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Role of the teacher After completing the TEFL/tesol course I have come to the conclusion that the role of the teacher has changed a lot over the years. This is also true from my own personal experience. The role of the teacher is not simply to stand in front of the class and deliver information (teacher centered), but to involve students in their own learning journey (student centered). In my current role, the curriculum now states that the learning environment must be ?child-centered? and stimulating in a way that children can make sense of things and understand the world around them. The role of the adult is seen more as a facilitator in the children?s learning, with the children taking a lead role in deciding the direction their learning will take. This was not so true a few years ago when the curriculum involved very planned and structured adult-led activities. With the world moving towards being a fast paced technological society, the teacher plays a vital role in ensuring that the students are able to think, plan and act on their knowledge. tesol/TEFL encourages and emphasises the importance of student ?student interaction and lots of student talk time. tesol/tefl teachers must make each lesson varied and interesting and provide the students with a purpose and desire to communicate. Talking to the students and getting to know what they are interested in is another key role of the teacher as well as being fun and enthusiastic. A teacher must possess excellent knowledge of the subject area as one of their main responsibilities is to share that information and knowledge with the students in a way that is accessible and easy to understand. Teachers must be organised and ensure that lesson plans are completed and include learner objectives, personal aims, context and phase, only to name a few. As well as encouraging high student talk time, giving students individual attention is also an important part of being a good teacher. Making sure that all students are included and involved in each lesson is crucial to engaging them in the subject and also in making them feel valued. ?A buzz about education is exactly what we need. We want people to be excited about what?s happening in our schools. We want young people to be enthused. We want teachers to be able to be more creative, to be able to stretch young people more.?(Taken from the Department for Education publication ?Building on your strengths ? A guide for teacher?.) As well as possessing excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to plan and deliver lessons that are interesting and varied, a teacher must have the ability to deal with problem behaviour and to maintain discipline. A good teacher is able to find a balance between a controlled lesson and a friendly, relaxed atmosphere in a lesson. In summary, it is clear that the role of the teacher is a fundamental part of any human beings learning journey. Although teachers don?t have all the answers, a good teacher does possess the necessary knowledge and skills to plan and deliver lessons that are fun, purposeful and inclusive of all students. I am really excited about the future now I have completed my tesol/TEFL qualification. I have a passion for helping others and I will feel proud to be a part of the many different learning journeys that students will endeavor. Thank you for all your support throughout the course, I have learned so much and I can?t wait to put it all into practice!
