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By Bernardino Tejada When you think about a teacher’s role, you might be thinking of the old “show and tell” practices, lecturing students who sit in rows at desks, dutifully listening and recording what they hear confined to a classroom. Somewhere around the way, we stopped seeing the “teacher’s role” as a profession. We think that the students' information is bound primarily in books and that the students are consumers of facts, rather than creators of knowledge. Teachers were told what, when, and how to teach. We were required to educate every single student in the exact same way and we were not held responsible when many of our dear students failed to learn. Teachers were expected to teach the “same way” as previous generations. Thankfully, good teachers like yourself, have changed their “role”. Nowadays, we understand that the essence of education is a close relationship between a knowledgeable, caring adult and a secure, motivated child. Today, the teacher’s role has changed so much that we need to focus more on each individual child. Knowing their needs, learning style, skills, and background. Nowadays, the teacher’s role has become the teacher’s roles. Now, let’s take a look at the different roles that will make you a better teacher. Different Roles In order to greatly enhance our student’s learning, teachers need to learn when and how to apply different types of roles, depending on the stage of the lesson. In this article, we will cover five of them. 1. Manager: this is when the teacher is in charge of the class and the activities. Normally when the teacher is in front of the class explaining the subject or reading. 2. Organizer: this involves giving instructions, organizing students to work in pairs, bringing up activities and organizing feedback. 3. Assessor: when correcting and grading. 4. Facilitator: there are many occasions when the teacher needs to withdraw from the activity and leave the students to participate without causing any interruptions. Nonetheless, the teacher still needs to be available as a facilitator in case the students need any guidance. 5. Model: in many countries, the teacher will be the only source of live English of the students. That being said, the teacher needs to work hard on his/her language proficiency. When to employ each role will basically depend on the type of activity you are engaging your students in. Remember, as a teacher you play a vital role in the lives of your students. The teacher should set the tone of their classrooms, build a warm environment, mentor and nurture students, become a role model, and pay attention to any signs of trouble. So, dear teacher, are you ready to change your role? As one of the greatest teachers said: “Do not tell them how to do it. Show them how to do it and do not say a word. If you tell them, they will watch your lips move. If you show them, they will want to do it themselves” - Maria Montessori References: Teachers and Learners, Unit 1 - ITTT
