Students aren't consumers of facts. They are active creators of knowledge. Schools aren't just brick-and-mortar structures -- they're centers of lifelong learning. And, most important, teaching is recognized as one of the most challenging and respected career choices, absolutely vital to the social, cultural, and economic health of our nation.
Today, the seeds of such a dramatic transformation in education are being planted. Prompted by massive revolutions in knowledge, information technology, and public demand for better learning, schools nationwide are slowly but surely restructuring themselves.
Leading the way are thousands of teachers who are rethinking every part of their jobs -- their relationship with students, colleagues, and the community; the tools and techniques they employ; their rights and responsibilities; the form and content of curriculum; what standards to set and how to assess whether they are being met; their preparation as teachers and their ongoing professional development; and the very structure of the schools in which they work. In short, teachers are reinventing themselves and their occupation to better serve schools and students.
New Relationships and Practices
Traditionally, teaching was a combination of information-dispensing, custodial child care and sorting out academically inclined students from others. The underlying model for schools was an education factory in which adults, paid hourly or daily wages, kept like-aged youngsters sitting still for standardized lessons and tests.
Teachers were told what, when, and how to teach. They were required to educate every student in exactly the same way and were not held responsible when many failed to learn. They were expected to teach using the same methods as past generations, and any deviation from traditional practices was discouraged by supervisors or prohibited by myriad education laws and regulations. Thus, many teachers simply stood in front of the class and delivered the same lessons year after year, growing gray and weary of not being allowed to change what they were doing.
Many teachers today, however, are encouraged to adapt and adopt new practices that acknowledge both the art and science of learning. They understand that the essence of education is a close relationship between a knowledgeable, caring adult and a secure, motivated child. They grasp that their most important role is to get to know each student as an individual in order to comprehend his or her unique needs, learning style, social and cultural background, interests, and abilities.
This attention to personal qualities is all the more important as America continues to become the most pluralistic nation on Earth. Teachers have to be committed to relating to youngsters of many cultures, including those young people who, with traditional teaching, might have dropped out -- or have been forced out -- of the education system.
Their job is to counsel students as they grow and mature -- helping them integrate their social, emotional, and intellectual growth -- so the union of these sometimes separate dimensions yields the abilities to seek, understand, and use knowledge; to make better decisions in their personal lives; and to value contributing to society.
They must be prepared and permitted to intervene at any time and in any way to make sure learning occurs. Rather than see themselves solely as masters of subject matter such as history, math, or science, teachers increasingly understand that they must also inspire a love of learning.
In practice, this new relationship between teachers and students takes the form of a different concept of instruction. Tuning in to how students really learn prompts many teachers to reject teaching that is primarily lecture based in favor of instruction that challenges students to take an active role in learning.
They no longer see their primary role as being the king or queen of the classroom, a benevolent dictator deciding what's best for the powerless underlings in their care. They've found they accomplish more if they adopt the role of educational guides, facilitators, and co-learners.
The most respected teachers have discovered how to make students passionate participants in the instructional process by providing project-based, participatory, educational adventures. They know that in order to get students to truly take responsibility for their own education, the curriculum must relate to their lives, learning activities must engage their natural curiosity, and assessments must measure real accomplishments and be an integral part of learning.
Students work harder when teachers give them a role in determining the form and content of their schooling -- helping them create their own learning plans and deciding the ways in which they will demonstrate that they have, in fact, learned what they agreed to learn.
The day-to-day job of a teacher, rather than broadcasting content, is becoming one of designing and guiding students through engaging learning opportunities. An educator's most important responsibility is to search out and construct meaningful educational experiences that allow students to solve real-world problems and show they have learned the big ideas, powerful skills, and habits of mind and heart that meet agreed-on educational standards. The result is that the abstract, inert knowledge that students used to memorize from dusty textbooks comes alive as they participate in the creation and extension of new knowledge.
New Tools and Environments
One of the most powerful forces changing teachers' and students' roles in education is new technology. The old model of instruction was predicated on information scarcity. Teachers and their books were information oracles, spreading knowledge to a population with few other ways to get it.
But today's world is awash in information from a multitude of print and electronic sources. The fundamental job of teaching is no longer to distribute facts but to help children learn how to use them by developing their abilities to think critically, solve problems, make informed judgments, and create knowledge that benefits both the students and society. Freed from the responsibility of being primary information providers, teachers have more time to spend working one-on-one or with small groups of students.
Recasting the relationship between students and teachers demands that the structure of school changes as well. Though it is still the norm in many places to isolate teachers in cinderblock rooms with age-graded pupils who rotate through classes every hour throughout a semester -- or every year, in the case of elementary school -- this paradigm is being abandoned in more and more schools that want to give teachers the time, space, and support to do their jobs.
Extended instructional periods and school days, as well as reorganized yearly schedules, are all being tried as ways to avoid chopping learning into often arbitrary chunks based on limited time. Also, rather than inflexibly group students in grades by age, many schools feature mixed-aged classes in which students spend two or more years with the same teachers.
In addition, ability groups, from which those judged less talented can rarely break free, are being challenged by a recognition that current standardized tests do not measure many abilities or take into account the different ways people learn best.
One of the most important innovations in instructional organization is team teaching, in which two or more educators share responsibility for a group of students. This means that an individual teacher no longer has to be all things to all students. This approach allows teachers to apply their strengths, interests, skills, and abilities to the greatest effect, knowing that children won't suffer from their weaknesses, because there's someone with a different set of abilities to back them up.
To truly professionalize teaching, in fact, we need to further differentiate the roles a teacher might fill. Just as a good law firm has a mix of associates, junior partners, and senior partners, schools should have a greater mix of teachers who have appropriate levels of responsibility based on their abilities and experience levels. Also, just as much of a lawyer's work occurs outside the courtroom, so, too, should we recognize that much of a teacher's work is done outside the classroom.
New Professional Responsibilities
Aside from rethinking their primary responsibility as directors of student learning, teachers are also taking on other roles in schools and in their profession. They are working with colleagues, family members, politicians, academics, community members, employers, and others to set clear and obtainable standards for the knowledge, skills, and values we should expect America's children to acquire. They are participating in day-to-day decision making in schools, working side-by-side to set priorities, and dealing with organizational problems that affect their students' learning.
Many teachers also spend time researching various questions of educational effectiveness that expand the understanding of the dynamics of learning. And more teachers are spending time mentoring new members of their profession, making sure that education school graduates are truly ready for the complex challenges of today's classrooms.
Reinventing the role of teachers inside and outside the classroom can result in significantly better schools and better-educated students. But though the roots of such improvement are taking hold in today's schools, they need continued nurturing to grow and truly transform America's learning landscape. The rest of us -- politicians and parents, superintendents and school board members, employers and education school faculty -- must also be willing to rethink our roles in education to give teachers the support, freedom, and trust they need to do the essential job of educating our children.
Judith Taack Lanier is a distinguished professor of education at Michigan State University.
FAQs
They provide an inclusive and nurturing environment in which students have the opportunity to enhance their 21st-century skills such as collaboration, communication and critical thinking. At the same time, teachers promote responsibility, empathy and kindness between students through mutually respectful relationships.
Why do we need to redefine the role of the teacher? ›
The traditional role of the teacher as an expert who imparts knowledge to students is no longer adequate. Teachers must now be able to facilitate learning, provide support, and create opportunities for students to engage in critical thinking and problem-solving.
What is the role of a teacher as a person in as a professional? ›
Teachers act as role models, mentors, caregivers and advisers. They can have a profound effect on the lives of their students. Primarily, teachers will impart knowledge to their students to help them learn new things about a specific group of subjects.
How can you describe the roles of the teacher in the teaching learning process of the learners? ›
Broadly speaking, the function of teachers is to help students learn by imparting knowledge to them and by setting up a situation in which students can and will learn effectively. But teachers fill a complex set of roles, which vary from one society to another and from one educational level to another.
What does multifaceted mean in education? ›
adjective [usu ADJ n] Multifaceted means having a variety of different and important features or elements.
What is the meaning of learning is multifaceted? ›
I described education as a multifaceted model used to empower the learners' attributes regarding intellectual faculty, social awareness, and human consciousness. I have argued that education starts in early ages and it is a process which never stops since we need to adapt ourselves to different contexts.
Why is it important for a teacher to be aware of the various development process the children and Adolescent undergo in terms of brain development? ›
As children go through their different stages of life, they approach learning in different ways. When an educator has an intricate understanding of human development, they can use that understanding to make assessments about the behaviours of children in the classroom.
How did you teacher play an important role in changing the course of her life? ›
Bholis teacher played an important role in changing the course of her life. She was polite and friendly which touched her heart. She encouraged her every time and was affectionate towards her. The teacher transformed her into a confident person who could read write and speak clearly.
Why is it important for a teacher to be aware of the various development processes the children brain development? ›
It is important for teachers and parents to understand that maturation of the brain influences learning readiness. For teachers, this is especially important when designing lessons and selecting which strategies to use.
What is professional teacher in your own words? ›
On the most basic level, the definition of “professional teacher” refers to the status of a person who is paid to teach. It can also, on a higher level, refer to teachers who represent the best in the profession and set the highest standard for best practice.
Some qualities of a good teacher include skills in communication, listening, collaboration, adaptability, empathy and patience. Other characteristics of effective teaching include an engaging classroom presence, value in real-world learning, exchange of best practices and a lifelong love of learning.
How would you describe yourself as a professional teacher? ›
I can describe myself as friendly, enthusiastic and respectful. As a teacher, we can easily get respect from the students if they would feel respected first. First, English is a language and not a basis of intelligence.
How important is the role of the teacher in the development of the learners in high school? ›
Not only do they guide students in academics or extracurricular activities, but teachers are also responsible for shaping a child's future, making him/her a better human being. A teacher imparts knowledge, good values, tradition, modern-day challenges and ways to resolve them within students.
What is the most important responsibility of a teacher? ›
The first and most important responsibility is to show love, respect and caring for each student. This requires that teachers help each student to identify his or her strengths, abilities, talents and interests.
What is a multifaceted answer? ›
adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun] Multi-faceted means having a variety of different and important features or elements.
Why is multifaceted important? ›
A multifaceted approach allows you to both reach new people, and to reach the same potential clients multiple times.
Is being multifaceted a good thing? ›
The most interesting people are multifaceted. We have a tendency to judge others within seconds of our encounter, and this judgment has a striking degree of accuracy. According to Malcolm Gladwell, in his 2005 book Blink, this phenomenon is an example of “thin-slicing.” This is why first impressions are so important.
What is multifaceted work? ›
A multi-faceted career means offering offer a variety of services through multiple job types, rather than the traditional single job at one company. You may be a part-time teacher and freelance tutor who also takes temporary work as an exam marker. Or you might be doing two completely different things.
How do you use multifaceted in a sentence? ›
We are embarking on a new mission, requiring a multifaceted approach on a number of different fronts. We need a multifaceted approach.
What is multifaceted development? ›
INTRODUCTION Development is a multi-faceted process. It is most often synonymous with the progression and growth from lower economic status to that which is advanced it be of a community or country such that its productivity noticeably increases.
The more professional development teachers get, the more likely students are to succeed. Whether it is a workshop, a conference, or a meeting, all new teachers should take part in some form of professional development to set themselves up for success.
Why is it important for us as teachers to understand and be aware of how we comprehend reading before we are able to teach our students to do? ›
Once teachers understand what is involved in comprehending and how the factors of reader, text, and context interact to create meaning, they can more easily teach their students to be effective comprehenders.
Why is it important for teachers to recognize and understand the different types of diversity in their classrooms? ›
When working and learning with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures present in the classroom, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. It also teaches students how to use their own strengths and points of view to contribute in a diverse working environment.
What is the most important values that a teacher should posses at this new learning set up? ›
The core of teaching consists of four basic values: dignity, truthfulness, fairness and responsibility & freedom. All teaching is founded on ethics – whether it be the teacher-student relationship, pluralism or a teacher's relationship with their work.
What are the things that you should do to improve your professional life as a teacher? ›
Below are 6 things teachers and educators can do to enhance their personal professional development practices...
- Focus on the Subject Matter and the Students' Learning. ...
- Try Something New. ...
- Make Use of Tutoring. ...
- Improve Your Performance. ...
- Don't Be Afraid of Taking Risks. ...
- Present Better Content.
A teacher's role is to make judgments about how best to help their students learn in the environments in which they teach. They generally do so competently, thoughtfully, and with appropriate caution, in consideration of their own values and those of their students and other stakeholders.
Why is it important that the teacher make an effective plan before he or she teaches? ›
Planning lessons ahead of time means teachers enter the classroom each day fully prepared to teach new concepts and lead meaningful discussions – instead of figuring things out as they go. Without a lesson plan, students can quickly lose focus and teachers may be left scrambling, thinking of what to do next.
Why is it important for the teacher to know the individual difference of students in the classroom based on their intellectual level? ›
Teachers must recognize the individuality of each and every student for better learning outcomes. Understanding individual differences help in planning course material and training programs. It helps in matching teaching and learning styles for better- academic results.
Why is it important for a teacher to determine the training or learning needs of every learner and recognize each learners different thinking and learning styles? ›
It is important for teachers to know their learners' preferred learning styles because this knowledge will help teachers to plan their lessons to match or adapt their teaching and to provide the most appropriate and meaningful activities or tasks to suit a particular learner group at different stages.
What is the importance of being a professional teacher? ›
Teachers provide the power of education to today's youth, thereby giving them the possibility for a better future. Teachers simplify the complex, and make abstract concepts accessible to students. Teachers also expose children to ideas and topics that they might otherwise not have come into contact with.
Broadly speaking, the function of teachers is to help students learn by imparting knowledge to them and by setting up a situation in which students can and will learn effectively. But teachers fill a complex set of roles, which vary from one society to another and from one educational level to another.
What is the most effective type of professional development for teachers? ›
The most successful professional learning opportunities are meaningful, can be implemented and sustained, and lead to enhanced student learning. The top three types of teacher professional development are periodic workshops, in-class observation, and single-session seminars.
What is the most effective professional development for teachers? ›
7 Elements of Effective Professional Development
- Content-focused. ...
- Incorporates active learning. ...
- Supports collaboration. ...
- Uses models of effective practices. ...
- Provides coaching and expert support. ...
- Offers feedback and reflection. ...
- Is of sustained duration.
This article catego rizes some of the most critical ones into three main categories: atti tude, behavior, and communica tion. Addressing these areas can help any teacher to develop a stronger sense of professionalism.
What are your greatest professional strengths as a teacher? ›
The list of the following strengths may help you to identify what yours are and plan an effective interview answer:
- Technical skills.
- Creativity.
- Empathy or kindness.
- Organization.
- Discipline.
- Fairness.
- Persistence.
- Collaboration.
Sound knowledge of subject-matter is the most important quality of a good teacher as it is the most important factor on which the effectiveness of teaching depends.
What are the 10 most common teacher interview questions and answers? ›
More prep = less chance of a flub.
- What are your strengths as a teacher?
- What's your biggest weakness as a teacher?
- How do you interact with parents?
- Why did you leave your last teaching (or other) job?
- What's your educational background?
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
- How do you handle classroom management?
Helping students learn how to set and achieve their personal, educational goals. Giving students enough room to fail and learn from their missteps. Helping students develop their critical-thinking and self-reflection skills. Giving students the space to act as their advocates in the learning process.
Why is it important for a teacher to be aware of the various development processes the children? ›
As children go through their different stages of life, they approach learning in different ways. When an educator has an intricate understanding of human development, they can use that understanding to make assessments about the behaviours of children in the classroom.
Which is the best role and responsibilities of teacher at school? ›
Sharing knowledge, giving education, and teaching about life is the primary responsibility of a teacher. In general, teachers mean to teach students the specific syllabus and impart knowledge about the specific curriculum.
A good teacher creates their individual learning process which is unique and not mainstream. This makes the students learn the subject in a better manner. In other words, a good teacher ensures their students are learning efficiently and scoring good marks.
How will a teacher perform his functions in his own profession? ›
The primary role of a teacher is to deliver classroom instruction that helps students learn. To accomplish this, teachers must prepare effective lessons, grade student work and offer feedback, manage classroom materials, productively navigate the curriculum, and collaborate with other staff.
What makes teaching profession more complex compared to other professions? ›
Teachers are educated as professionals but treated and paid as laborers. This blend of dynamics between professional qualifications and blue-collar systems is distinct from any other occupation and the tension between these dynamics creates a kind of double-consciousness among teachers.
What is multidimensional aspect of teaching? ›
The multidimensional approach involves the approach of the cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions to learning, which are considered by Illeris (2002. 2002. The Three Dimensions of Learning: Contemporary Learning Theory in the Tension Field Between the Cognitive, the Emotional, and the Social.
What are the things that should be improved in the professional life of teachers? ›
Areas of Growth for Teachers
- Self-evaluation.
- Pedagogical learning.
- Adaptability.
- Communication.
- Organization.
- Innovation.
- Leadership.
- Continuous learning.
Teachers are our nation builders—the strength of every profession in our country grows out of the knowledge and skills that teachers help to instill in our children. And, as a nation, we must do much, much more to fully appreciate and support their work.
What is an example of multi-dimensional? ›
The adjective multidimensional describes anything with many different parts or aspects. You might talk about your relationship with the next door neighbor as multidimensional if, say, he's also your teacher, and if his son is married to your older sister.
What is the importance of development is multidimensional? ›
Development is multidimensional, meaning it involves the dynamic interaction of factors like physical, emotional, and psychosocial development. Development is multidirectional and results in gains and losses throughout life. Development is plastic, meaning that characteristics are malleable or changeable.
What does it mean by multi-dimensional knowledge? ›
Further, multidimensionality suggests that a reader's prior knowledge simultaneously varies along multiple dimensions. Although there may be relations across the dimensions, the assumption is that these dimensions are, at least to some extent, independent.
