Teaching in the good old days was adorable. One would go to any village and teachers there were held in high esteem. The perception about the profession went beyond imparting knowledge to school children. Teachers served as role models and the cream of the society. Women who got married to them were immediately regarded as belonging to a certain class.

Modern thinking about teaching, however, does not particularly endear the job to many hearts. Not withstanding public opinion in recent times about the career, teachers still have significant roles to play in the society. Basically, one goes into teaching to be compensated (I am sorry but to be paid salaries) monthly for his arduous task.

However, teaching does not just involve accumulation of knowledge, imparting it to school children and receiving an apology of a salary.

A teacher, then, is faced with the responsibility of patiently bearing with all the peculiarities of students. He or she has to apply all the methods, skills and experience in handling the school children. The brilliant ones do not pose many problems. A little guidance does the job. Those who are less “academically endowed” constitute the teacher’s greatest challenge. Here is where a teacher’s worth is really recognized. He may not have to give up on them but rather go the extra mile by sacrificing his time, energy and if need be, resources to help that caliber of children out. Let us face it. There is nothing like, “The teacher’s reward is in heaven.” We all know that but one is always rewarded for any good deed done. A reward or blessing need not always take the form of material gains but just seeing a very weak student passing his exams gives inward satisfaction. In effect, a teacher does not merely impart knowledge to whoever cares to benefit from it and telling the rest to go to hell or simply labelling them “unteachable”. Unfortunately, the student’s ego is at stake. School children are human beings first and whatever, next.

Another important role of the teacher is to offer guidance and counselling services. The trained personnel for this exist in schools but each teacher is uniquely expected to direct school children. These services range from guidance on academic work, social and personal lives and any other issues that are brought to our notice. Therefore, a teacher ought to be equipped with the prerequisite skills to handle all these in the most mature way to earn the trust and confidence of students. This also requires that the teacher should be very knowledgeable, constantly avail his or herself for participation in self-development programmes, and be abreast with current educational policies and the like.

Perhaps the most demanding aspect of the teacher’s responsibilities is the fact that like any parent or adult, he should serve as an example to the pupils or students. What if a teacher decides that he or she is in to teach and not to show the way? It pays a lot for every teacher to be conscious of this demand on his life. Undoubtedly, he or she influences the behavior of many. These rippling effects, whether positive or negative affect pupils or students’ lives and consequently their academic work. In the smaller communities, this situation assumes a different dimension. The teacher cannot simply ignore the fact that he is an object of admiration or of disgust.

The above factors coupled with all the known supervisory roles of the teacher make the profession more demanding than one would think of.

May the Almighty God give us the wisdom, knowledge and strength to face all the challenges inherent in the job and be equal to the task not necessarily for material gains bur for the sake of helping fellow human beings.

Vivian Mireku (Mrs.)
Ghana Senior High School
Koforidua

Eastern Region