Role of Teacher in School

Introduction

Among the greatest of all services that can be rendered by men to Almighty God, is the education and training of children, so that they can foster by grace in the way of salvation, growing like pearls of divine bounty in the shell of education and will be one day the jewel in the crown of abiding glory.

Henry Von Dyke has said about teachers and teaching “Ah! There you have the worst paid and the best rewarded of vocations. Do not enter it unless you love it. For the vast majority of men and women it has no promise of wealth and fame, but they to whom it is dear for its own sake are among the nobility of mankind. I sing the praise of the unknown teacher, king of himself and leader of the mankind,” This, we may say is the philosophical meaning of teaching, but is very relevant and meaning also.

The teacher is the yardstick that measures the achievements and aspirations of the nation. The worth and potentialities of a country get evaluated in and through the work of the teacher, “The people of a country are the enlarged replica of their teacher.” They are the real nation builders.

It needs no description that the teacher is the pivot of any educational system of the younger students. On him rests the failure or the success of the system. If the teachers are well educated and if they are intellectually alive and take keen interest in their job, then only, success is ensured. But, if on the other hand, they lack training in education and if they cannot give their heart to their profession, the system is destined to fail. Hence, the teacher is another vital component of the school.

The teacher is a dynamic force of the school. A school without teacher is just like a body without the soul, a skeleton without flesh and blood, a shadow without substance. “There is no greater need for the cause of education today than the need for strong manly men and motherly women as teachers for the young”. As social engineers, the teachers can socialize and humanize the young by their man-like qualities

TEACHER’S PRAYER

Help us, O Lord to penetrate into the secret of the child, so that we may know him, love him and serve him according to your laws of justice and following your divine will -- Maria Montessori

POEM

East or West
Our teacher is the best
She is our best guide
She helps us to decide
She tells us the right path
When we are in trouble
She is a book of wisdom
Which gives us knowledge
She’s a burning candle
Which gives us light
All in allDefinitions

“A Teacher is the image of Brahma” -- Manu

“The teacher is a Brahma, the creator, he is God Vishnu, he is God Maheshwar. He is entire universe, salutations to him.” -- Indian Prayer

“The true teacher is he who can immediately come down to the level of the student, transfer his soul to the student’s soul and see through and understand through his mind. Such a teacher can really teach and none else” -- Swami Vivekanand

“The teacher’s place in society is of vital importance. He acts as the pivot for the transmission of intellectual traditions and technical skills from generation to generation and helps to keep the lamp of civilization burning” -- Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

“A teacher can never truly teach unless he is still learning himself. A lamp can never light another lamp unless it continues to burn its own flame. The teacher who has come to the end of his subject, who has no living trafic with his knowledge, but merely repeats his lessons to his students can only load their minds. He can not quicken them” -- Tagore

“Every teacher and educationist of experience knows that even the best curriculum and the most perfect syllabus remains dead unless quickened in to life by the right method of teaching and the right kind of teachers.” -- Secondary Education Commission

“The Teacher is the real maker of history.” -- H.G. Wells

“The teacher is the maker of man.” -- Sir John Adams

You need to work for :

 Excellence coupled with equity and social justice.

You need to achieve the objective of excellence coupled with equity and social justice by way of imparting quality education to all students without any discrimination between cast, creed, sex, religion and race so that they become physically fit, mentally alert, emotionally balanced and spiritually sound. Teachers are required to understand the need of every child for material education, education for becoming good human being and for divine education so that they can face the realities of life in the new millennium.

 National Integration

Today, promotion of patriotism and education for national integration has become the need of the hour. Our foremost duty is to provide education in such a way so that the students can live and learn together and develop their full potentials.

 International Understanding

We need to apprise the students that India needs a new race of man, a just world, a united world and a peaceful world. The present circumstances at international level compell us for proper international understanding by fostering the principle of “Live & Let Live”.

 Good quality modern education.

Teachers need to work for good quality education to transform the students into self reliance and self assured citizen of the world. This can be achieved by successful curriculum transaction with modern mathetics and educational technology together with strong component of culture, inculcation of values, awareness of the environment, adventure activities and physical education.

 Reasonable level of competence in three languages

Knowledge and skill in languages fosters intelligence in the learners. As such, we should make an effort to attain a reasonable level of competence in minimum three languages as envisaged in the Three Language Formula.

 Vidyalaya as a focal point for improvement in quality of school education.

Every teacher should strive with heart and soul to raise children upto highest perfections of mankind to such a degree so that every one of them will be trained in the use of mind in acquiring knowledge, in humility and lowliness, in dignity and in ardour and love.

The Paradoxical Commandments :

1) People are logical, unreasonable and self centered. Love them any way.

2) If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good any way.

3) If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

4) The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

5) Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

6) The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.

7) People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs always.

8) What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

9) People really need help but may attack you if you do. Help then. Help people anyway.

10) Give the world the best you have or you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

Essential Qualities of a Teacher

1) Teacher as a Role Model :

Role Models are people who set good examples by the words they speak and by the actions they take. Role Models can be the people you know personally or people you have learned about in the news at school or on television.

Students tend to copy the behaviour and mannerism of the teachers. The teachers entire personality is a reflection on the minds of the students. If the teacher is honest, leads a balanced and disciplined life, the children adopt these virtues as a ideal conduct unconsciously. The ideal teacher s one who through his thoughts, words and deeds, gives and an impression of an honest upright life which can serve as a model for the students to copy, follow and emulate.

2) Teacher’s Character

A flower in bloom is loved by all and in this lies its glory. Similarly, man may be viewed as having achieved everything in life when he becomes perfect in character. If the best flowers among mankind take to teaching, society is abundantly enriched, their fragrance and beauty are then made the best use of. If the teacher becomes an embodiment of right conduct in thought, word and deed, the students by their association will learn virtue and develop manly qualities. They can be humanized and can live and act like normal human beings. They can become thoughtful, concerned and courageous.

3) Teacher’s Personality

Every teacher must have a good personality. Radiant, pleasing and impressive personal appearance, refinement, pleasant manners, industry, enthusiasm, drive, initiative, open mindedness etc., are some of the essential traits of an ideal teacher. External appearance has a psychological effect upon the students. By attractive appearance, he/she can win the love and affection of his students and can command respect. He/she should be frank, tolerant, kind, fair and straight-forward so that he/she can stimulate learning.

She’s the best of all