Written by: Alen Kuriakose, Trainer, HSSW
Teacher’s day is celebrated every year on the birth anniversary of India’s second president Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan. He was highly dedicated towards the teaching profession. It is said that, once he was approached by some students and requested for celebrating his birthday on 5th of September. And he replied that instead of celebrating it as just his birthday, they should celebrate it as teacher’s day to pay honour to all teachers for their great work and contribution. Teachers are the real shapers of the future building blocks of the country, means they shape up the students life who are ultimately the future of country.
Nobody is a natural born teacher, even if she or he is talented. Experience matters a lot in one’s teaching career but regardless of all that one should continue to have professional development to refresh his or her status as a transformational teacher. A teacher should constantly renew his or her information background so as to enrich the students with current status of change. We as teachers should constantly strive to perfection, however far that goal is. How could we achieve it?
Share Your Good Practices
Never be shy to look into other teachers useful classroom practices. No matter however experienced you are, you will have something to study from the other. When I was a first year teacher, I used listen to a veteran teacher’s class room practice. She makes language class lively by grammar games and some other language games. Moving forward, I felt more confident and comfortable about asking that colleague for help which she excelled at doing.
Classroom Observations
Observing other teachers in action is yet another way of improving one’s own style of teaching. I was also influenced by a veteran colleague who used to crack in simple jokes in the class to create a more relaxed and effective learning environment. Always keep up a gentle firmness in the classroom so that the students respond properly.
Change Styles Every Now and Then
Don’t ever stick on to a particular style of teaching so that the student may get bored. If you lecture today, move into a group discussion tomorrow, and a brainstorming session the day after.
Cater to Every Student
A class will be an amalgam of different kinds of students. Some may have inter-personal intelligence, some intra personal, some will have musical, some bodily-kinesthetics and the other will have logical and naturalistic and so on. Classroom activities should be set accordingly to cater the needs of each student.
Caring Beyond Teaching
It is said that a teacher should be a parent first and then an educator. A teacher should have the love and kindness of a mother, care of a father and knowledge of an educator. Every student should feel free to communicate their academic and non-academic matters to a teacher.
Teacher- A Guide, a Model, a Scaffolder
The concept of a teacher and teaching is changing every now and then. A teacher should be a guiding light, a perfect model and moreover she should help to raise the students from their previous level of learning. And above all she should be creative inspiration to all the students.
A transformational teacher is one who not only achieves transformation in her students, but who also models a willingness to be transformed by learning herself. The most transformational teachers that I know have a deep understanding of how their role transcends far beyond any subject that they’re teaching. Such teachers have the most lasting impact on their students long after they are passed out.
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