Teach English in Youtingwei Zhen - Yongzhou Shi

Everyone can remember the different ways teachers impacted their life, whether good or bad. In modern day society, the role of a teacher in education extends beyond just ‘educating’ and ‘passing along information’ to students, with teachers adopting myriad roles in the classroom setting and personal life of the students. Beyond educating, teachers have the ability to mentor students, be a positive role model, encourage social inclusion, nurture student’s development and interests, create a safe and welcoming environment for students, and look for signs of trouble. This essay will discuss the myriad roles that teachers play in contemporary classroom contexts and the benefits of having a teacher who can create positive relationships with their students. The most common and fundamental role of a teacher is to educate and assist students in acquiring knowledge. This is achieved by following lesson plans, a curriculum, and imparting information to students to ensure that they understand both the concepts, as well as the ability to apply their learning in real life situations. In most countries, teachers require relevant qualifications and be specialised in the content that they are teaching. The standard duties of a teacher consist of preparing lessons, giving lessons, and assessing the progress of the students. Teachers should feel confident in assessing and monitoring students’ progress, as it helps them continually evaluate how the students are going, as well as assess the effectiveness of their own teaching (Safer, N & Fleischman, S 2005). According to Nola A., a Senior English Instructor at Eton Institute, a teacher plays a number of roles including the controller, the prompter, the resource, the assessor, the organiser, the participant and the tutor. A teacher can adopt any and all of these roles at different times, depending on which activity and the needs of the students. The different roles can also vary greatly. For example, the role of the controller is that the teacher is completely in charge and the centre of attention, when in contrast, when the teacher adopts the role of the participant, they are involved in the activity alongside the students. Brown, H. Douglas (2007) mentions that “teachers can play many roles in the course of teaching and this might facilitate learning. Their ability to carry these out effectively will depend to a large extent on the rapport they establish with their students” and “their own level of knowledge and skills.” Beyond the ‘educating’ component of teaching, teachers can play a more personal role in the life of their students by creating a safe and welcoming environment where students can thrive. Teachers have the ability to create an environment where students can participate and be part of decision-making processes, have fun, create positive relationships with other students, and empower students to take charge in their own learning, which can result in individuals who are capable and confident in their own abilities. For a teacher to be able to spark the interest of the students, they should show enthusiasm towards their students and in their work. According to Amatora, M (1950), the teacher’s enthusiasm may contribute to the classroom atmosphere and enthusiasm, which can spark the levels of interest for the subject matter. Therefore, teachers play an important role in creating a space and atmosphere that acknowledges every students’ abilities and encourages positive relationships. In the last decade, there has been a growing interest in the role that the school environment can play in the social and emotional wellbeing of children (Lang P, Best R, Lichtenberg A 1994). In 1999, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that “Health Promoting Schools are schools that display, in everything they say and do, support for and commitment to enhancing the social, emotional, physical and moral wellbeing of all members of their school community” (World Health Organisation, 1999). Teachers should be approachable for their students and take on the role as confidante and mentor. provides. According to Pozniak, H (2018), children can require support for a variety of reasons, including bereavement, parental separation, domestic abuse, poverty, caring responsibilities, a toxic home life.” Therefore, teachers play a pivotal role in monitoring and being aware of student behaviours and teachers should be equipped with strategies and resources to assist them in dealing with difficult scenarios. To conclude, teachers play a significant and fundamental role in the development of their students. Although the primary and fundamental role of a teacher is to educate, there are many other roles the teacher can play in the lives of their students. This includes ensuring the classroom atmosphere is safe and fun and encourages positive relationships and learning, as well as taking care of the psychological wellbeing of the students. Teachers wear many different hats and the teacher can make or break the experience of a student. Bibliography Amatora, M. (1950). Teacher Personality: Its Influence on Pupils. Education, 71(3), 154-158 Lang P, Best R, Lichtenberg A. The organisation of pastoral care in independent secondary schools in Australia. In: Caring for children: international perspectives on pastoral care and PSE. London: Cassell; 1994. Nola, A, The 7 Roles of a Teacher in the 21st Century, https://etoninstitute.com/blog/the-7-roles-of-a-teacher-in-the-21st-century Safer, N & Fleischman, S 2005, Research Matters / How Student Progress Monitoring Improves Instruction, February 2005 | Volume 62 | Number 5 How Schools Improve Pages 81-83 Pozniak, H 2018, Why Pastrol Support in School is Integral to Education, Department for Education World Health Organisation (WHO). WHO global health initiative: helping schools to become 'health promoting schools'. 1998