The_Roles,_Responsibilities_and_Boundaries_of_a_Teacher

Alexa Crilly The roles, responsibilities and boundaries of a teacher The main role of a teacher is to deliver the course content to the pupils, this requires this involves relaying the information in the correct manner suited to the individual pupil. To understand the best way to teach the course would be to conduct an initial assessment of the pupils using Kolb's teaching cycle (1984) to see what their personal learning styles are and determine what their strong points are. They must also adapt to suit the pupils learning style. (“If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.”- Ignacio Estrada) Also another role is to maintain your own level of training, going on any refresher courses etc. Kolb’s teaching cycle is usually known as: * Identify your participants needs- make sure they are on the right course, assess their needs and identify their learning styles * Planning and designing- are you qualified to deliver the course' Do you have the right resources to teach the course' Is it a skills or theory lesson' * Delivering sessions- what is the best method of teaching to use' E.g. lectures, videos etc. Keep everyone interested and motivated to learn. * Assessing learning- initial assessment (what you already know), formative assessment (throughout course), summative assessment (end of course) * Evaluation- was the course a success or failure' Did everyone enjoy the course' Is there any way to improve it' The responsibilities of a teacher are to firstly have the qualifications enabling them to teach the course. They must also have a good way of relaying the information to the pupils, one that will keep them interested in the subject. (“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires”- William Arthur Ward) They are also responsible for ensuring the safety of everyone attending, taking a register and knowing all safety procedures. e.g. knowing how to react to a fire drill. Another responsibility of a teacher is to provide the correct resources for the lesson ahead, for example drawing up a lesson plan to ensure you know which reading materials to bring. e.g. books, hand-outs and website addresses. Also as teachers it is your responsibility to practice equality and diversity, never showing prejudice or favouritism and taking into account other people’s needs. An example of this is to provide different sized fonts or coloured paper for any pupils with dyslexia. A teacher also has a responsibility to the class to maintain a positive attitude, keeping the atmosphere light as this is transferred to the pupils and they become more positive themselves. The boundaries of a teacher include keeping a professional relationship with your students, keeping personal information discussed to a minimum. Not becoming over friendly with your students but also keeping a friendly atmosphere. The same applies to what your students tell you, if it’s something of a personal matter there are other companies and staff available to deal with this specifically. You should know who to refer pupils to for any specialist help required. Bibliography With reference to Kolb's teaching cycle (1984) www.thinkexist.com word count: 526