A number of social forces in the society can hinder the enhancement of community

development.However,a primary school teacher can utilize sociological knowledge to enhance the
community development through community engagement, empowerment, encourage critical thinking
and analysis.This essay aims at identifying ways in which a primary school teacher can use to enhance
community development.Key terms to be defined are teacher, sociological knowledge and community
development.

Farrant(2011),says a teacher is one who impart knowledge attitudes and skills.Gill Nichols(2004)defines
a teacher as one who attend people's needs, experiences and feelings so that they learn particular
things,Therefore a teacher is one who is able to explain and demonstrate concepts in a variety ways for
different learners and learning styles.

Moreland and Lovett(2007),see community development as a learning process that involves people in
experiences from which they will learn ways of enhancing their capacity for self directed activity and
destiny.Community development can be described as the process of animation that gives rise to process
of self education,the essence of which is a heightening of the capacity for self determination,
(Drapper,2007).. Therefore community development is the process that engages in
politics,leadership,power attainment,group dynamics,learning and social change.

According to Norbs(2004), sociological knowledge is the study of the relationship between human
thought and the social context within which it arises,and the effects that prevailing ideas have on
societies.Innobert(2010) defines sociological knowledge as a body which is concerned with determining
whether human participation in social life has any influence on human knowledge, thought,and culture
and,if it does,what sort of influence it is.Therefore, sociological knowledge is the study of human
socialization and their effect on their societies.

As a primary school teacher with sociological knowledge,it is pivotal to teach the community about the
need for community empowerment so as to enhance community development.Community
empowerment addresses the social, cultural,political , economic, physical capital,expressed as
assets(Panek & Flock,2013),The process was meant to help communities to change their thinking
from,"this is what we lack",to we are richer than we realized",(Panek,2014,p.23),determinants that
underpin health and seeks to build partnerships with other sectors to find solutions.Community
empowerment recognizes and strategically acts upon this inter-linkage and ensures that power is shared
locally and the nation at large.Actions cannot ignore the influence of or impact of community
development but the aid of a teacher with sociological knowledge can be of positive levels.Communiry
empowerment, therefore,is more than the involvement, participation or engagement of communities..It
implies community ownership and action that explicitly aims at social and political change.Community
empowerment is a process of re-negotiating power to gain more control as it recognizes that if some
members of the community are going to be empowered,others will be sharing their existing power and
giving some of it(Twaddlers and Hessler,2007.

According to Alexander (2008), teachers can introduce sociological concept and

theories into their lessons to help students to understand the social structure and
processes that shape their communities. Shum(2014)argued that community
mapping is a methodology that encourages and empowers the community to
explore itself and to advance on active,Therefore teachers can use
textbooks,scholarly articles,and online resources to gather information about
sociological theories and concepts.They also consider inviting guest speakers,such
as sociologist or community activists,to share their expertise and experiences with
the students.

Jazairi(2016)observes that a major problem of defining community health in

terms of positive degree of wellness is that community health is a set of
interacting and intersecting characteristics,rather than a single observable
entity.ln order for progress to take place in the community that is community
development, has to get rid of social stratification.As a primary school teacher
with sociological knowledge ,it is vital that the community is taught the concept of
working together for progress to take place so as to enhance community
development.As social groups within the community learn to work together for
example the haves may provide resources that are needed for the development
of the community and have not provide the manpower needed,thus encouraging
the concept of working together and forming relationships as encouraged by the
study of sociology.Therefore teachers can connect students with local community
organizations, encourage them to volunteer or participate in community events.

In addition , teachers can foster critical thinking skills by encouraging students to

question social norms and assumptions.Barton(2006),held the view that
literacy,as social action through language,contributes to the development of
students as agents inside a larger culture.Papen (2005), articulated that
essentially,it moves the reader's focus away from the self in critical reading to the
interpretation of texts on different environmental and cultural contexts.Therefore
community mapping facilitates a process for students and teachers to creatively
reimage the text that they have read when they interact.

According to WHO(2001),each community and country at large is to establish it's

health goals, traditional public health indicators such as infant mortality which are
combined with social,economic and political indicators to measure progress
toward community development.Although such indicators often are used
comparatively to rank the health status of various areas.The desired outcomes
are to be normatively determined within each community for it to enhance it's
development.As a primary school teacher with sociological knowledge the key to
enhance community development is to ensure that the society create
opportunities for the members of the community to connect with each
other.These opportunities can be in either work out hub that discourages the use
of drugs and centres where they would ingage in teaching one another key skills
in life so that they may better their lives.Therefore teachers improve
development of the community by teaching people what is good and wrong .

Blum(2014)identified the developmental components of the community system

as being the physical,social, cultural, political, educational and economic
environment,group behavior,health care services,and hereditary characteristics of
community members As a teacher with sociological knowledge it is easier to
enhance community development by ensuring that each and every member of
the community is involved in the community efforts as this is the heart of the
community organization .This may be conducted in various ways such as informal
conversation going door to door using a more formal method of
recruiting.Community development as a normatively is described as social label.ln
line with the society,norms define what a community accepts as adequate
developing,how community members feel about adjustment and the lack of
progress and what level of functioning is expected by the community.The
community can be developed by ensuring that the intrinsic worth and dignity of
man is promoted within the community so that the whole community may focus
on what really matters.Therefore teachers can use multicultural literature,
documentaries,or guest speakers to initiate discussions on cultural diversity.They
can also organise cultural exchange programs or arrange visits to places of
worship, community centres or ethnic festivals to expose students to different
cultures.

However, community development is not a process that can be sorely left out for
a teacher alone as some hindrances for progression requires the government
intervention though fundings.For community progress to take place there is need
or adequate funding to develop the infrastructure in the community such as
buildings,roads and sources for basic needs..For the greater part of the
communities to progress the government still needs to play a major role in the
process as it is the key for empowering the members of the community and not
the teacher with sociological knowledge.

In conclusion one can safely say that,to a greater extent a teacher by utilizing
transformative sociological knowledge can empower students to become
informed,engaged members of their communities,fostering social change and
community development,promote dialogue and cultural understanding,
encourage critical thinking and analysis and incorporate sociological perspectives
in the curriculum.

References

Alexander R(2008).Pedagogy, culture and curriculum.In K Hall.

Blum.Henrik E.(2014)Planning for Health: Development and Application of social

Change,Theory.New York:Human Science Press.

Drapper,J.(Ed.)(1971). Citizen Participation.Toronto:New Press.

Farrant J.S(2011).Principles and practice of education.Longman.

Innobert,M.(2010).The Concept of Studying Sociology.Montego:Jamming

Press

Jazairi,N,T.(2016).Approaches to the Development of Health lndicators.Paris:

Organization For Economic Cooperation and Development.

Moreland,R,and Lovett,T.(1997).Lifelong learning and community

development.International Journal of Lifelong Education,16(3),201-216.

Norbs,U.(2004). Sociology and The Community.London:Longman.

Panek J.(2014).How Participating mapping can drive community empowerment:A
Case Study of Koffiekraal,South Africa.Sourh African Geographical
Journal,97(1),18-30.https:// doi-org/10.1080/037373624S.2014,924866.

Parek J,and viol.A.C.(2013,August 25-30),Participatory Mapping As a Tool For

Community.

Twaddle,A.,and Hessler,R.(2007),A Sociology of Health.St.Louis:Mosby.