WHO IS A TEACHER?
INTRODUCTION
WHO IS A TEACHER?
A teacher is the only person who is capable of imparting
knowledge and shaping the youths to the wider scope of knowledge. Teachers are
capable of living and moulding the youths such that their power is paramount as
they determine the fate of the society. Both teachers and parents live with the
children for a long time and hence they are capable of imparting knowledge,
skills an values that cannot be easily challenged by the society.” Nyerere
(1966)
A teacher has also be defined as an expert who is capable of imparting
knowledge that will help learners to build, identify and to acquire skills that
will be used to face the challenges in life. The teacher also provides to the
learners knowledge, skills and values that enhance development. An educated
person is capable of utilizing the available opportunities in both private and
public sectors. The educated person can easily secure employment as well as
having life skills that will enable him/her to interact well in the society. Senge
(2000)
TEACHING PROFESSION AND
TEACHER
Teaching is the
special career as it gives rise to other professions. All other professions
originate from the teaching is also responsible for nurturing human beings with
different manners and attitudes so that they can live well in the society. He
uses Educational psychology in creating behavioral change to the learners.
Unlike an engineer who deals with the machines, a teacher uses Education psychology
to determine the learning behaviors’ of children according to their age. Also
the teacher uses his knowledge of the curriculum to provide appropriate
knowledge to the target learners. In addition to that, a teacher is a special
person in that she/he is capable of interpreting education philosophy and
policy into real life. If the teacher wrongly interprets the national
educational philosophy and policy, the expected output will not be realized.
The teaching profession should be handled with care so as to avoid putting the
nation into a mess. Uneducated nation will also remain ignorant. As a nation,
we should strive at creating the educated public so as to them independent in
planning for their own development. The only people to drive the society out of
the pool of ignorance are the teachers.
QUALITIES OF A GOOD TEACHER
1.
Should be knowledgeable in terms of
what he/she is teaching
A good teacher is the one who knows
exactly what he is teaching. The teacher who is knowledgeable will be able to
teach opposed to one who does not know his/her subject matter.
2.
Should know the teaching
methodologies a well as education pyschology
Apart from possessing the knowledge of the
subject matter/lesson, a teacher is also expected to have skills that will
enable him/her to administer the teaching and learning process without any
problem. Also the teacher is expected to promote and nurture different
potentials among students. The teaching theories help the teacher to open learning
opportunities to the students. Therefore a teacher should effectively use the
psychology of education to facilitate the teaching/learning process. Having the
knowledge of education matters is the correlation between knowledge and ability
is not always direct. It is a fallacy to claim that every knowledgeable person
can teach. (Donna 2004:23)
3.
Should have Have a sense of humour and love to his/her students
Having a sense of humour will make
someone a successful teacher. If you have a sense of humour, your class will be
teacher as well. Students will be interested to listen to a serious teacher.
The most important thing is for the teacher to love his job despite the fact
that sometimes the teaching job is associated with stress or depression. The
teacher should overcome same time learning will be more interactive and
natural. Also there will be no any humiliation or victimization in the class.
Love will help the teacher to create effective teaching/learning process.
4.
To have positive attitude
A positive attitude is the most
important thing in the teaching profession as well as life in general. In the
teaching profession there are many challenges that a teacher is expected to
face. Having positive attitude will enable a teacher to overcome all teaching
what they did not expect to teach and therefore not being able to teach as was
expected. The teacher should be calm and try to overcome anxieties so that
his/her teaching does not affect the students. Despite all these challenges, a
teacher is expected to go on improving the teaching strategies.
5.
To have high expectations
A good teacher normally expects much
from his/her students: he/she prepares the students so that they have high
expectations in relation to their academic achievements. This is a good
indicator of a good teacher. If one expects less he may also not mean that
students should expect miracles from the teacher. By having high expectations
from the teacher, the students will be able to learn effectively.
WHAT IS ADMINISTRATION?
Administration is a dynamic process
of arranging the scarce human and material resources available to an
organization for the effective and efficient attainment of its aim.
This is the capacity to effectively
coordinates many and other conflicting social energies in a single organization
that will operate in unity Adams (1990).
Administration is a process of
systematically arranging and co-ordinating the human and material resources
available to any organization for the main purpose of achieving stipulated
goals of that organization.
Luther G says “Administration has to do with getting things done; with
the accomplishment of defined objectives.”
George E. B says “Administration is a process involving human beings jointly engaged in working towards common goals.”
Pfiffener says “Administration is the organisation and direction of human and material resources to achieve desired ends.”
George E. B says “Administration is a process involving human beings jointly engaged in working towards common goals.”
Pfiffener says “Administration is the organisation and direction of human and material resources to achieve desired ends.”
CONCEPTUAL
SKILLS
Allow
a manager to visualize the entire organization and work with ideas and the
relationships between abstract concepts.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
There are needed to
actually get the work done; they are the techniques, practices, tools, and
processes needed by front-line employees in the manager's functional area.
“MODERN
TECHNICAL SKILLS” THAT TODAY’S TEACHERS SHOULD POSSESS.
In this modern, digital age, teachers need to be flexible and be
able to adapt to whatever is thrown their way. New technologies are developed
every day that can change the way students learn, and the way teachers teach.
Likewise, administrators are changing and updating expectations and learning
standards. Being able to adapt is a skill that every modern teacher must have.
If it’s being able to adapt to the way students learn, the behavior their
classroom exhibits, or their lesson plans, it is a definitely a trait that is a
must-have.
Confidence
Every teacher needs to have confidence, not only in themselves
but in their students and their colleagues. A confident person inspires others
to be confident, and a teacher’s confidence can help influence others to be a
better person.
Communication
Being able to communicate with not only your students but with
parents and staff is an essential skill. Think about it: Almost all of a
teacher’s day is spent communicating with students and colleagues so it is
crucial to be able to talk clear and concise in order to get your point across.
Team Player
Part of being a teacher is being able to work together as part
of a team or a group. When you work together as a team, it provides students
with a better chance to learn and have fun. Networking with other teachers
(even virtually) and solving problems together will only lead to success. Doing
so fosters a sense of community not only in your own classroom, but school-wide
as well.
Continuous
Learner
Teaching is a lifelong learning process. There is always
something to learn when you are teacher. The world is always changing, along
with the curriculum and educational technology, so it’s up to you, the teacher,
to keep up with it. A teacher who is always willing to go that extra mile to
learn will always be an effective, successful teacher.
Imaginative
The most effective tool a teacher can use is their imagination.
Teachers need to be creative and think of unique ways to keep their students
engaged in learning, especially now that many states have implemented the
Common Core Learning Standards into their curriculum. Many teachers are saying
that these standards are taking all of the creativity and fun out of learning,
so teachers are finding imaginative ways to make learning fun again.
Leadership
An effective teacher is a mentor and knows how to guide her
students in the right direction. She leads by example and is a good role model.
She encourages students and leads them to a place of success.
Organization
Modern teachers have the ability to organize and prepare for the
unknown. They are always ready for anything that is thrown their way. Need to
go home sick? No problem, they have a substitute folder all ready to go.
Studies show that organized teachers lead more effective learning environments.
So it is even more imperative to be organized if you want higher-achieving
students.
Innovative
A modern teacher is willing to try new things, from new
educational apps to teaching skills and electronic devices. Being innovative
means not only trying new things, but questioning your students, making
real-world connections and cultivating a creative mindset. It’s getting your
students to take risks and having students learn to collaborate.
Commitment
While being committed to your job is a traditional teaching
skill, it is also a modern one. A modern teacher needs to always be engaged in
their profession. The students need to see that their teacher is present and
dedicated to being there for them.
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS OF A TEACHER
Excelling
in Communication
As a teacher; you need to master your communication
skills. When you can communicate in a better way; then the students understand
each and every topic. Your job is to teach the students, and you cannot do it
appropriately if you are unable to communicate the chapters to the students. It
is extremely important for you to access this skill as a teacher.
Superior Understanding Quality
As a
teacher; you should develop the skills of understanding each student properly.
When you understand them; only then you can help them study better and build up
their career. A teacher should always be optimum at understanding things. It
will make your students comfortable with you. You can easily know their flaws
as well as their talents.
Optimum Listening Skills
A teacher
you possess nice listening qualities. You can never do anything right unless
you listen to the requirements properly. You should always stay attentive and
grasp each and every word spoken by the people. Listening helps a lot in
understanding things.
Non-verbal Communication
The quality
of communicating without actually saying anything is in a very few people. You
should master this interpersonal skill as well. It will help you a lot. This
will make you understand the students much better.
Self Confidence
You should
never lose self-confidence. No matter how bad a situation may get or any
unfavorable thing happens; you should never lose your calm. Trust yourself that
you can handle any situation.
When you
start to believe in yourself, then you become highly confident. This escalates
the positively level in you. It makes you handle every situation with full
concentration.
These 5
interpersonal skills will prepare you to become a legendary teacher whom the
students will respect. You need to improve your teaching skills with the help
of these amazing interpersonal skills. They will let you have the best possible
way to become successful in life.
Conceptual skills are abilities
that allow a teacher or tutor to understand complex situations in the classroom
teaching learning process and to develop creative and successful solutions. In
other words, it is a natural talent that addresses difficult scenarios with an
innovative approach which means creativity.
Conceptual skills are highly valued
from a management perspective. People with a certain degree of responsibility
within an organization are frequently exposed to highly complex dilemmas that
are not easy to tackle. Having conceptual skills to deal with these situations
is particularly useful since it expands the range of possible solutions by
adding a creative mindset that might see the problem from different angles that
are not easily visible by other parties involved.
The ability to conceptualize these ideas is crucial, since every teacher
might have an opinion but not all teachers are capable to implement those ideas
successfully. These skills are considered more strategic since their range of
impact is wide. Decisions based on conceptual skills are normally productive
and they focus on solving more than in explaining or describing. These
abilities allow teachers to deconstruct and approach certain situations with an
abstract thinking in teaching learning process.
THE
CHALLENGES OF CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
Teachers
face a variety of classroom management challenges. These can include disruptive
students that slow or interrupt the pace of learning and ineffective or poorly
thought out management techniques that worsen student behaviour. The most
effective teachers typically understand a variety of effective classroom
management techniques and use the most appropriate solution to keep their class
free of disruption and focused on achieving its educational goals.
OTHER CHALLENGES OPINED BY CLASS RAFT
(2018)
Lack of teamwork, empathy, and support
between students
With a stronger focus on individual student performance, many teachers
feel that teamwork doesn’t play an important enough role in classrooms. If
students spend the majority of their time working individually, they don’t get
the opportunity to better their social and teamwork skills. These are
especially important to develop in elementary and middle school.
Teachers working too many roles at the
same time
Social
worker, psychoeducator, and counselor represent only a few of the hats that
teachers are expected to wear throughout the day. In order to help their
students, they feel compelled to adopt these roles themselves even though they
don’t have the proper training. They still do it, though, because they care.
No time to deal with bodily functions!
All
throughout the day, teachers must jump from one task to the next and are often
forced to neglect their own bodies. There are no bathrooms or water breaks for
teachers; sometimes they don’t have a lunch break at all.
Teachers being made accountable
for more than they should
Teachers don’t feel the accountability is shared equally
between them, students, and parents. This can create a tense atmosphere. It’s
also difficult to express this feeling to parents with diplomacy. But when
parent night comes, ready or not, teachers put their game face on.
Not enough time to plan
Teachers
often decry the lack of time they are given to prepare, plan and execute all
the tasks that are demanded of them. Updating content presentations and
documents, correcting older material, and adapting subjects to a new cohort of
students are some of the tasks that teachers would like more time for.
Excessive paperwork for data collection
In
order to build reliable statistics, school and district administrations ask
that teachers compile large amounts of data, such as grades and student growth
indicators like SEL and collaboration. Teachers have difficulty with this
because of the additional time it requires and the fact that, once again, it
takes precious time away from preparing quality content for their students.
Keeping up with the expectations of
school Admins
A lot of teachers feel that more and more is expected of them
from their school’s (or district’s) administration: offer constant support to
the students, keep a line of communication open with parents, give more
personalized help to students who need more attention to succeed, and so
on. While teachers do want to provide the best support to their students,
they maintain that they don’t receive enough paid time to do so. Access to
specialized personnel and more time outside of class are some of the suggested
ways to improve support and meet those increasing expectations.
Applying a prescribed curriculum to all
types of students
Ask
any teacher, and they will tell you: Every student is different. They learn at
different speeds, and they each have their own way of taking in content and
remembering it. Problems arise when teachers are expected to apply a fixed
curriculum to students with vastly different needs. Adapting lessons to
students and tailoring content to their needs takes time, which is in short supply.
This aforementioned will lead us to the prospects and conclusion of the
challenges militating the administrative, conceptual and interpersonal skills
of the teachers.
CONCLUSIONS
The society
should differentiate between education and attending school. Education does not
mean wearing nice school uniforms. It has instead something to do with
cognitive, psychomotor and affective part of the pupil. Education is not
related to buildings or desks and neither does education mean ability to read
and write there has been a misconception in the society where education has
been equated to the ability to read and write. People have also been equating
education with buildings, ability broader than the mere above named aspects. A
person may have all the above aspects but still may not be considered as
educated. Education in its holistic sense refers to the interaction between a
teacher and pupils. It is also related to the availability and effective
utilization of books i.e. text and reference books, laboratories, etc. education
leads to knowledge, skills and values which the learner uses to solve different
problems existing in the society. Any decision we make today in relation to
education can determine our destiny. If we teach our children well, it will be
different situations and environment. They should be trained how to think
critically and independently. They should be trained to be disciplined so that
they can realize their educational aspirations. We should strive to investing
in human capital rather than investing in commodities. By investing much more
in education especially in quality education, we will also excel in the
provision of quality education to our children. Doing the contrary will be
betraying our nation. Education is an important tool in liberation as well as
development. Investing in human capital therefore should be seen as a precious
decision. The only way forward for the betterment of our children is to invest
in good-teacher education. Ignoring education sector is like betraying our own
children and hence killing our nation because there will be no enough qualified
teachers. Students are taught by desperate and unqualified teachers produce a
nation with no vision. The people who live in deep pool poverty, ignorance and
disease. Therefore let us clear mess.
REFERENCES
Adrien, D.
(2018) Top 8 classroom challenges according to teachers. Retrieved
Cranton, P.
(1996) professional Development as Transformation learning
New perspective For Teachers of Adult,
Jessey base San Francisco.
Future School
(2019) Registered office: Kemp House, 152-160 city Road, London ec1v2 DW
England. Retrieved
Luther G,
George E.B, P ffiffener. Definition of Administration, Retrieved
Nyerere, J
(1968) Freedom and socialism, a selection from writing speeches (1965-1967),
Dares salaam
Oxford University Press
Senge,
J. (2000) Schools that learn, Double Day
Publishing group New York
Success
Story.com, (2008) Necessary Interpersonal skills for Teachers, Retrieved
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY
PAPER PRESENTATION
ON
THE ADMINISTRATIVE, CONCEPTUAL, INTERPERSONAL AND TECHNICAL SKILLS
OF THE TEACHER
BY
AWOWOLE OMOYE REGINA
EDP18/19/H/0904
COURSE
COORDINATOR
DR (MRS). O. B. AKINOLA
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