Friday, August 8, 2014
The Job of a Teacher Goes Beyond the Classroom
This post was originally posted in November 2011.
I haven't blogged for a while and have been thinking about what to blog about. I am jealous of all of those in my PLN that blog daily and sometimes more than once a day. After thinking about this for a while I decided to put my thoughts down on "paper".
Today we talk about child centered learning and the teacher as a facilitator of learning and allowing students to drive the learning with their questions. They are right and this is a major part of the role of the teacher in the 21st Century and it must change from the Sage on the Stage model.
However, I believe that this is only part of the role of a teacher. A teacher needs to be a leader and a change agent. We may not be able to change the world or accomplish everything, but as it says in "Ethics of our Fathers" that doesn't mean that we could just absolve ourselves of our responsibility.
It doesn't end there for me the most important thing teachers need to do or be is a role model. One who leads by examples in a moral and ethical way. Their motto should be "Do as I Do."
They need to show their students that they care about them not only in the classroom,but out of the classroom as well.
I posed the following question as one of the possible topics for #jedchat
Is the role /job of a Rebbe( Judaic male teacher)/Teacher 24/7 (ie are they expected to attend a school basketball game on Sunday)?
I think you could tell what I would say!
What do you think?
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Teachers take on many roles in our student's lives... it is the beauty of the work we do, we are educating in every aspect of our lives.
ReplyDeleteI have felt sometimes the pressure of being a teacher every waking moment... and I have to wonder how much of that I do to myself. Some say the work we do is a calling... for me it is a way of being. It also en capsules how I want to live each & every day... hoping that I left the world a little better than I found it.
Great post Akevy!
Thank you
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way. Thanks for sharing
I find great joy in experiencing the lives my students lead outside of the classroom. Football games, plays, dance recitals, or just an invitation to dinner are treasures to me. However, I don't have kids so I am not trying to juggle personal kid events with student events. I love these moments with my students because I want them to know that I genuinely support who they are as people and it does carry over into the classroom. But I don't think it is a requirement. Like Jana said, I do think that this profession is a calling. But does that mean that I AM my job? No. I need "me" time too. My first year, I scheduled events outside of school to provide opportunities for "play" on my schedule. Caring about kids is essential and I think teachers must be present at after school events. The more the merrier, but we are people too.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree and understand
DeleteI think I was talking philosophically do teachers see their jobs/roles extending beyond the classroom
Thanks for your thoughts