Evolution and sustenance play the most important role in an individual’s life. Humankind is designed to learn and evolve, adapt to circumstances and survive. With constant changes in these circumstances comes the need to learn innovative means of survival. Education provides the means and path to succeed amidst changing economic environment and competitive corporate world. It helps bring out the best in individuals and apply it with vigor and enthusiasm in their fields of interest. Effectively delivered education equips people with the tools to lead a life of dignity and serves as a motivational factor in their professional lives.
The most important values in teaching profession are respect, care, integrity and trust. The code of conduct for teachers established by The Teaching Council (revised on 20 June 2012) outline the values teachers should identify themselves with in their role as instructional leaders. Respect towards teaching profession, towards students, towards being an inspiration and motivation for the aspirants and towards the role of each individual in the society is paramount for teachers to justify their role. The value that interests and intrigues me most if care. It is the most efficient tool in a teacher’s paraphernalia. It has been widely established and accepted that respect and care displayed towards an individual’s ideals and persona results in equivalent reciprocation. Therefore it becomes the role of a teacher to care about the ideas, creativity and thought process of individual students and nurture them to tap the best out of them. Integrity and trust play an equal role in making a teacher and effective instructional leader and gives students a paragon to look up to. Holistic development of a student’s ideas and a teacher’s commitment to mold them into sustainable practical output is what distinguishes a great teacher from a good one. My idea of an ideal teacher is one that encompasses the above stated values with unfaltering growth oriented approach for students. These values have served as the source of inspiration for me to choose teaching as a profession.
Teaching is a composite and multifarious activity that requires adaptability to prevailing circumstances and mind set of students, juggling of multiple tasks as well as goals simultaneously with flexibility towards change and creativity. The most important principle in teaching profession in my view is effective delivery of ideas that transform into practical solutions and aid students to be efficient professionals in a competitive environment. The importance of gathering knowledge about students and flow of ideas in a classroom first and subsequently using that information towards development activities can’t be emphasized enough. An interactive session is one that every teacher must aim for as it aids in maximum exchange of ideas through involvement of students. Learning objectives, assignments & assessments and instructional activities should all be synchronized towards achievement of one goal – overall development of student. An effective instructional leader would differ from a teacher in identifying the shortcomings or blind spots in a student’s learning curve and fill it up with maximum throughput. He progressively learns and considers change as a part of learning culture.
The principle underlying all round development of students is to track changes in the professional world and aid them in adequate preparation to face the real world. An educational instructional leader would monitor the changing requirements and equip students to face them. Several basic principles that should be followed by inspirational teachers are sharing intellectual control with students, providing them with adequate opportunities for creative thinking and independent decision making, establishing a classroom environment conducive to critical analysis of ideas and formulation of theories whether real or hypothetical, developing risk taking appetite in students, use of intellectually challenging teaching methodologies, regular review and revision of assignment & assessment procedures, developing awareness of students and utilizing teaching practices designed to promote quality learning.
My implementation of the above outlined values and principles would be oriented towards overall development of students to become better individuals, lead a responsible and productive life with an approach to contribute to society and humankind. Values such as respect and integrity need to be imbibed in students to make them socially responsible citizens and professionally successful employees. The target of teaching principles should be to develop creative thinking abilities in students and their practical application in real life.
Students should be well prepared to step out of schools and colleges and become tomorrow’s leaders. Decisive ability should come naturally to them through effective teaching techniques such as debate oriented classroom sessions, report preparation on practical situations, real time economic scenario discussions, open ended discussions projects on political situations, debates over global power shift etc. Awareness and exposure play an extremely crucial role in any individual’s life. Students need to be exposed to business and social situations to be prepared to face them when encountered in real life. Internships in business enterprises expose students to the intricacies of business world. Preparation of elaborate reports on such projects gives a teacher an opportunity to identify gaps in the student’s learning and adequately fill them up. Participation in social activities and awareness campaigns is an exemplary method for students to learn social responsibility. It enables them to be responsible citizens.
Educational instructional leadership is a challenging and demanding role that requires indefatigable perseverance and responsible attitude. I’ve chosen to tread on this path with care and propose to justify it with finesse.
References
1. Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers, The Teaching Council, June 2012. Retrieved from http://www.teachingcouncil.ie/professional-standards/code-of-professional-conduct-for-teachers.1425.html
2. The Teaching Council, 2012.Retrieved from http://www.tui.ie/_fileupload/Codes%202007.pdf
3. Queen’s University, Faculty of Education. Retrieved from http://educ.queensu.ca/ar/t4ql.html
4. Project for Enhancing Effective Learning. Retrieved from http://www.peelweb.org/index.cfm?resource=pip_principles_of_teaching
5. The Art and Science of Teaching: A Comprehensive Framework for Effective Instruction, Robert Marzano, ASCD, 2007. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.in/books?id=JBeFD6sTx_IC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Art+and+Science+of+Teaching:+A+Comprehensive+Framework+for+Effective+Instruction,+by+Robert+Marzano,+ASCD,+2007&hl=en&sa=X&ei=WLJpUYnkBIfs0QHrh4HYDw&redir_esc=y
6. Wisconsin's Guiding Principles for Teaching and Learning. Retrieved from http://dpi.wi.gov/stn_guiding-principles
