Days are gone when
teachers play the traditional role of teaching a course work and setting exams. Teaching mainly involved
teachers dumping information to students to cover the curriculum and the next thing is a test . So, if education has not kept up with the changing times, then one has to question its relevance in preparing students for the world of today not to mention the world of tomorrow. And if education has not changed with the times, then it is reasonable to assume that the role of educators has not changed as well. Therefore, one could conclude that the role of the
teacher is effective. Roles of
teachers increases by the day as the methodologies changes, it is rather difficult to grasp exactly what is expected of
teachers. Most
teacher seat down and take all kinds of blames when they are not suppose to be blamed and they take it lying down because their roles are not properly defined.
teacher's roles can be defined as the following:
a facilitator
a coach
a counsellor
a knowledge expert
a surrogate parent
an education expert and so many more.
The truth be told, no one can fulfil all these roles. One can only try and work towards making them a reality but when all cannot be achieved there should be some sort of limit to what one can do. A
teacher should decide on which of these roles to place more emphasis on. Developing clear vision of the role the
teacher wants to play should always come first.
A
teacher is responsible for the students both in classroom and outside the classroom. A
teacher should try as much as possible to act as a facilitator to these
children while in class. Encouraging in all activities and working together with them to boost their morale. The
teacher must create a warm and protective environment but at the same time professional. If students feel secure in the classroom the result will be shown in the academic progress.
Facilitating learning is empowering for both the learner and the
teacher. A
teacher also plays the role of a counsellor. The student looks upon a
teacher as a mentor and whatever the
teacher does or says affects the student positively or negatively.
teacher should take out time to talk with their students and know if there is anything that might be bordering the student and preventing him/her from learning. The
teacher should
offer some assistance.
To the role of a surrogate parent, a
teacher is the second parent of a student. A
teacher should play this role very well as this will endear the students to them and encourage them to learn as much as they can. They will always open up to the
teacher knowing that the
teacher is willing to help any time he/she is called upon for assistance. A
teacher must be a model of faith and piety and should have a fairly good knowledge . A
teacher should consider it his/her duty to educate and train the students and should feel responsible for it. He/she should feel that the students have been entrusted to him/her and he/she should avoid any breach of the trust the society has reposed in him/her.
He/she should be a sociable person with his roots in the society. People should take him/her as their well-wisher and a sincere friend who cares for their
children. It should be ascertained at all
cost that a candidate for this profession has a natural passion and love for teaching.
A
teacher should try as much as possible to be:
Enthusiastic
Organized
Fun to be with
Has empathy
Understand every student as an individual not as a group
More importantly a
teacher should develop a good skill of teaching and making his or her class interesting by adopting students' style.