Teach English in Fangxing Zhen - Chengdu Shi

The teacher is one of the most vital parts of the classroom and understanding exactly what the role of the teacher is can be a big help when it comes to successfully teaching students new material. Teachers are obviously responsible for providing information to students and teaching them new material in the classroom. Beyond these basics their job is much more than meets the eye. Teachers are responsible for managing and organizing the classroom, creating a warm environment for students, and being a role model for students in and out of the classroom. The role of a teacher is one of complexity and goes beyond much more than just presenting information to a class and should be viewed as a student/mentor role. A teacher is responsible for all of the proceeding of their classroom and in a sense is a manager of their classroom. Managing the classroom means the teacher is in charge of all day-to-day activities and how they are conducted. The teacher will set the tone and expectations of the students for the day and will organize all activities to run as efficiently as possible to promote the most amount of learning possible. Managing can be hands on or it can be more reserved if desired. For example, if the classroom is conducting an activity the teacher can choose to walk around and guide the students in the activity. The teacher can also choose to sit back and observe their students and allow them to make their own mistakes and attempt to fix them on their own. Each method has advantages and disadvantages. The hands on approach can be overbearing and can make the students who rely on the teacher for help through a problem. While the more reserved approach forces students to work through their problems it can also cause students to learn something incorrectly without proper guidance. A method should be chosen based off of the classes experience and knowledge level and tailored to each group of students as needed. Another role of the teacher is to create a warm environment for students where learning is encouraged and enthusiasm is prevalent. Creating a warm environment for students can be especially important for younger students as they will be more willing to participate if they feel comfortable and supported knowing that they are in a safe place which does not discourage mistakes but rather encourages fixing them and learning from them. Having a learning rich environment with an enthusiastic teacher can be the difference between students slightly progressing and students progressing exponentially and realizing their full potential while in the classroom. An important role of the teacher while promoting a positive environment is to be enthusiastic and let positivity be the guiding force throughout the classroom so the students feel safe and eager to learn what the teacher is presenting to the class. One of the most important roles of the teacher is to be a role model for the students. Being a role model can mean showing the students the proper way to use the curriculum being taught and it can also mean being a shining light in the student’s life. Teacher's who enter the classroom with a positive and uplifting attitude are more likely to receive positive feedback from their students and will have an easier time getting the students excited about learning. If a student is excited to go to class and interact with a teacher they are more likely to pay attention to the material, retain the material, and achieve a higher overall level of success when it comes to learning a new language. The teacher is not someone who simply enters a classroom and presents information to a room of students. They are role models that lead the way for students to achieve higher levels of success in and out of the classroom. The role of a teacher is something that cannot be completely defined, as it is a role personal to each person and their specific personality. As previously stated this role is much more than just entering a classroom and repeating information to students in the hopes that they will retain some of it and learn from it. The role of a teacher is that of a manager in the classroom, someone who creates a warm environment where learning flourishes and is encouraged, and being a role model for students to look up to and learn from. This course has helped me see this side of being a teacher and has shown me that being a teacher is a great responsibility. Students depend on the teacher to show them the way and give them unwavering support in their journey towards new knowledge.