Perceptions of School
The Goals of Schooling
The Teacher’s Role in School
 

4 MAIN GOALS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS

1.  Socialization: Preparing students to behave in ways society expects its citizens to behave.  Creating within students a knowledge of what is, and what is not socially acceptable.  Providing students opportunities to learn appropriate patterns of speech, dress, and action.
2.  3 R’s: Providing students with a firm foundation of knowledge in literacy and math including reading, writing, speaking, listening, and computational skills.
3.  Development of Moral Character: Establishing within students a basic value orientation.  Providing students opportunities to distinguish between right and wrong.  Promoting qualities such as honesty, hard work, teamwork, courage, and generosity.
4.  Training for Citizenship: Establishing within students the rights and responsibilities of being an American citizen and a basic understanding of the democratic process.

THE TEACHER’S ROLE

 “Perhaps no other profession in our society encompasses so many different roles as that of a teacher.”   M. Nelson

TEACHER ROLES
                                       What is the most important function of the classroom teacher?
                                        Teachers wear many “hats” including:

1.  Role Model: Though most students might not admit it, teachers act as powerful role models.  Students often take on the ideas, attitudes, ways of speaking, etc... of their teachers.  Because of this, teachers are often subjected to higher “community standards” than others in the workforce.  How do you feel about this?

2.  Counselor: teachers are often asked for assistance in solving student problems; some are minor, some not.  This is an important role for never in this nation’s history has divorce, child abuse, drug abuse, etc... so greatly impacted our youth.  Helping students cope with these factors is an inescapable role.

3.  Friend: For many students, you will be the most stable, consistant, and friendly adult with whom they have contact.
Do not try to become any one student’s “best friend” but listen to your students.  Many students in today’s schools simply feel that they have no one to talk to or that no one cares.

4.  Servant: Many children will view you as an extension of their parents; someone to care for them and even pick up after them.  While teachers are certainly not expected to wait on students “hand and foot,” remember, schools exist to meet the needs of students; not teachers.  Effective teachers serve best by providing creative, exicting, and motivational learning experiences in their classrooms.

5.  Arbiter: Teachers are constantly asked to act as a “go between” or mediator.  Helping students settle disputes is a common occurrence.  Remember, students are in the process of learning HOW to deal with conflict.  Our role is to assist them in this process.

6.  Researcher: Both formallly and informally teachers (good teachers) are involved in research.  Observing students, trying new teaching methods, reading the latest on teaching/learning,  implementing new curricula, and networking with similar professionals are all ways of doing research in teaching.  Though this role is optional, the best teachers continue to learn from others throughout their careers.

7.  Leader: Teachers are expected to take active leadership roles both in and out of the school setting.  Heading various committees is a common task.  Examples include committees on curricula, discipline, student assessment, and textbook selection.  Effective teachers provide leadership in parent-teacher and other community organizations.

Teachers must be versitile.

Effective teachers must be ready, willing, and able to perform a number of different functions.

Controlling the class, making assignments, grading papers, and issuing grades are important factors but not the whole picture.

Superior teachers function in all the roles previously discussed constantly assessing their own as well as their students’ performance.

Teachers Make a Difference!

“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.”
                                                                                                                                           Robert F. Kennedy

Teachers perform many of these “small acts” each day as they mold and strengthen the minds of their students.

Again, remember that ours is an endeavor of service; service through effective instruction and providing exemplery examples of knowledge, compassion, and strength of character.

“I touch the future; I teach.”
                                                 Christa McAuliff