KANGWANKIJ 84

Ganokphorn Mild Kangwankij

Mr. Abel Cadias
English 10 / 10:07
March 13, 2015
Do Students Still Need Classroom Teacher in the 21st Century?
The students in the 21st century still need classroom teachers because they need someone
to explain their problems, need someone to be their mentor and someone who can motivate them.
The purpose of the researching report is to find out the importance of the classroom teacher in
the future. This research report is beneficial to the next generation of teachers to prepare
themselves to handle their students. This research report used four references. First, Linda
Darling Hammond, in her research entitled Constructing 21st Century Teacher Education
which talked about how to be a good teacher in 21st Century. Teachers in 21st Century should be
good models for students. Secondly, Anna Yo Ni, in her research entitled Comparing the
Effectiveness of classroom and online learning: Teaching Research Methods compared the
classroom learning and online learning. In her conclusion, she mentioned that classroom
learning is better than online learning. Thirdly, Erics educational website pointed out that
Reading Session in the 21st Century needs conclusion with ideas. Parents can observe the
classroom and teachers should talk to parents for the guidance after class. Fourth, an article from
education Portal.com The Differences between online and traditional classroom education
pointed out the advantages and disadvantages between online study and traditional study.
The 21s t Century
The 21st Century students are defined in many ways. Saxena (2013) defined 21st Century
students as Generation Z that refers to the cohort of people who were born after the Millennial

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Generation, like new ages of people in technology ages. They will have smart phones which are
parts of their bodies or like the 33rd organ of their lives. They maybe have digitals in their DNA.
21st Century students will be online-addicted that cause them having hasty decision, doing before
thinking and being afraid of the future because the technology will change their mind and make
them low stamina. One research mentioned that If 21st Century students have extra money,
what they will do? 90% of them said that they will spend for themselves but only 10% of them
will spend for charity. It can be concluded that 21st Century people will be more selfish and low
stamina. They tend to be low tolerant and tend to do many tasks at the same time such as
watching T.V. while doing their homework or listening to music while studying. The good thing
for 21st Century students is that they can find the information from everywhere in the world and
anytime they want because of the high technology in their hands. In conclusion, 21 st Century
technology will control their lives. Students will face problems in social-addicted including
technology-addicted. But if you beware and control yourself to use it within the limit, you could
pass across the line and it cannot control your life.
The Importance of Teachers
Teacher is defined in many ways. Hammond (2014) defined that in the ancient time, the
relationship of the educator is similar to a second parent. Teachers watched over students and
taught not only the lesson but also acted as the role model of good citizen both ethically and
honorably. They are bond together. In many countries, Teacher day was set up to memorize
the goodness and sacrifice of teachers. Even in Thailand, there is an idiom saying Teacher is
like a passenger boat means that Teacher has a duty to teach students to be good and well
educated persons. When students were graduated, they left the schools and forgot teachers who
took them to the destination point.

In conclusion, Teacher is the most important person for

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students. First, teacher is similar to a second parent because teacher takes care of their students
at school like a parent take care of their children. Teacher can give a console to their students
and can punish them if they have done something wrong. Second, Teacher is someone who
gives us knowledge and teaches us to be a good person. In the classroom, Teacher explains and
educates many lessons in various areas to prepare students to have good careers in the future.
Third, Teacher not only provides knowledge and skills to students but also teaches students to
behave well. Therefore, teacher is the most important person for students.
Teacher as Mentors
Teachers act as a Mentors. Idol is defined in many ways. Graves (2013) defined that
Mentors is an image or a material object representing a deity to which religious worship is
addressed or any person or thing regarded with admiration, adoration or devotion. Mentors, in
my opinion, is someone you like at most and you want to be like him or her. Teacher can be
your mentor too. Gigi (2012) said that everyone has their mentor in their life, for examples,
singers, teachers, dancers, parents and others, included Gigi, she also had an mentors. Her
mentor was a person who acted as a candle which lightened up her life and was meaningful to
her daily life. Puan Mercy is her mentor who always cared for her students. Gigi said that her
English is very fluent because her teacher always pushed her to work hard. So Teacher can be an
mentor too. The role model is defined in many ways; Hathaway (2014) explained that a role
model is a person whose behavior or success can be an inspiration for others, especially by
younger people. Teachers are Role Models because they inspire and encourage students to strive
for greatness. Teachers are founts of experience. They have already been there where their
students are going to go, undergone what the students will go through and were in the position
that the students are going to pass along. Therefore, Teachers can teach us what is right and

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what is wrong from their precious experience. Teacher then can be both the idol and the role
model.
Conclusion
Finally, the purpose of this research report was to find out if the 21st Century classroom
teachers are important or not. In this research, I found that the classroom teachers are important
in the future. Many researches concluded that traditional classroom is better than online
classroom. Classroom makes students have more participation than online learning. I
recommend future researchers to research further on the importance of traditional school and
online learning.
References
Anna Ya Ni (2013). Comparing the Effectiveness of classroom and online learning: Teaching
Research Methods. [ONLINE] Available at: e.g. http://www.researching.com. [Last
Accessed 15/09/15]
(e.g. 2011). The Differences between online and traditional classroom education. [ONLINE]
Available at: e.g.http://www..com. [Last Accessed 15/09/15]
Linda Daring-Hammond (2014). Constructing 21st-Century Teacher Education. [ONLINE]
Available at: http://jte.sagepub.com/content/57/3/300.short. [Last Accessed 15/09/15].
Graves, Michael F.; Juel, Connie; Graves, Bonnie B., (1998). Teaching Reading in the 21st
Century.. 1st ed. England: Eric.