The Changing Role of Teacher

ging role of teacher In this rapid-changing world, as the skills, knowledge and needs of students change, so does the role of the teacher. Since students spend most of the time with the teacher, teacher often considered as a guider, mentor, adviser, role model or friend. Apart from knowledge expert, a teacher must demonstrate positive ethnics and qualities. These qualities can be reflected in his thought, speech and behavior and students were expected to learn it. A teacher can also share his personal experiences with students and give assistance, advice, suggestions when the students are facing personal problems.
Beside showing close and caring connections with students, the ultimate role of teacher is transforming a student into independent, self-directed and life-long learner. The most common role of teacher includes teaching knowledge and design curriculum/syllabus. Teacher serves as a knowledge provider and delivers information to the students through lectures and notes. As depicted in Saber-Tooth Curriculum by J. Abner Peddiwell, teachers must always revise the curriculum and focus on up-dated skills and knowledge. As quoted by John Dewey "If we teach today's students as we taught yesterdays, we rob them of tomorrow", because yesterday’s education is no longer effective for tomorrow's students. In view of this, the role of teacher must change in order to adapts to the needs of today’s culture.
In my opinion, teacher should adopt a leaner-centered approach in the process of teaching. Teacher provides the materials to students and creates an environment that encourages self-directed learning. Teacher should become an expert questioner, rather than provider of answers. Students need to be intellectual literacy and acquired problem-solving skills, instead of solely memorizing and regurgitating facts. Teacher must engage and direct students to effectively collect, understanding and synthesize information. Hence, teachers are often known as facilitator, whose