Teachers as Professionals
There are more than 9.4 million teachers in India working tirelessly towards the future of India and the world, with more patience, intent and perseverance than most employees of other sectors. Yet, the perception of teachers is sometimes viewed in a negative manner. Statements like “Those who can’t do, teach” have managed to dilute and reject the valuable addition that educators have made in our lives.
Various dictionary definitions of “Professional” include (a person) having the skills, education and training to carry out a task, a person engaged or qualified in a profession, a person engaged in a specified activity as one’s main paid occupation rather than as a pastime. Teachers existed in our gurukul systems thousands of years back. Confucius is considered the oldest teacher in the world, who made education accessible to commoners, rather than just the royals. In the past, the instructions given by the teacher were sacrosanct and accepted dutifully by the students. Education was a privilege and students were expected to listen, follow instructions and immerse themselves in the experiences planned out by the teachers.
Fast forward to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and the idea of education and teaching had changed to include Grammar schools, subject focused lessons in Science, language and Mathematics, a structured curriculum and school timing and a focus on remembering things. In Europe and the United States, to be a teacher, one had to undergo a training course, get the necessary certification and then was allowed to teach. The colonial education system was brought to India too, with class time and homework for students and training for teachers to be adept at their jobs. However, the teacher was still looked upon with respect as a person of knowledge and one who will help students gain the necessary education to achieve bigger things in the world.
So what changed? Over the years, more and more people had access to education, finished their schooling, got employed and became experts in niche areas. The idea that if someone has been a student, then they can teach as well caught on. Teachers were no longer considered specialists with a unique set of skills or knowledge, but people who had time in their hands and were not specifically qualified or trained to teach. This perception has led to a lack of acknowledgement of the teaching profession, need for career road map structures and rewards and remunerations keeping with the times.
While the best way to learn is to teach, it does not mean that anyone who has the necessary knowledge becomes a great teacher. The roles and responsibilities of a twenty-first century teacher have changed drastically. Information is available at our fingertips, but do we know which information is accurate and do we take the time to validate the information that we see? Distractions are many and we consume content without worrying about the need or the quality. If as adults we struggle with time management and understanding the need for information versus entertainment, then what is the state of children and who can best help them?
It is time we stopped viewing teachers as disseminators of knowledge. Teachers should be viewed as facilitators who help students realize their potential, help students think about learning and thinking. A teacher facilitator will enable students to plan their learning, to think about their learning, to identify key interests and learning goals and pursue these, to clarify misconceptions and to think about ways to present and communicate their ideas and thoughts. A teacher thus has an enormous responsibility towards shaping the students’ mindset and learning ways. School leadership team and parents need to recognize this role change and actively acknowledge and affirm the contributions made by the teacher community.
How can a teacher prepare for such a role? There are many free resources available online to help a teacher think about the essentials in the classroom – be it Curriculum planning, Assessment planning, Instructions, Pedagogy, Classroom management etc. At ReThink Education from Ekya Schools, we have carefully curated learning experiences that will expand the skillset of educators to facilitate rather than teach, to be a 21st century educator who goes beyond knowledge sharing to shaping the future of the world.
Learn more about the ReThink Foundation Course here!