This post with keywords – School-Staff-Job-Description-General-Duties-Teachers in one sentence
This post with keywords, School-Staff-Job-Description-General-Duties-Teachers, outlines the general responsibilities of school teachers.
Introduction to this post with keywords, School-Staff-Job-Description-General-Duties-Teachers
Today, the education industry is one of the most dynamic. Times are changing and things are changing along. The dynamism in the industry gives rise to the categorization of teachers. As a result, there are different kinds of teachers in the schools of today. This categorization is based on different factors. The most common factors that I use to classify teachers are by entry, financial status (how much money they make) and approach to work (or levels at work). Since this post is concerned basically with the categories of teachers by entry, I shall only identify the types of teachers based on entry.
Types of Teachers by Entry
The “types of teachers by entry” means the grouping of teachers based on how they became teachers – i.e. how they entered into the teaching profession. Based on this, I categorise teachers into three groups:
· Professional Teachers
This refers to the teachers that received specialized or professional training in education with one or more teaching certifications. Hence, this category became teachers because it is their profession.
· Natural Teachers
This refers to individuals that have a flair and most times passion for teaching, whether or not they are professionally trained. Some natural teachers may love teaching so much so that they wouldn’t trade the profession with other. They may also either be educationist or professionals in other fields but they prefer teaching to the profession of their training. Natural teachers may also be called born teachers. Under this category we also have legacy teachers – those that acquired teaching from their parents and guardians. Legacy teachers may not necessarily undergo any professional teachers training. However, by observing, engaging and involving in the teaching works of their parents/guardians, they naturally developed the teaching skills.
· Circumstantial Teachers
This refers to individuals that become teachers as a result of certain circumstance (s). The most common reason people become circumstantial teacher is that they could not get their dream jobs (jobs in their profession) but they must survive. Another reason for circumstantial teachers is convenience – when teaching is a convenient job to support their other life engagements e.g. house wives.
Ideally, only professional teachers may teach. However, insufficient professional teachers are a historic problem in Nigerian education system. Hence, majority of the teachers in our schools even today are either circumstantial or natural teachers. Note though that circumstantial or natural teachers can become professional teachers. And we greatly encourage this.
Nonetheless, at the point of entry; most people believe their only responsibility as a teacher would be to teach – plan the lesson, go to class and deliver the lesson. Now that is not totally wrong because the word teacher comes from teach (LOL). However, there are some behind the scene tasks that a teacher must carry out to enable him/her to teach very well. Apart from this, majority of our schools nowadays are business outfits. As such, teachers as part and parcel of the business must perform some corporate duties to enable the school (business) make more profit and so that the teachers receive higher rewards.
Job Description/Duties of a Teacher
Consequently, the numerous responsibilities of a teacher are grouped into three:
- Academic duties
- Administrative duties
- Organizational/corporate duties
Unfortunately, many schools do not provide detailed description of each of these responsibilities in their offer/engagement letter nor in their handbook.
Effect of not providing detailed job description
John Maxwell noted that there are four basic reasons people do not perform the way they should. This include if they do not know:
- what they are supposed to do;
- how to do it;
- why they should; and if
- there are obstacles beyond their control
So when there is no proper job description, the employee will not know what to do in the first place say less of how and who s/he should do it. And the result of that is ineffectiveness and inefficiency.
So, who is this post for?
This post will be beneficial to school owners and administrators. They will be able to provide a more detailed job description for their newly engaged staff. They should note however that this is general job description. Roles and responsibilities are mostly relative. Such school owner and administrator that may use this should think of specific tasks that their staff ought to perform and include accordingly.
New Teachers will find this post of especial value. Mostly, new teachers assume that all there is to do as a teacher in school is teach. This will serve as direction to work. In schools that do not give comprehensive job description, doing as I have outlined here will set you well on the road to become an indispensable teacher.
This post shall be a great reminder to experienced teachers. And for those that have not desired without getting promotion/pay raise, this may serve as instrument of self-evaluation or guide to attaining it.
School-Staff-Job-Description-General-Duties-Teachers
Following are the general responsibilities of a teacher in a school.
The Academic responsibilities of a school teacher are:
- Identifying the capabilities and needs of all learners in your class
- Preparing professional lesson plan and note – incorporating educational theories and industry-best practices
- Delivering well-planned lessons in a comprehensive way in such a way that every child is imparted and impacted
- Teaching according to the educational needs, abilities and achievement of the individual students and overall learners
- Assigning work, correcting and marking work carried out by his/her learners according to school’s homework and marking policies respectively
- Assessing, recording and reporting on the development, progress, attainment and behaviour of your students
- Communicating, consulting and co-operating with other members of the school staff, including those having posts of special responsibility and parents/guardians to ensure the best interest of students
- Ensuring high standards of professional practice and quality of teaching and learning of the subject/s
- Participating in In-Service education and training courses as well as in continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities, and taking part in action research exercises
- Maintaining good order and discipline (according to school disciplinary rules and procedures) amongst students under your care – in particular – and in the school – in general as well as safeguarding their health and safety at all times
- Maintaining tidy and orderly classroom
- Ensuring appropriate lesson timing – ensuring that teachers are on ground to start lessons on time and are terminated promptly
The Administrative Responsibilities of a school teacher are:
- Keeping and maintaining important class-level statutory records viz. Lesson note, lesson plan, dairy, attendance register, scheme of work, e.t.c.
- Making entry and submitting records as required.
- Maintain confidentiality of all students/parents record and administrative issues
- Maintain and update all files record
- Organization and participating in extracurricular activities such as social activities, sporting activities, clubs and student organizations as directed
- Attending school meetings
- Reporting requested issues to the Head Teachers promptly either when requested or when necessary
The organizational duties of a teacher are:
- Taking care of school properties
- Encourage parent and community involvement, obtain information for parents when requested, promptly return phone calls and answer emails
- Serving as a check and balance on all school policies and programmes to ensure it aligns to the school mission and vision.
- Suggesting to and advising school management, officer or boards on all matters of school growth, development and educational activities
- Participating in the planning (if required) and implementation of school marketing plans
- Any other responsibilities as may be decided by the school administrative team or representative from time to time.
And there it is – the general duties of a school teacher. But don’t forget, any good employee is supposed to know the duties of both the next rank above him/her and all the duties of the ranks below him/her.
This post with keywords – School-Staff-Job-Description-General-Duties-Teachers – provides detailed general responsibilities of a school teacher. The next post describes the duties of a head teacher.
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