Review_Your_Role,_Responsibilities_and_Boundaries_as_a_Teacher_in_Terms_of_the_Teaching_Training_Cycle.

Review your role, responsibilities and boundaries as a teacher in terms of the teaching/training cycle. ROLE OF A TEACHER A teacher’s role is to ensure that they deliver a relevant, informative, easily understood method of training to their learners. If delivered correctly it will enable those learners to gain knowledge, increase their skills which in turn will increase their confidence and ability enabling them to possibly change career, gain promotion at work, have the ability to cope better using the new skills and knowledge gained resulting in reduced stress levels. To enable a teacher to fulfil their role to the best of their abilities (Gravells,2009) states they will also become involved in assessing, facilitating, instructing, motivating, coaching, mentoring, counselling, lecturing, presenting, training, tutoring, being a practitioner and preceptor and supporting learners. To complete the role of a teacher he/she will need to follow a training cycle which should consist of the following: Identify needs of learner Plan and design training course Deliver or facilitate the course Assess the effectiveness of learning of each individual learner and ensure they are achieving desired quality and standards of learning. Evaluate both the course outcome from a learner’s viewpoint and also specific teaching methods used are adequate for the learner’s needs. It is absolutely essential that throughout the teaching process a professional relationship between teacher and learner is maintained at all times and that all relevant organisational protocols and codes of practice are adhered to.(Gravells 2010) Failure to keep that professional relationship could cause issues in relation to familiarity, unconsciously giving preferential treatment causing other learners to feel neglected and resentful which in turn could cause a decrease in interest and learning ability. By not following protocol and codes of practice the teacher runs the risk of losing credibility, failing to teach sufficiently to allow learners to pass assessments and gain qualifications and at worse the teacher losing their job and being involved in legal implications. A teacher should be well organised (makes keeping records etc easier and efficiently), enthusiastic and motivated about subject being taught which will come across in the teaching and enthuse and motivate the learners. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1954) is a good base to work from to ensure that the all if not most of the needs of your learners are being met. While Maslow referred to various additional aspects of motivation, he expressed the hierarchy of needs in these five clear stages. 1 2 3 4 Biological and Physiological Needs- air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sleep, etc Safety Needs – protection from elements, security, order, law, limits, stability, etc Belongingness and Love Needs – work group, family, affection, relationships, etc Esteem Needs – self-esteem, achievement, mastery, independence, status, dominance, prestige, managerial, responsibility, etc. 5 Self Actualisation Needs - realising, personal potential, self-fulfilment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences. To return to the training cycle as described above, each individual heading involves a great deal of activity as follows. Identifying Needs Various methods can be used to enable the teacher to identify the needs of their learners. This is essential knowledge required before attempting to put any training course together. Some methods could be in the form of detailed application forms, individual interviews, questionnaires, etc. The information gathered should include:   What do learners want to learn and why (SELF ACTUALISATION) Is the learner’s previous skills and ability adequate and relevant for subject to be taught (ESTEEM)    Are there any learning disabilities e.g. dyslexia (BIOLOGICAL,PHYSIOLOGICAL) Are there any disabilities requiring special needs e.g. wheelchair access (SAFETY) What is the preferred learning method of learners e.g. reading, watching, being shown, copying, etc.   What are learner’s expectations of course (SELF ACTUALISATION) Is learner being sponsored by employer and if so what are the employer’s expectations.  Are there any further initial assessments or knowledge required prior to start of training' Once the needs of the learner has been identified the teacher then needs to identify other things like         Number of prospective learners to identify suitable venue and amounts of materials required Ages of learners to identify best training methods to use Is there a recognised qualification for subject being taught If so who are the awarding bodies and is there a course syllabus available from them Is any extra help required on course e.g. someone to assist learners with dyslexia Does the teacher of the course have sufficient up to date knowledge of subject If not what else does the teacher need to know and how are they going to get it Is the teacher up to date with current relevant legislation and developments Plan and Design To enable the course to run smoothly and to ensure that all aspects are covered prior to commencement of any teaching time must be spent preparing, planning and designing the training course. Failure to do this will result in poor quality teaching, disorganisation, lack of structure in teaching method causing confusion to learners, possible H&S and environmental issues arising, lack of adequate teaching materials. One of the first things that should be considered is the number of prospective students on course, their learning expectations and abilities. Once this has been established it will be possible to decide on venue requirements, teaching methods best suited to learning abilities and establish any recognised qualifications and relevant Governing Bodies e.g. City and Guilds. The Governing Body should be contacted to identify any existing syllabus to ensure the design and delivery of course will ensure learners gain their qualifications. Once syllabus has been established it then needs to be broken down into realistic learning sessions and time allowed for each session decided along with how many sessions will be required to complete syllabus e.g. 3 hours a week for 14 weeks. A teaching schedule should then be produced for each week taking into consideration the learners teaching abilities. Having done all this it should then be possible to start designing the course, materials, handouts, workbooks, points of reference, etc. Additional help should also be recruited if required for example assistance for dyslexic learners. Choosing a suitable venue is another very important part of the planning stage. When choosing a venue consideration should be given to ease of access for disabled, size is suitable for number of learners, locality, availability for full length of course, available facilities e.g. toilets, parking, heating, refreshments, H&S and environmental issues e.g. fire exits, safety of learners, equipment available e.g. OHP, flipcharts, computers, etc. Consideration should also be given in regard to the best method to register student’s attendance, what records need to be kept and documented, method of assessing students, examination and course fees if not already established. Teachers should also be aware of the implications and guidelines of the Data Protection Act if storing personal details of learners and ensure that these details are kept in a safe and secure place. Deliver and Facilitate Once all the previous activities have been completed it is then possible to deliver/facilitate the training course. To do this the venue should be checked out and prepared prior to the arrival of learners. This will include checking that equipment required is in place and in working order, all handouts and materials required are easily available, venue is at a comfortable temperature. When students arrive they should be welcomed and made to feel comfortable and their attendance recorded. The quickest and best way to get new learners to relax and get to know each other is by using an icebreaker at beginning of first session. An icebreaker can take many forms e.g. an interactive game involving all learners, team activity, various methods of introductions, and so on. It really doesn’t matter what method is used provided that the learners are not made to feel uncomfortable, interact with each other for maximum effect and get to know each other and relax. It is essential that the teacher at all times speaks slowly in a clear and concise manner at a level suitable to the learning ability of the learners to enable them to have maximum understanding. At regular intervals throughout the learning process the teacher should check that the learners have a full and comprehensive understanding of the subject being taught and should encourage questions to be asked (within reason) ##Throughout the delivery of the course learners need to be supported by the teacher in their learning, be kept motivated which can be done easily if the teacher remains enthusiastic and motivated. One way to keep the learning process interesting for the learners is to incorporate various relevant activities into the learning process. Assess It is important at regular intervals to assess both the knowledge the learners have gained throughout the course and also the understanding of that knowledge. This can be done in various ways using a questionnaire, a class quiz, question and answer session, role play, getting learners to summarize their learning to name just a few. The reason this needs to be done is to ensure that the learners understanding is at a sufficient level for a student to achieve high grades in any assessments enabling them to achieve their qualifications and goals. The other thing that the teacher should be assessing throughout the period of the course is the general attitude and behaviour of learners to ensure that no individual or group of learners are causing disruption to others. Evaluate All sorts of evaluation needs to take place covering learners, teaching methods, learning programme/content, external requirements e.g. Governing Bodies criteria and teachers own continuing professional development and changes in legislation relating to course content. Failure to evaluate could result in learners failing to achieve desired results, lack of interest and motivation, misunderstanding causing confusion, frustration for learners, lack of respect and credibility of teacher and/or teaching organisation. Teacher Responsibilities It is essential that any teacher of any subject being taught remains up to date with any new developments and legislation. Be aware and knowledgeable of any relevant guidelines, codes of conduct, follows the codes of professional practice (Institute for Learning which came into force in 2008) covering integrity, respect, care, practice disclosure and responsibility. Teachers must also ensure that all learners feel safe, all H&S and environmental issues are being covered, records are kept e.g. register of attendance, learners assessment grades, follow up any absences, checking all equipment is in working order. Boundaries of a Teacher According to Gravells (2010 p9) “Boundaries are all about knowing your own limits professionally and personally. Explaining the ones you encounter may vary depending upon your learners, your subject and the type of organisation you are working in.” As explained earlier a teacher must act in a professional manner at all times and must not become over familiar with any learner or group of learners. Favouritism must not be shown by giving extra support to some learners and not to others or shown in any other way. Care must be taken to avoid causing offence with different cultures, work to strict deadlines and ensure deadlines are adhered to, lack of resources can also cause boundaries such as lack of finances for additional teaching materials, working within Policies and Procedures. A teacher must ensure that they never cross any boundaries. For example if a student was experiencing financial problems they should be advised to seek financial specialist advice and the teacher should not become involved. Basically if a teacher is not qualified to give advice on a subject to a learner they shouldn’t but instead guide the learner in the right direction to get the support they need. SUMMARY  A teacher’s role is to ensure that they deliver a relevant, informative, easily understood method of training to their learners.  To complete the role of a teacher he/she will need to follow a training cycle including identifying needs, plan and design, deliver/facilitate, assess, evaluate  All teachers of any subject being taught must remain up to date with any new developments and legislation.  Be knowledgeable about Codes of Conduct, Codes of Practice, Policies and Procedures, Legislation, H&S  A teacher must ensure that they never cross any boundaries. Reference List Book Reference Gravells A. (2009) 3 Edition rd Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector Exeter: Learning Matters Gravells A. (2010) Passing PTLLS Assessments Exeter: Learning Matters Internet Reference Chapman A (2001 – 2004) Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs [online] http://wwwbusinessballs.com/maslow.htm [Accessed 23 march 2011]