Anne Thomas, Retired Teacher, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India.
As role models, educationists should guide the students towards a spirit of inquiry, creativity, entrepreneurial & moral leadership.
A teacher is a role model. Those on whom their students will look upon as guides, inspirers, character builders, men and women with good moral principles and integrity are role models.
Such teachers will take interest in their life beyond the formal classroom set up to promote a clear vison for future, a humanistic and ethical outlook. They will help their students to aspire to become great national leaders with service mentality.
There are 7 letters which are having great characters in a teacher’s context:
T – Talent
E – Educational
Qualifications
A – Analytical Power
C – Character
H – Honesty
E – Efficiency
R – Relation
A role model is a person who inspires & encourages us to see the best in ourselves. A teacher is every child’s first acquaintance when they start schooling. Teachers are the are the ones who hold their hands & guide their steps to take the first giant leap into the learning journey. A good teacher can have a lasting impression on a child and can make school the most wonderful place for the child. A good teacher helps us to become good human being in society and good citizen of the country, apart from career promotion.
The role of teachers in student’s life is precious and that makes teachers’ and students’ bond unique. Anyone can be a role model – a parent, a brother, a friend, but teachers are the most powerful and life changing role models. Teachers have much more influence on children than the parents do.
A good teacher needs to have good communication skill too. The rod of discipline does not always spell good means of communication. Instilling fear through rods or roars does not characterize effective communication. Regularity, neatness and discipline are taught by examples in personal life.
A teacher who treats all students equally and respects their human identity will be a good role model. Bias towards poor students and favour towards rich students are substandard behaviour. Respecting co-workers and working staff with nobility will go a long way in the life of a teacher.
“Teachers should be the best minds in the country,” says Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Students are not only interested in academic lessons but they are interested to follow their teacher for their life lessons. Good habits are inculcated in students by the teacher’s own example.
A student is like a soft clay in the hands of his/her teachers. Their mind can be mounded into any shape at their tender age. If taught well by their teacher, they can become an important tools for society.
Finally, a good teacher’s attitude reflects upon the students easily because students meet teachers every day and for many years & replicate their mannerism and habits. The responsibilities for a good teacher are: – providing mentorship, inspiring learners, nurturing healthy curiosity in learners, creating meaningful learning experiences, leveraging technology to support learning, mediating and liaising & researching learning strategies. Above all, inspiring students to be model human beings!