A Teacher’s Image in the Students’ Eyes
In the spectrum of teaching there are many roles that a teacher has, and many parts they must play. All of the roles are dependent on variables such as the type of lesson that is being conducted, the part of the lesson that is taking place, and the dynamic of the students in a particular class. There are times when teaching, that the teacher will need to take control of the class. At other times the teacher may have a more passive role. They may be monitoring how assignments are being completed, or model tricky skills to use as an example. There are other times the teacher may be an active participant in the lesson alongside the students while other times they may need to be the facilitator or an organizer. These are all examples of practical parts a teacher may play in their classroom. However, these are all smaller pieces that fit under the umbrella of the main role of a teacher.
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Bethany C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Teacher’s Adaptability
The role of the teacher is to be flexible to their students’ needs and interests to best equip them with the skills and resources they need to learn most effectively. This is the general role of the teacher, and if a teacher can manage to do this effectively, they are doing well. However, this is a general definition of a broad career. No two teaching jobs are the same. Especially when looking at teaching English. Throughout the career of teaching English abroad, a teacher will likely encounter many experiences and will have to adapt their teaching and methods to those situations. At some times a teacher may be doing a lot of one-on-one tutoring. At other times they may be teaching a business English class to a room for adult professionals. Still other times, they may be in a multilingual class teaching beginner-level English for children. The options vary so greatly.
Also Read: How much can I earn teaching English abroad?
Teacher’s Skills
Just because a teacher is efficient in teaching in one type of these settings, that does not necessarily make them a skilled teacher, but rather one that just got comfortable in their position. A skilled teacher will be able to be set in any type of teaching scenario and know how to be like a chameleon and adapt to the situation. If part of the main role of the teacher is to aid their students in their learning of the English language, it is a given that the teacher will have to diligently work with their students on an individual level to connect with them and build relationships with them, in order to find out what they are looking for as a student, and how the teacher can best work with them to get them to that point successfully.
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In conclusion, the role of a teacher looks different every day. It is a balancing act and some variables are constantly changing. But if at the end of the day the teacher has been able to get their students one step closer on their journey of learning the English language, that is ultimate, the role of the teacher.
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