Though we talk often about learners and their roles, it’s just as important to pay attention to the teachers themselves. According to Hoyle’s and Harmer’s lists, there are a number of roles ascribed to the teacher in a general educational setting:
A representative of society (teachers morals)
A judge (gives marks)
A resource (conveys knowledge)
A helper (provides guidance for student difficulties)
A referee (resolves conflicts)
A detective (catches rule breakers)
An object of identification (has traits that students imitate)
A limiter of anxiety (helps students with impulses)
An ego-supporter (helps with students’ self-confidence)
A group leader (establishes group climate
A parents surrogate (acts as object of bids for attention)
Knowing one’s role can be very motivational as a teacher, which is why it’s important to be familiar with these kinds of lists.
Source: Peter Medgyes, “Teacher-centered and learner-centered approaches”, The Non-Native Teacher
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