Teachers of Today - Essay Example

Running Head: TEACHERS OF TODAY: WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW Teachers of today: Who they are and what they need to know Name Course Institution Date Teachers of today: Who they are and what they need to know Introduction A teacher, according to the Education Act is an individual occupying a teaching position in the various spheres of education systems. Moreover, a teacher can be regarded as a leader, coach, motivator and confidant. Evidently, teachers play an integral role in imparting education and moral values. The teaching profession is rewarding and exciting, nevertheless this role should not be taken lightly since it a sensitive and challenging role. There are various dynamics that revolve around teaching. Key among these aspects include, teaching strategies, the management and organization of a classroom , upholding ethics in the teaching profession and the notion of developmental learning among many other factors(Flanders & Amidon, 1997). This paper seeks to present a comprehensive and incisive outlook on who teachers are and what they need to now. It will give a conclusive discussion on what teaching entails and the overall role of teachers in different educational settings and systems. Moreover, this paper will illustrate what teachers need to know in regards to teaching strategies, the management and organization of classrooms, the notion of developmental learning and ethics in the teaching profession. Teaching as a profession The teaching profession is rewarding, exciting, challenging and fulfilling. This main goal of this profession is help learners to attain high standards of knowledge, skills, abilities and moral character. Teaching should not be seen as any other mere work rather it is a profession that renders essential services to learners and the community in general. Teaching as a profession has had as a challenging history, the social and cultural function since the public has over time failed to support the teaching profession. As compared to other professions such as law, medicine, engineering, business and architecture the teaching profession is ranked as low. This has in turn caused some teachers to be depressed and even dissatisfied with their profession. Teachers often feel that they succumb to heavy work load yet they receive little credit for the efforts that they put into their teaching practice. Furthermore, some teachers feel that the teaching profession has limited opportunities for career advancement and as a result they do not feel like they have power to control their work. Over the course of time, many teachers have advocated for policy change in educational affairs. Despite these challenges the teaching profession by it very nature is rewarding an d poses appealing traits. For instance, teaching involves working with young minds and characters. For teachers it is a privilege to work on shaping young minds and characters. It is also a privilege for them to be entrusted with the duty of facilitating the growth and development of the younger generation. Teachers share in the responsibilities of parenting and the fulfillments that come from establishing healthy, moral and balanced values in children. Evidently, teaching is a pre-eminent calling since it offers opportunities to offer cultural and moral services (Roach, 2006). Teaching provides an opportunity and a platform for actualizing intellectual development. As teachers continuously come in touch with books, conduct experiments and exchange ideas among themselves and students they expand their intellectual horizons. Their desire for more knowledge and broader intellectual contact is stimulated. The intellectual curiosity among teachers helps them to diligently perform their duties. Given the fact that subjects such as science, arts and literature among many other subjects are broad it is necessary for teachers to ardently pursue continuous intellectual development. Continuous intellectual development fits directly with the demands of the teaching profession (Langford, 2006). The teaching profession also brings about material gains, teaching remunerations are relatively modest and steadily increasing. Nevertheless, material gains should not be the chief motivation for individuals to pursue the teaching profession. Since the financial rewards in teaching cannot equal the rewards obtainable in professions such as engineering, business, law and medicine. On the other hand, teaching ranks high amongst the professions that have adequate vacation periods. For many teachers, the adequate vacation balances the financial drawbacks. In cases whereby teachers have doubts and do not enjoy their profession, it is necessary for them to reexamine their commitment, motives and attitudes towards their work. By so doing they will renew their commitment and encourage themselves that teaching is a calling that they willingly chose to respond to. Teaching is not like any other ordinary job since it helps individuals to manifest their values and establish their identity. Teachers need to be committed to their profession however, their commitment will bear no fruit unless it is substantiated by action. Teachers need to devote their time and energy to their work. For instance, they should constantly ask themselves, to what extent are they involved in the student’s learning activities. In what ways have they improved the lives of the student? These questions give the suggestion that the roles and responsibilities of teachers are not confined to the classroom settings. Teachers should actively participate in curricular development, policy making, theoretical inquiry and instructional design. They should organize ways in which they can be involved in the formation of methods, aims and materials used in the school systems. Therefore, the involvement of teachers is integral to the improvement of the teaching profession. Over the years, teachers associations have mainly focused on membership drives and negotiating for emoluments for its members. Recently, they have begun reviewing traditional roles such as providing professional services to the members. Through these organizations it was realized that there was a lot more that needed to be done. For example, broader and specific goals of the profession needed to be established. Furthermore, mechanisms of self-discipline and self-evaluation needed to be established. Additionally, a code of ethics for the teaching profession needed to be established. There are also other imperative matters in the teaching profession, they include promotion of pertinent research, the publication of scientific and professional journals and the involvement of practitioners in the control of matters in the teaching profession. The support of the society is greatly required in the teaching profession. The efforts and initiatives of the society can result to substantial cultural and educational changes. Teachers cannot actualize all the educational goals without the support of the society. For instance, when teachers are loaded with work they may not have time to pursue their professional growth and advancement. Therefore, members of the society should join in and holistically support teachers. Their importance in the classroom and out of the classroom should be fully recognized by the society. The roles of a teacher An effective teacher is more than a lecturer, the roles of a teacher can be viewed in the following dimensions: a teacher is a mentor, role model, information provider, facilitator, planner and an assessor. The traditional role of a teacher is to give information to the students in the course of their studies. This implies that one of the roles of a teacher is to act as an information provider in the context of lecturing. Moreover, the role of a teacher incorporates facilitation. This role ensures that learning is more student centered, when facilitating the teacher is no longer a predominant information dispenser. Rather, the teacher takes the role of a manager in the learning process that students are involved in (Flanders & Amidon, 1997). Effective teachers exemplify what should be learnt in regards to appropriate morals and values. Students not only learn from what the teachers say but they also put into account the conduct of the teacher. Therefore, a key role of a teacher is to act as a role model for the students. The role of a teacher further extends to being a mentor. Mentorship focuses on a personal developmental relationship between a teacher and a student. The formed relationship is geared towards providing moral, psychological and educational support for the student. Basically, mentorship incorporates a broader view of matters pertinent to the student. Curriculum or course planning is an important role performed by a teacher. In most cases teachers are charged with the responsibility of planning and executing the course plan in the subject areas that they specialize in. Curriculum planning requires time and a high level of expertise. The role of a teacher further extends to that of a resource developer. Overtime, there has been an increased need for resource learning materials. The function of a teacher as a resource developer involves using the necessary skills to select, assimilate and produce materials that are to be use in the various learning activities within the school settings. In addition, a teacher is charged with the responsibility of assessing learning outcomes. Assessments are an integral part of learning, it acts as a way in which teachers can assess both their performance and the student’s performance. Subsequent to these assessments teachers are able to know whether they have actualized their educational goals or not. Assessments also act as a way of monitoring the learning progress of students (Roach, 2006). Developmental learning and teaching strategies It is essential for teachers to know that students learn differently and some students have some special needs when it comes to learning. Therefore, it is appropriate for teachers to incorporate various teaching approaches in order meet the various needs of the students at different stages of development. Teachers need to understand the various theories that have been developed in order to give insights on what developmental learning entails and the teaching strategies that should be incorporated in each developmental stage. For instance, Arnold Gesell developed the maturationist theory of developmental learning. In this theory Gesell explains that development is a biological process which takes place automatically over several sequential stages. His perspective on developmental learning has helped many parents and educators to that children may acquire knowledge naturally as they experience physical growth. Therefore, teachers should employ simple teaching strategies as they teach a younger age group of students. On the other hand, as they address a classroom made up of an older age group they should incorporate more advanced teaching strategies (Harder & Brown et al, 2009). In regards to the constructivist theory on developmental learning, learning occurs when students interact with the people around them and the environment in general. Constructivists’ theorists propose that learners should be actively involved in their learning process. Therefore, students should initiate a majority of their learning activities as required by their school curriculum. Teaching strategies that employ constructivists approaches focus more on the external environment. For instance, in a kindergarten classroom there are different learning centers that have different materials that children can use to learn with. In most cases learning is based on the interactions between the students and teachers. It is imperative for teachers to note that no theory of developmental learning or teaching strategy is perfect. Therefore, they need to analyze and evaluate the needs of the students, thereafter they should identify which teaching strategies or developmental learning theories are pertinent to their particular classroom settings. Classroom management and organization Classroom management can be defined as the steps taken by teachers or educators to build an atmosphere that facilitates and supports academic, psychological and social learning. The main purpose of classroom management and organization is to develop and maintain a suitable atmosphere whereby students can engage in significant learning. Classroom management and organization is also geared towards promoting the social and moral growth of students. In order for teachers to actualize effective classroom management and organization, they need to, establish a supportive and caring relationship with their students. Teachers need to organize and execute instructions in a way that optimizes and enhances the learning of students. Moreover, effective classroom management and organization can be actualized if teachers encourage their students to engage in the various academic tasks. Teachers should use suitable interventions in order to assist students to build their social skills, embrace self discipline and counter the various behavior problems. Basically, classroom management and organization is an intricate endeavor that not only involves the establishment of rules, penalties and rewards so as to control the conduct of students and enhance their performance in the classroom (Evertson & Weinstein, 2006). Ethics in the teaching profession The teaching profession is a noble course that is service oriented and has the potential of making great impact in the life of an individual and the future generations. Therefore, high ethics should be upheld in the teaching profession. Ethics in the teaching profession are guidelines on what is acceptable or unacceptable in the teaching practice. These ethics are moral beliefs and ideals that are geared towards promoting healthy work relations in the teaching profession. Codes of ethics in the teaching profession depict that teachers should be professionals who have undergone formal training prior to their employment. According to the stipulated codes of ethics in the teaching profession, teachers should be disciplined and be committed in their various lines of duties. The relationship between teachers, students and their parents should be one that is based on mutual cooperation (National Education Association, 2000). Ethics in the teaching profession require that teachers should show commitment to the students. Educators should strive to assist each student to actualize their potential and achieve their academic goals. Teachers should therefore strive to help students acquire and utilize knowledge in such a way that they will be empowered to be self-reliant. In fulfillment of these objectives the codes of ethics in the teaching professional stipulate that teachers should not restrain students to act independently in the pursuit of enhancing their own knowledge. Moreover, teachers should not deliberately suppress information or aid that might inhibit the progress of students. The codes of ethics in the teaching profession also revolve around the commitment of the teachers to their profession. Given the fact that the teaching profession directly impacts the socio-economic status of a nation every effort should be exerted so that high level of professional standards should be upheld. In the fulfillment t of these objectives, teachers should be ardently dedicated towards their line of work (Kindred & Leo, 2008). Conclusion Teachers play an integral role in imparting education and moral values to the society. Teachers can be regarded as leaders, coach, motivator and confidants. Evidently, the teaching profession is rewarding and exciting, nevertheless this role should not be taken lightly since it is sensitive and challenging. It is essential for teachers to know that students learn differently and some students have some special needs when it comes to learning. Moreover, they should put into account the ethics in the teaching profession that require teachers to show commitment towards their profession and uphold high moral standards. References Evertson, C& Weinstein, C. (2006). Handbook of classroom management: research, practice, and contemporary issues. London: Routledge Publishers. Flanders, N. & Amidon, E. (1997). The role of the teacher in the classroom: a manual for understanding and improving teacher classroom behavior. Virginia: University of Virginia Press. Harder, R & Brown, A, et al. (2009). Teaching Strategies: A guide to effective instruction. New York: Cangage Learning. Kindred, L & Leo, M. (2008). The teachers and school organization. New York: Prentice hall publishers. Langford, G. (2006). Teaching as a profession: an essay in the philosophy of education. Manchester: Manchester University Press. National Education Association. (2000). Ethics in the teaching profession: codes of state and national educational associations. New York: National Education Association Press. Roach, J. (2006). The teaching profession: some reflections on a century of development. Michigan: University of Michigan Press. Read More

The teaching profession also brings about material gains, teaching remunerations are relatively modest and steadily increasing. Nevertheless, material gains should not be the chief motivation for individuals to pursue the teaching profession. Since the financial rewards in teaching cannot equal the rewards obtainable in professions such as engineering, business, law and medicine. On the other hand, teaching ranks high amongst the professions that have adequate vacation periods. For many teachers, the adequate vacation balances the financial drawbacks.

In cases whereby teachers have doubts and do not enjoy their profession, it is necessary for them to reexamine their commitment, motives and attitudes towards their work. By so doing they will renew their commitment and encourage themselves that teaching is a calling that they willingly chose to respond to. Teaching is not like any other ordinary job since it helps individuals to manifest their values and establish their identity. Teachers need to be committed to their profession however, their commitment will bear no fruit unless it is substantiated by action.

Teachers need to devote their time and energy to their work. For instance, they should constantly ask themselves, to what extent are they involved in the student’s learning activities. In what ways have they improved the lives of the student? These questions give the suggestion that the roles and responsibilities of teachers are not confined to the classroom settings. Teachers should actively participate in curricular development, policy making, theoretical inquiry and instructional design.

They should organize ways in which they can be involved in the formation of methods, aims and materials used in the school systems. Therefore, the involvement of teachers is integral to the improvement of the teaching profession. Over the years, teachers associations have mainly focused on membership drives and negotiating for emoluments for its members. Recently, they have begun reviewing traditional roles such as providing professional services to the members. Through these organizations it was realized that there was a lot more that needed to be done.

For example, broader and specific goals of the profession needed to be established. Furthermore, mechanisms of self-discipline and self-evaluation needed to be established. Additionally, a code of ethics for the teaching profession needed to be established. There are also other imperative matters in the teaching profession, they include promotion of pertinent research, the publication of scientific and professional journals and the involvement of practitioners in the control of matters in the teaching profession.

The support of the society is greatly required in the teaching profession. The efforts and initiatives of the society can result to substantial cultural and educational changes. Teachers cannot actualize all the educational goals without the support of the society. For instance, when teachers are loaded with work they may not have time to pursue their professional growth and advancement. Therefore, members of the society should join in and holistically support teachers. Their importance in the classroom and out of the classroom should be fully recognized by the society.

The roles of a teacher An effective teacher is more than a lecturer, the roles of a teacher can be viewed in the following dimensions: a teacher is a mentor, role model, information provider, facilitator, planner and an assessor. The traditional role of a teacher is to give information to the students in the course of their studies. This implies that one of the roles of a teacher is to act as an information provider in the context of lecturing. Moreover, the role of a teacher incorporates facilitation.

This role ensures that learning is more student centered, when facilitating the teacher is no longer a predominant information dispenser. Rather, the teacher takes the role of a manager in the learning process that students are involved in (Flanders & Amidon, 1997).

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