CHAPTER 9 TEACHER'S ROLE

Today the average teacher's perception of his role and responsibility is far too limited and is concerned with his own immediate tasks, namely the teaching of the 3 R's and later, covering the subject matter prescribed for the examinations. The teacher must actively and feelingly associate himself, as an essential and responsible partner, in the great tasks which face the nation. If the four national goals were to become the actual motive force and the ideals that every man, woman and child in our land would live by, the teacher must intervene in a big way. The formation of character, a character evolved in response to the national goals, would constitute his primary task. He will indeed prepare students for examinations, and open to them the world of knowledge. But these will count for little unless he has helped them become persons of character. There is the personal aspect of character- building to develop qualities like honesty and integrity and there is the social aspect which defines national character. Such a character identification must not be based on cultural and religious traditions of any one group but must find acceptance by all sections of the people."

Roles of teachers in national development can be enlisted as under:

• Teacher as an agent of change.
• Teacher in the contest of explosion of knowledge-to remain up-to-date.
• Teacher to adopt new methodology to utilize interactive methods of instruction.
• Teacher to use his creative ability.
• Teacher as a procurer of knowledge to enlarge thesphere of his knowledge.
• Teacher as an agent of cooperation withcommunity.
• Teacher to undertake problem-solving research.
• Teacher to initiate management change.
• Teacher to discharge his responsibility with an urgent sense of social purpose.