Roles of a Teacher - Community and Pastoral Role

Roles of a teacher

Community and Pastoral role

Definition:

Community and pastoral role is one type of role that a teacher has to play. The educator will practise and promote a critical, committed and ethical attitude towards developing a sense of respect and responsibility towards others. Within the school, the educator will demonstrate an ability to develop an empowering and supportive environment for the learners and respond to the educational and other needs of learners and colleagues. The educator will also have a positive attitude towards teaching practice and have sensitivity to parents and the broader environment. They play a very supportive role in the learner's lives.

Importance and the link to progress and learning:

The traits that the educator tries to get across with the above role is important as it will further and help develop the education of the learners. The educator will help learners to progress within school (learning), as well as in the community/society. It develops life-skills, work-skills, provides guidance about study possibilities and work, and helps develop the learners respect to different beliefs, cultures and values. This will help them to respond to current social and educational problems. Thus improves learning and progress in schools.

Learning area subject / discipline specialist

Definition:

Learning area subject / discipline specialist is one type of role that a teacher has to play. The educator has to have a comprehensive knowledge, the skills and principles of the subject matter that they have to teach. A clear vision of where the content being taught, is needed, so that the educator can see and fully understand where it takes the learner with regard to advanced learning possibilities in the discipline. It enables the educator to use different approaches of teaching and learning to suit the needs of every learner. The educator has to know how human beings learn, have knowledge of theories of teaching and learning, psychology of education, philosophy of education and educational management, as well as classroom management. They also have a good knowledge of the specialism and are able to apply it appropriately to the context.

Importance and the link to progress and learning:

The advanced knowledge the educator has on their specific learning area is important as it will help learners to further their knowledge and progress further in school. The educator uses the different approaches to learning to suit every learner so that each of them, whether they learn fast or not, can progress and still be able to learn. Their knowledge on humans, and the way they learn,