Teach English in Hongshui Zhen - Changzhi Shi

The role of a teacher in the classroom has indeed drifted miles away from just planning and executing lessons plans, and using the same teaching methods for all students, to becoming multifaceted and all-encompassing. Much is therefore expected of a teacher in the 21st century classroom. As a matter of fact, the ambiance of a classroom contributes immensely to the overall achievement or non-achievement of the set objectives of a lesson. Hence, regardless of the quality of lesson content, available facilities and the teaching techniques and aids, if the aura of a classroom is tense, there is a high probability that the class will be non-interactive, dreary and have its objectives unaccomplished. This is because in the 21st century classroom, teachers are expected to be the prime movers of the classroom atmosphere in which students can develop lifelong skills both for academic and career purposes. A good teacher should therefore strive to set the mood of the classroom even before he/she welcomes the students in. If a teacher has some personal issues, he/she is expected to keep them out of the classroom as his/her demeanor has a large influence on the teaching-learning process. It is proven that learners are better disposed to and more responsive to a warm, friendly classroom environment which largely determines their behavior and how much they learn (be it by themselves, from their peers or from the teacher) in the classroom. Similarly, a teacher in today’s classroom needs to see themselves as a learner’s role model. Oftentimes, learners tend to imitate their teachers’ pronunciation, penmanship, passion and work ethics. They also subconsciously perceive the teacher as a standard for academic and moral behaviors. Therefore, it is imperative that a good teacher is mindful of the young minds he/she is passively nurturing with his/her conduct and ensure that he/she is always at his/her best conduct (professionally and inter-personally) in order to influence learners positively. Erstwhile, teachers dominate their classes, spoon-feed learners and practically control everything that happens in the classroom. This domineering approach has been proven to not only limit the learning opportunities in the classroom but also inhibit learners' access to platforms in which existing skills can be honed and new potential can be fanned to life. However, in recent times, teachers have begun to act as learning facilitators. Here, a teacher works as a lubricant to make knowledge acquisition easier. Such a teacher assigns different roles to students through group and pair work, role play, etc. to enable them to learn on their own while he/she only offers support when needed, especially for clarity and corrective purposes. This way, learners are directly involved in learning and take responsibility for their learning. By acting as more of a resource rather than a transmitter of knowledge, room is given for dynamism in the classroom which creates an inclusive teaching-learning process. Additionally, the role of a teacher extends to assessments. It is the responsibility of a teacher to conduct tests at periodic stages of learning. This allows the teacher to be well-informed about the interests, strengths and weaknesses of his/her students, which will be useful for future planning and selection of teaching strategies and aids. Equally, periodic assessments provide teachers with information about the progress individual learners are making as well as what their educational needs are. Assessments also form the premise on which academic reports and professional advice are given to the students, parents and management. Another vital role of a teacher is to counsel students. Teachers go beyond assisting learners to acquire knowledge to counselling them to use their acquired knowledge positively for the betterment of the society they find themselves in now, and in the future. The teacher guides them on expected moral standards of behavior and the consequences of their actions and inaction on them, others and the society at large. The teacher also teaches them distinct moral values such as tolerance, empathy, respect, kindness and dedication and encourages them to integrate them into their lives, so they will become valuable members of the society. Finally, the 21st century teacher is a trained child protector. Teachers are periodically trained to watch out for signs of any form of abuse or sudden change in behavior of their learners. If any of these is observed in a learner, they are to immediately swing into actions by making a formal report to the school’s child protection delegate who will take necessary actions to further investigate and address the issue accordingly. Indeed, the roles of a teacher in today’s classroom is multifarious. Thus, a teacher who aims to be exemplary should not relent on his/her oars but should keep learning, experimenting and adapting day after day.