An overview of the role of an ideal teacher

L Devakumar Singh *

Teacher's Day Celebration by Edn(S) Govt of Manipur :: September 05 2009

Teacher is the mirror through which a student can see his/her future. Teacher is the role model of many young budding talents. It is the teacher whose character and attitude reflect the future of the students. Teacher's whole character and personality can to a large extend influence the teaching and learning environment.

An ideal teacher is the one who loves, caring, tolerant and free from bias and prejudice. Teacher should never ever try to build up such a frame of mind which tends to consider students as their enemies for any reasons whatsoever. Whatever the case it may be, the role of teacher is to identify the changing behavior of the students inside and outside the classroom lest it becomes counterproductive.

Teachers need to play a multi-dimensional role specifically in residential schools. Teacher should try to understand why some students are mischievous while some other remain inhibit. Why are some students introvert while others extrovert? Why some students are very provocative and aggressive? In short teachers need to know in and out of the students' character and behavior.

A teacher needs to handle all these situations tactfully with fatherly and motherly affection. Otherwise there is likelihood of emerging or forming destructive mindset. Teacher needs to embrace them as their own child. Every movement and step of the students should be observed so that they are not caught wrong footed. They need to be helped in building moral value and rational thinking apart from the subject taught in the class.

Teacher should remain calm and composed in dealing with the students and must try to understand the logic of the student. Teacher should share thoughts with the students. Nevertheless, sharing thought is not an easy task because the teacher needs to be sophisticated, rational and up to-date in various intellectual fields irrespective of the subject which he/she taught. He/she should have the convincing logical power. While dealing with the emotionality of the students, the teacher needs to show empathy.

Teacher should try to feel the pulse of the students. Students should be encouraged to ask question whether the question is logical or illogical or relevant or irrelevant.

Never ever such a frame of mind should be allowed to emerge in the mind of an ideal teacher that some difficult question should be asked to a particular student so that he/she never dares to ask question again in the class or whatever. Such an attitude strains relationship with the students and more importantly it may lead to losing respect. This is what is happening in most of the educational institutions today.

Further, it is important to make a note that education is not only about the teaching of the prescribed subjects in the classroom but also helping the students or any other person to think and see for themselves and not to accept what is being given. That means inculcating the rational attitude among the students. Teacher needs to know what true education is.

True education tries to help or find what are the gifts of the individual and help they flourish within them. It would help the student to think of his impact on the society as a whole and discover his relationship to the society and the world itself.

It should be the primary responsibility of each and every teacher to make student realize that education is not means to get a good job and respectable place in the society but also to help to cultivate the responsibilities to be a good citizen, the citizen who can bridge the gap between different communities and mitigate corruption of every form. For this a sense of education and proper grooming is essential to enable the student to think independently and come under no circumstances with bad influences.

For a society to function, the relationship of the individual in relationship to society needs to be discussed in the school or any other educational institutions. The situation should be created by each and every teacher. Teacher should provide right kind of information about other groups or communities so that no notion about one group or other that they are violent, uncivilized, greedy, hypocrite, dominant and bla bla arises.

Teacher should provide right kind of education to broaden student's mind and helps to look beyond stereotypes and stops from being prejudiced and percolates the same educational value to the society.

This is undeniable fact that education is the powerful instrument to promote peace and harmony. Care must be taken while instructing the student so that it produces good result. It is very very important to inculcate moral ethics and role to be played by the student in the society and to the nation itself. Teacher should try to make students realize how important they are in the society. They are the backbone of the future progress, stability and prosperity.

How invaluable are their contributions in the democratic process of the country? They must be imbued with the practical ideas and importance of performing their rightful duties. At any cost the individual rights should not be compromised because it will lead us nowhere.

It should be the dream of an ideal teacher that students carry their classroom experiences as invigorating and even inspiring environments to move ahead. It should be the dream of every ideal teacher that students will come to know themselves as masters of various crafts. It should be the dream of every teacher that their students lead the nation to the progress and prosperity by shunning violence and communal feelings.

An ideal teacher is just like a candle which consumes itself to light the way for others. A good teacher will never forget that there are stumbling blocks ahead on his/her ways but it all depends on how he/she uses them. This is what every intellectual individual expects form teacher.