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
