The Description of the Role of the Teacher
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate MUSTAFA N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
The role of the teacher can be divided an analyzed in two different ways;
One is the education and knowledge, (part 1) Second is the personality and communication abilities, (part 2)
Part one is a general precondition for every candidate, but part two is indispensable, especially in primary education.
We mostly hear such sayings:
“A good teacher is a good student at the same time.”
“If you are a good student, then most probably you can be a good teacher.”
When we look back to our history of humanity, we almost always see that being a teacher was a very important, precious talent and it has been respected by others, even emperors and the great leaders. Why? Because emperors, great leaders, and all professions had their teachers.
Is a teacher just a teacher?
What teachers do we mean here, only school teachers? Well... Normally we talk about teaching English as a second language here and the role of an English teacher, but we know that teacher is a teacher everywhere and for every profession. It has some certain rules and you’ve got to know well what you teach that someone can call you teach-er; either you may be a school teacher or a practitioner in any area such as holistic health care, or any self-educated scholar who can be respected in her/his knowledge.
Nowadays almost all professions have their schools and universities, but there weren’t schools and universities for every profession when we have a look at history; but we knew many great leaders, architects, philosophers, and many others who have worldwide fame.
So we can say that there are mainly two kinds of teachers; one from schools and the one coming from self-education.
Also Read: My Personal Experience Moving to Beijing to Teach English
This is the question, which one is better than others?
You can answer this from many different points of view, but simply we can say both… Both are very important. Engineers and technicians/mechanics can be a good example of this.
Engineers study more than a mechanic but a mechanic spends many hours in practical training than an engineer.
And now we can understand the saying better. “A good teacher is a good student”
Does it mostly happen so…? Are teachers good students? It depends… Some can say yes and some no.
Also Read: Common Challenges in English for Ecuadorian Learners
What Makes a Good Teacher?
A good education? We say yes! But is it enough to accomplish the “role of the teacher” well? Truly.. no!
Besides having a good education and graduating from a reputable university, being able to have communication talent is the most important part of achieving the “role of the teacher”.
Even if you had had the highest score graduation as a teacher you couldn’t have taught what you aim if you are not good at communication skills. Because students, even all people look at not what you say but how you say… If you can be able to build the true communication bridge between students and you, then you don’t have to struggle to teach; students learn by themselves as they open themselves and clear the way between you and them.
This is magic based upon your personality and communication skills and 100 % Works!
And then you can sit back and make your teaching plans. ( By the way, making a good plan is 60 % of success)
Is this easy to do? No! It can be difficult, but it is worth it.
For example, think about a space rocket that needs 90 % of its fuel to take off; and 10 % will be enough to go on for its space mission.
The role of a teacher is to motivate and give inspiration to her/his students. After having their trust and love, it will not be difficult to transfer what they need. They will be waiting for your lesson impatiently.
Also Read: Problems Vietnamese Speakers Face When Learning English
There is a very good saying of a leader “attitude is everything”.
So a teacher has more responsibilities than expected.
Having only academic study will not be enough for her/his role which will shape a student’s whole life, not only academically but also their physical and mental life.
And to make it happen, the teacher’s role will be the most important asset.
In brief, we should be aware of what we are doing… Teaching English as a second language is wonderful but we should also keep this in our minds that we also touch their lives.
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!
Apply now & get certified to teach english abroad!
Speak with an ITTT advisor today to put together your personal plan for teaching English abroad!
Send us an email or call us toll-free at 1-800-490-0531 to speak with an ITTT advisor today.
