Introduction
Every school has a certain hierarchical structure that determines the downward flow of instruction, just like it the case of any other organization. Every class will have a number of teachers assigned to it based on the number of subjects there are. For example, the typical 6th standard class will have a physics teacher, chemistry teacher, biology teacher, history teacher, geography teacher, maths teacher, English teacher, and second language teacher. However, they cannot all be in charge of the class. This is where the concept of a class teacher comes in.
Who is A Class Teacher?
A class teacher is a teacher of a class who is assigned the unique role of taking responsibility for the class and all the activities that are involved with that particular class. What this means is that in the case of any announcement or problem the first person who the management will ask to talk to or will inform is the class teacher. The class teacher does not have to be a teacher from a particular stream or subject. There is no compulsion for the teacher to be a maths teacher or physics teacher or history teacher to be assigned that role. The assignment of this role can be either arbitrary or on the basis of experience.
Roles of a Class Teacher
The class teacher has a much wider range of roles to play than the typical subject teacher of the same class. Given below are some of the responsibilities of a class teacher.
Guidance
Irrespective of the subject of teaching the class teacher must be able to guys the students about making decisions regarding their academic careers. This is why it is important to choose someone who has a lot of experience dealing with students and their problems as the last teacher of a particular class, especially classes that are turning points in their life, like 10th and 12th standard. They must be level-headed and composed in offering advice and guidance whenever required.
Critical Thinking
The class teacher must have a critical thinking mindset to be good at their job. This skill helps them in two ways:
- The teacher will be able to take care of any situation that arises as a result of misconduct on the side of the students or other ad hoc requirements of the teachers.
- On the off chance that there is any conflict taking place in class, the teacher will have to take care of this and their critical thinking skills will be very useful in this scenario.
Improves Collaboration Among Students
The last teacher is effectively the leader among the students and they must be the link that connects all the students together in the classroom despite their differences. They must make sure that there is a solid connection between them and students as well as among the students themselves for the smooth functioning of the class all year round.
Coordinator of Class Activities
Decisions related to the class as a whole are taken chiefly by the class teacher which is then conveyed to the administration for approval. Whether it is regarding organizing an excursion, field trip, or group class activity, the class teacher is the one who should be at the forefront, managing the students and taking care of their needs as they come.
Focuses on Holistic Development of Students
The class teacher must look past the academic progress of the student and look at their progress from a holistic perspective. The class teacher will effectively take the role of a coach or mentor and help them through any difficulty they may be facing. The class teacher can even go a step further and assume the role of a counselor if they have knowledge about how students of that age group generally function and know their thought processes.
Conclusion
So it is clear that the class teacher has a bigger role to play than other teachers taking care of the class. They have to often step out of their role as a teacher and continuously wear different hats to serve the different roles that they have to play. The last teacher must not slack in any of the tasks that have to be done because it can effectively affect all the students in the class.
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