy task.  While the commitment shown by the current leaders will determine how future educators should and will be hired, prioritizing technology, social media, leadership and interpersonal skills will ensure a good hire in today’s 21st Century educational atmosphere.

DeWayne Harrel is a Public School Educator and a National Board Certified Teacher. He is also Social Media Manager and coaches Varsity Basketball. Follow him @HarrellDeWayne.