Schools are one of the first places where kid’s behavior and future educational success is shaped. Teachers are carriers of either positive or negative behavior toward students. The reason why the first years of school are so critical is because kids learn the base of their educational life. I believe that teachers must love their career in order to be enthusiastic, to assists, and to provide a warm environment to the students. In my opinion teachers are the second parents for the students because students spend a lot of time with their teachers. I believe a teacher becomes a real teacher through many years of training and experiences in the field. The same way, mothers are not born being great mothers but as their experience with their kids expands they become experts on the field. We know that mothers look the best for their kids and one of their goals is to raise their kids so they can become professionals and pioneers for the society. Some of the mother’s role toward kids is to give them care, love, respect, lead, instruct and to try to form a safe and pleasant environment at their homes. Are these attitudes of the mothers toward their kids related to what the role of the teacher should be with the students in the classroom? If not, what should be the role of the teachers then?
I believe that a teacher is someone who becomes a real teacher through many years of training and experience in the field. I have not found a teacher who is an expert the first day of their profession. I believe that is urgent for everyone who is a teacher or is planning to become one to get prepared in the field in the best possible way. All teachers who prepare themselves will know how to set up rules in the classroom. Those kind of teachers will probably have less problems in their classroom because they will be able to control the classroom.
There are all types of teachers some are better than others. Through my life I had some professors who were well prepared and some who were not. I had some teachers who just came into the class and started teaching. They did not get involved with the students. I rarely talked to them. Those teachers did not show any concern about what the students were feeling. One way for a teacher to get students involved in the classroom is to ask questions. I remembered there were some students in the class who were shy including me who did not have the chance to get involved in the class or to participate. Therefore, I believe the way students act depends on the teacher’s attitude. That is why I strongly recommend all teachers to invite the student to participate in the class. It is very important that teachers encourage students because students will benefit from it.
A teacher carries a big responsibility in his/her classroom. One reason is that all students depend on her/him. Everything the teacher says will have an impact on the students. If the teacher feels joy or feels angry, it will be spread among children because the attitude of the teacher is contagious. If the teacher laughs, students also laugh, why? Because teachers are responsible for social behavior in the classroom. If something goes wrong the one responsible is the teacher even if it is not their fault.
The teacher must create a warm and protective but professional environment. If students feel secure in the classroom the result will be shown in the academic progress. A good star could be a mutual trust with each student. Teaches have the responsibility to know his/her students in the classroom. Each day, the teachers show one of their attitudes that the students are unaware. Also, the students do the same in order for the teacher to get to know them, too. This is a good exercise to do because it benefits the whole class to break the ice. The first days most of the students are afraid of the teacher because they do not know the teacher’s personality. It will change until the point that the teacher and students discover to have common hobbies with each other.
I think that school is a place where one goes to learn but I also believe that there should be times where fun becomes essential. That is why I think that a teacher should also have fun with the students. Kids learn faster when they feel attracted to an exciting lesson. There should be interest in what people want to learn says Mr. Spayde in his article “Learning the Key of Life” (59-62).
I believe a teacher should also be someone who guides students rather than someone who is a totalitarian in the classroom. The teacher needs to show respect toward the students so the students also respect the teacher. Teacher must not forget that s/he teaches different students who bring different traditions and customs because the students come from different backgrounds. “One of the keys that is useful for teachers is to understand and accept the way students are acting the way Thomas says in his article “The Mind of Man” (120-124) Therefore, teachers need to create a curriculum that guides students to a path of success. Consequently, they need to receive guiding depending on their students need.
Sometimes, the teacher’s caring attitudes could have a long positive or negative influence on students. Student’s self-esteem could be lifted up because it could create ambitions in their minds for future academic success. As Mike Rose explains in “Lives in Boundaries” that an educator must be an open minded person who must respect the students diversity and give love and caring attitudes toward students. I believe that is crucial to make students believe in themselves. One of the roles that a teacher carries is to encourage students in the issues that bother them about school in their personal life. It could make a big difference in the student’s life if he/she is lifted up to keep going and to not let anything put them down. Psychologically, students could be affected if they have problems with their teachers. One of the results could be that students will avoid going to school. As professional teachers, we do not want any conflict with the students.
Sometimes, the behavior of students demonstrates that something is not going right. Therefore, I think teachers must pay attention to any suspicious signs that could bother the student. As teacher is our responsibility to find out what is going on with the students in the classroom. Kids deep in their hearts feel that teachers could help them but sometimes they are afraid to ask the teacher. This issue I see almost everyday at the school where I work as a teacher’s assistance. The students prefer to talk to their friends about their problems and sometimes teacher is the last person to find out about the problem. Sometimes it’s the teacher’s fault that students do not seek his/her help because sometimes the teachers do not form a bond of communication. The teachers must let students know how she feels when students do not trust her maybe it would help students to change their minds about telling the teacher his/her problem. One of the teachers that I work with is one of these persons. Students do not seek for her help but they rather look for our help instead. I help them in everything I can but sometimes it gets really hard for me to know what to do. I believe that she is with her students. I do not see that she has a connection with the students.
I believe that teachers need to think about what the students are feeling. As teachers, one good way to do this is to look back in our school years and remember what we went through when we were students. We will realize that most of the kids have problems with their teachers. I do not believe that there are students who have not encountered a problem with the teacher. Therefore, I do not think there is a perfect relationship between teachers and students because the relationship of teachers and students is perfect. Therefore, teacher’s priority should only be in the benefit of the student’s feelings.
Often, there is a debate if a teacher should be a role model for students. Teachers are respected by the society because they are viewed as knowledgeable about different subjects of school. I believe that even if teachers do not like to be pointed out as being role models I certainly think they are. Teachers have the qualities to be or become role models for students. Why? Because most teachers respect, love, care, instruct, and guide their students to become a successful person. Students view teacher as being wise therefore they look up to them. Students know that if they need something they just need to ask them. Kids learn from every lesson the teacher gives. Therefore, I believe that a teacher has an enormous responsibility on his/her actions. Even if teachers are considered to be role models I believe they still make mistakes. It is normal to make mistakes because is our nature of being humans. At the same time, students should not look to their teacher to copy them but rather to compare and to see the mistakes are not repeated in their lives. Students should concentrate in doing their work and be proud of the way they are.
All teachers have the key to provide a good environment for the students. The benefits of having a pleasant environment are for the teacher and students. But before that happens a teacher needs to be well prepared in order that the students receive the best treat. It is essential and crucial for teachers to be prepared because the first years of school are very important for the students. The future education success of the students depends on their first years. It’s never late to start a bond of relationship between teachers and students. Consequently, the interaction of the students with the teacher is an everyday act. Even though, there will be some days in which students will have problems but other days where there will not be a problem at all. As humans, sometimes teachers do things that are not correct however we always have another chance to do it better. In conclusion, I strongly believe that teachers need to show respect, caring, become role models, make a pleasant environment, treat students right, instructs them but not be totalitarian, and guides them through the road of success. The one who gets the benefits are the students and sometimes it could be a negative or positive. Throughout my life I have learned valuable lessons from great teachers but I also had negative impact in my life as well.
