Teacher Roles

In Chapter 1, Kumar talks about different perceptions and roles of teachers.  He talks about the term “vocation” which means “to call”.  He sees vocation as service to others that provides individuals with a sense of identity and personal fulfillment.  He then brings up other words associated with teaching and what he perceives as the meaning of these words.  A job is primarily for survival.  Work can have personal meaning but it does not imply service to others.  A career shows long-term commitment but differs in the same ways as job/work.  Lastly, a profession emphasizes expertise but the individual may not see the work as a calling (Kumaravadivelu 6).  I think that these terms are useful to evaluate yourself to see what is driving your decision to be a teacher.  I personally relate with his definition of vocation because teaching young children is a giant part of my identity.  I find so much satisfaction and fulfillment in it and it really is my passion.  

According to Kumar there are three “strands of thought” when referring to the roles of a teacher.  One view is teachers as passive technicians.  This is traced to the behavioral school of psychology which focuses more on the education then the teachers.  This view holds professional experts to the highest degree.  Classroom teachers simply learn the content knowledge that was agreed upon in the field and pass it on to the students.  Teachers are passive instead of reflective.  They are not supposed to challenge the validity or the reliability of what they’re told to teach (Kumaravadivelu 8).  I see this a lot on a national, state, and district level right now.  There are so many assessments and standardized tests that teachers are being required to implement in their classrooms right now that there isn’t a lot of opportunity for reflective/creative teaching.  It’s very laid out and direct with no consideration to the actual learners and what is developmentally appropriate for them.  I see a lot of teachers that desire to be reflective/transformative and do their best, but they are really being held back by the administrators and laws that they have to follow, many of which came into place from No Child Left Behind.  

Teachers as reflective practitioners are seen as problem-solvers.  They are creative and think critically as they reflect on how to better their teaching.  Teachers monitor their on-going performance during a lesson, identify unexpected problems, and instantly shift their teaching to meet the needs of their students.  These teachers will also reflect after their lessons to improve it for next time (Kumaravadivelu 10).  This is a giant piece to how I’ve been taught to teach through the early childhood education program here at ISU.  

Teachers as transformative individuals seek a pedagogy that empowers teachers and learners to bring their own experiences into the educational setting.  They are professionals who reflect on ideological principles to inform their teaching, connecting theory and practice, and sharing ideas.  Teachers strive for both educational advancement and personal transformation.  Teachers do their best to maximize learning opportunities in the classroom as well as transform life outside of the classroom (Kumaravadivelu 14).  This is my goal as a teacher.  I don’t just want my kids to leave the classroom learning how to read, write, and do math.  I want my students to learn skills that will lead them to be better individuals in society.  I want them to work towards good instead of evil.  I want them to learn how to overcome challenges and to not give up; knowing the satisfaction they can have when they persevere.  I want them to learn how to be a good friend and the importance of serving others within a community.  I want them to receive love so that they can show love to others.  I desire to see the world change through one six year old at a time.    

“The primary concern for teachers should be the depth of critical thinking rather than the breadth of content knowledge (Kumaravadivelu 20).”  I may not know everything, but I know that I love kids and I know that one of my favorite things in life is seeing transformation.  I desire to see the process of a child moving from point A to point B and to do everything within my power to move them forward; and I think that’s a good place to start.