The Nature of Teaching and Teacher’s Roles

Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

• Understand the nature of teaching;

• Define what is teaching;

• Differentiate the roles of a teacher in society

Following the mandate of Article XV section 1 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, all citizen of
the country shall have the privilege and rights to education. Every student who occupies every corner of
the room deserves an outstanding, dedicated, self-disciplined and effective teacher who’ll guide them
through out their journey. Teachers have the responsibility to push their learners to their full potential
and to develop their personality. They greatly influence the lives of their learners and are expected to be
professionally competent in the practice of their profession.

It is an accepted fact that teachers are usually not born but made. Good teachers nurture their
knowledge and skills through constant and deliberate efforts. One of the prerequisites to be good
teacher is to understand the teaching learning process in more depth way. This facilitates better
appreciation of the teaching profession as well as the process of imparting education.

‘Teaching is the highest form of understanding.’

–Aristotle

What is teaching?
 In its broadest sense, Teaching is a process that facilitates learning,
 A specialized skill, knowledge and attributes designed to provide unique service to meet
the educational need,
 A noble profession which comes with so much responsibility and duty towards students.

The roles of a teacher

 Teacher as a PERSON (under Article XI od the Code of Ethics for Professional
Teachers)

a. A teacher is, above all. a human being endowed with life for which it is the
highest obligation to live with dignity at all times whether in school, in the home,
or elsewhere. (sect.1)
b. A teacher shall place premium upon self-discipline as the primary principles of
personal behavior in all relationships with others and in all situations. (sect.2)
c. A teacher shall maintain at all times a dignified personality which could serve as
a model worthy of emulation by learners, peers and all others. (sect.3)
d. A teacher shall always recognize the Almighty God as guide of his own destiny
and of the destinies of men and nations. (sect.4)

 Teacher as a PROFESSIONAL

What is profession?
- A vocation or occupation requiring advanced education and training and involving
intellectual skills. The work is based on unique knowledge and skills grounded in research and
practice in the field.
 What is professional?
- Has completed higher education, usually at the advanced level, and engages in and is
worthy of the high standards of a profession.

“Professions and Professionals answer to a

written code of ethics.”

Teachers as professionals

 The certificated teacher is the essential element in the delivery of instruction to students,
regardless of the mode of instruction.
 Teachers provide personal, caring service to students by diagnosing their needs and by planning,
selecting and using methods and evaluation procedures designed to promote learning.

Characteristics of Professional Educator

-WORK in a collegial manner with colleagues.
-ASSOCIATE with and learn from positive mentors.
-JOIN a professional organization.
-CONTINUE TO LEARN through classes, workshops, conferences, in-service meetings, books,
journals, tapes, and advanced degrees.

“Teaching is a profession laden with risk and

responsibility that requires a great deal from those who
enter into it.” -John I. Goodlad

 Teacher as a COMMUNITY LEADER AND SOCIAL ADVOCATE

Educators play an important role in the development of people and communities. Jan and Ed Philpot
(1994) concretized this idea by encouraging a stronger link between home, school, and community
through effective programs developed and implemented by teachers. Teacher as a community leader
and social advocate shall be;

a. An active leader in the community.

b. Provides leadership roles in various cultural development programs in their communities.
c. Provides technical and professional assistance in the local communities where they belong.
d. Helps the community on implementing certain provisions of Republic Act 7610, also known as
the "Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act."
e. Provides advice on educational matter and serves as a leaders and organizers of community
activities for children, women, and youth.
f. An advocate for quality education, protection and welfare of children and youth, promotion of
literacy, human rights, wellness and health, justice, and many other concerns.

 Teacher as a MODEL OF GOOD CHARACTER

a. A role models who inspires students to learn. Their teaching style enable students to learn as
well as their interaction with them.
b. Students learn best from those teachers to whom they like.
c. Students tend to copy the behavior and mannerism of the teachers.
d. The teacher's entire personality is a reflection on the mind of the students.
e. As a model of character, a teacher should have a balanced personality, good habits,
praiseworthy attitude and knows how to keep his emotions in control.

 Teacher as AN EXPERT

a. More adept at monitoring student problems and assessing their level of understanding
and progress, and they provide much more relevant, useful feedback.
 b. More adept at developing and testing hypotheses about learning difficulties or
instructional strategies.
c. The expertise of teachers in content and in pedagogy is contributory to their immense
task of molding the mind and character of every individual person who become their
students.  

The need for teachers to be experts in various fields in the academe serves the purpose to prepare
students to respond to myriad of challenges brought by the 21st Century. Shulman (1987) tried to
organize important domains of knowledge that are important for teachers:

1. Knowledge in content

2. Pedagogical content knowledge

3. Knowledge about learner

4. General pedagogical knowledge

5. Knowledge of educational context

6. Curriculum knowledge

7. Knowledge of educational ends, purposes, and values

As experts in different areas, teachers need to possess the 4 C':

 Creativity
 Critical thinking
 Commitment
 Character

EXERCISES: TESTING YOUR LEARNING CAPACITY

Instructions: Write your answers on your respective notebooks, take a photo and upload on the
comment section.

Guided Questions:

1. What is Teaching?

a. Teaching is not a process that could educate others.

b. Teaching is a process that gives students a headache.

c. Teaching is a process that facilitates learning.

d. Teaching is just all about transferring knowledge.

2. Why teaching is considered as a Noble profession?

a. Because teaching is a hard thing to do.

b. Because teaching is a difficult work of the teachers.

c. Because teaching makes other people powerful and strong.

d. Because teaching takes courage, patience and passion to develop a student's capabilities.

3. What role of a teacher that serves as a leader and an organizer of community activities about women,
child and youth?

a. Teacher as a person

b. Teacher as an expert

c. Teacher as a role model

d. Teacher as a community leader and a social advocate

4. What role does a teacher plays when he/she inspires students to learn?

a. Teacher as a Person

b. Teacher as a Model of Character

c. Teacher as an Expert

d. None of the above

5. As a model of character, teacher should have a balanced personality, good habits, ______, and knows
how to keep his emotions in control.

a. Praiseworthy attitude

b. Negative attitude

c. Unpleasant manners

d. Both C and D

6. What role of a teacher that serves as a leader and an organizer of community activities about women,
child and youth?

a. Teacher as a person

b. Teacher as an expert

c. Teacher as a role model

d. Teacher as a community leader and a social advocate

7. What provision do teachers implement to help the community?

a. Republic Act 7610

b. Republic Act 9344

c. Republic Act 9710

d. Republic Act 11036

8. A ______ is more adept at monitoring student’s problem and assessing their level of understanding
and progress, and they provide much more relevant, useful feedback.

A. Teacher as a Professional

B. Teacher as an Expert

C. Teacher as a Community Leader and Social Advocate

D. Teacher as a Person

9. The expertise of teacher in _____ and in _______ is contributory to their immerse task of molding the
mind and character of every individual person who become their students

A. Roles and Program

B. Protection and Welfare

C. Content and Pedagogy

D. None of the above

10. As experts in different areas, teachers need to possess the 4 C's. which of the following is not
included?

A. Critical thinking

B. Compassion

C. Creativity

D. Commitment