The modern teacher is a mediator!
The modern avatar of a teacher is that of a friend and a guide. Gone are the days when she was an authoritative figure who dictates do’s and don’ts in class.
Today, a teacher eases and mediates the process of education. The modern teacher is someone who seamlessly fits into the new order in school education where a classroom session is no more teacher-centric. Contemporary classrooms are spaces where the process happens according to the students’ learning needs. It is a domain where education is no more imposed but gently inculcated.
Teachers are fast taking to the web world to teach better. They teach concepts in classroom (either with the help of e-learning modules or the modules they prepare by themselves). Later, they offer their students self-learning modules to make them independent.
For instance, it will only be apt for today’s students to use self-learning web-based modules to practice maths problems; crack sciences quizzes; and, play word games to improve their vocabulary. Once the teacher teaches the concept to them they are completely on their own, the teacher just stands back and supports them wherever needed.
After all, children today are very self-motivated, smart, and aware. Today, the students, especially high school students, are in touch with what is going on around the world as they are exposed to a lot of media content. So, it will be unfair to restrict them to textbooks. Textbooks are a mere base to kick start the academic process.
Anyway, today, the attitude of the student seems to be – engage me or engage me. So, an ideal teacher has no choice but to match her footsteps with her enthusiastic students in the education process. Therefore, it is only natural that the cyber world comes in handy for her and the young minds in this process.
The new role of teachers is also to set a repartee in order to create the ‘wow’ experience in the classroom.
