World Teachers' Day is an international day held annually on 5 October to celebrate the work of teachers. It was established in 1994. To celebrate World Teachers' Day, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Education International (EI) mount a campaign each year to help give the world better understanding of teachers and the role they play in the development of students and society. ~ Wikipedia
I googled, “The changing role of teachers” wishing to contribute a blog post for World Teachers’ Day. The search engine introduced me to Dr. Jayendrakumar. N. Amin and his informative paper entitled, “Redefining the Role of Teachers in the Digital Era.”
““Teaching is not just a job. It is a human service, and it must be thought of as a mission.”
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In summary, his scholarly article points out that the 21st century educator’s role has shifted from being an “instructor”, who dispenses, in my words, prescribed packages of information, to assuming the multifaceted role of becoming, in his words, “the constructor, facilitator, coach, and creator of learning environments”.
The paper underscores that this transformation of the teacher’s roles from knowledge transmitter to facilitator and coordinator is both complex and challenging in our present changing world. World Teachers’ Day offers us an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions our teachers make to the betterment of society.
Today’s teachers, amid the daily barrage of misinformation, help develop the knowledge but more importantly the judgement and understanding young people need to be wise and contributing citizens.
““Some people change the world.
And some people change the people who change the world,
and that’s you.” ”
As a former educator, I urge all of us today, to pause, be thankful, and appreciate that the daily task of the classroom teacher is complex and challenging but paramount to the development of learners and society.
Let all of us today offer a virtual, resounding shout out to all teachers, thanking them for the multiple, often underappreciated roles they fulfill day in and day out.
-Sister Nancy Wales, csj