The Teacher's Perspective

I. The teacher's Perspective

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1. What are the most important elements that a student needs to learn in school?

1. There are two elements that teachers emphasized are necessary for the student to learn in school – the educational and the human relational. The educational aspect is the objective side of academics which is required by all teachers to convey to their students. However, this generally cannot be accomplished unless the human aspect of caring and supportive communication takes place between teachers and students. Consequently, an important additional aspect of a capable teacher’s responsibility is to reveal the variety of ways that persons can care for one another.

2. What is a student’s responsibility towards his or her education?

2. A student can only do so much by himself. The remainder depends on the environment. “All I can do is help a youngster develop his abilities. But I do not have time to discipline each one” points out an experienced teacher. “There are many tools such as television which can be helpful in passing information to the student. However, these tools can also set false expectations of school for the student – he may think that school is a place of entertainment, or that a teacher is a comedian or a talk show host – and forget that school requires learning which is based on hard dedicated work. We are not entertainers. We are teachers!!!” It appears from the teacher’s perspective that students have varying and confused set of expectations from their teachers and school. They also have a varied set of capabilities with diverse set of family backgrounds. All these make a teacher’s task complicated and chaotic. There are very few students who truly want to study and are interested in a subject matter as opposed to a grade or simply ‘killing time.’

3. What is the parents’ role in the education of the youngster, if any?

3. The parent plays a key role in the youngster’s education from two perspectives: By influencing the youngster at home and by supporting the teacher in his or her effort to teach. First, education starts at home. By the time the student reaches school, he has already set patterns of discipline, attention span, ability to listen and follow directions. Further, the more interested the parent is in the youngster’s education, the better the student will perform. “Some parents dedicate themselves, others don’t have the time, the ability, or the interest. The parents’ attitude is reflected in the student.” A teacher points out that studies have shown that the more education oriented are the parents, the more likely it is that their youngsters will do better in their studies.

Second, and just as importantly, parents play a key role by having, maintaining, and developing a set of expectations from the teacher and the school. “Often parents have the wrong expectation of us. They don’t take the time to discipline their children and then they send them to us expecting us to do what they need to have done at home. And when we try to discipline them, some come in with the attitude of ‘Why are you picking on my son or daughter?’ Do you think the child of such a parent will ever listen to the teacher? Of course not! And then the claim is made that we as teachers don’t care or are incompetent. I have to admit that not too many parents are that way, but let me tell you, it takes very few of them to get you bad reviews from administration! Its easy to say that ‘As a teacher you need to stand up and be counted,’ but when it affects my income and my ability to take care of my family, I have to think twice!” The consensus is that it is the parents who stand in the way of their children’s education rather than the student himself!” Therefore, most teachers pointed out that it is very enjoyable to work with the supportive parents and see themselves as a team make a difference in a youngster’s child.

4. What is the teacher’s role in the education of the child, if any?

4. Teachers perceive most professionals in their field as caring, trying, and able. “They care for the student and want to do a good job in helping them shape a bright future.” This is perceived as the norm by teachers. “I would say all teachers begin their career trying to make a difference, and some continue to do so throughout the rest of their teaching career. When a teacher becomes ineffective, everyone immediately points the finger towards her. This is using the teacher as a scapegoat! Often a teacher becomes ineffective in a youngster’s education because either the parent or the school system, or both have made it so!”

The teacher sees the intentional educational process as much more complicated and wider in scope than any student or parent will ever see, unless they too get involved in the educational process as well. “As teachers we are often the middle person on whom all the responsibility falls, and very little of the credit is given. For example, people often say: ‘Make the class more interesting!’ Do you know how hard it is to justify teaching curriculum, methods, progress in teaching and other administrative tasks? Often we succeed, but that is because of our dedicated long hours of facilitating with the student, the parent, and the school system. It is a lot of pressure. Not only do we educate the student, but we also have to educate the parents and the system! Our toughest responsibility is not teaching the student, but the parents and administrators who think that they know how to teach better than we do! ”

It is apparent to most teachers that their satisfaction in teaching is more of an investment in the future. They realize that the teacher as the ‘paid professional’ will always take the blame when something goes wrong, and will be given the least credit when everything is running smoothly. However, teachers realize that there are numerous students whose minds and wills they help mold. They are most grateful for those instances!

5. Does spirituality help a youngster do well in school, and if so, how?

5. Spirituality definitely has a positive effect on the student in the perspective of every teacher. “You can tell the students who come from religious families, who live an ethical and moral life because these youngsters are more caring and courteous, and have a greater confidence and willingness to take on responsibilities and complete them successfully,” assesses a teacher who teaches in a public school. “Although I do not mention the name of Jesus or speak of Christianity in the classroom because we are not allowed to by law (in a public school), yet the caring students come up to me with great appreciation and say: ‘You are Christian, aren’t you?!’

Teachers often find students who come from religious families easier and more fun to teach since the parents are involved and are helping direct the child’s expectations and education. “You can tell a student whose parents care and are involved because in class they ask intelligent questions which we had not discussed previously. You know that the main source of such questions have to be the parents. Those who are rooted in spirituality tend to ask more meaningful questions, and greatly appreciate your responses!”

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Student - Parent - Teacher Relationship in Education:
A Summary of Findings

Student - Parent - Teacher Relationship:
The Survey Questionnaire

I. The Student’s Perspective

II. The Parent’s Perspective

Voices of Experience: Parents On Educating Teenagers

Teenager Related Cover Page

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