One Title , Many Roles
Unity
And watched two sculptors there.
The clay they used was a young child’s mind,
And they fashioned it with care.
One was a teacher; the tools he used
Were books and music and art;
One, a parent with a guiding hand
And gentle, loving heart.
Day after day the teacher toiled,
With a touch that was deft and sure,
While the parent laboured by his side
And polished and smoothed it over.
And when at last their task was done
They were proud of what they had wrought,
For the things they had moulded into the child,
Could neither be sold nor bought.
And each agreed he would have failed,
If he had worked alone.
For behind the parent stood the school,
And behind the teacher the home.
A parent is the first teacher to a newborn. As the child grows and enters the gates of formal learning, the adults at school become their teachers, opening windows of the world for the child. We know that a teacher’s job is multifaceted.
What if your second-grade child loves to read but tends to avoid math? Our teacher will find ways to ensure the math is done and also becomes fun. Sometimes this involves a gentle discussion with a child about time management skills, priorities, or setting goals. Sometimes the teacher will find a way to integrate the child’s interests into the less desirable work. Sometimes all it takes is a minor change in the environment. Teachers give children freedom, but they assist children in finding their way to success in this environment.
We believe that a teacher needs to don many hats to bring about holistic learning in a child. Teachers are not just facilitators but also partners in learning, guide, co-constructors, communicators, psychologists, educators, researchers, advocates of children, documenters and many more.
Co-Constructor
Our teacher is a guide to the child's learning through nurturing their curiosity, providing a hypothesis, and solving problems.
Documenter
When it comes to assessments, our teachers don’t rely on just standardized tests; they rely on the power of observation. They have notebooks brimming with evidence of what their students have mastered, need more support with, and are curious about. They are constantly recording what they notice children working on, how that work is being executed, and ideas they might have in anticipation of a child’s next steps.
Researcher
Our teachers take on the role of the researcher so that they can lend knowledge and expertise to the children.
Advocate
The final role of our teachers is to be an advocate for children by being involved in the community, knowing the needs related to children, and speaking up for children when required. Our teachers sit beside a child and determine what they know and what needs to be supported, the area of challenges and plan and work on how to help the child overcome it.
The greatest sign of success for a teacher... is to be able to say, “The children are now working as if I did not exist.”
