THE ROLE OF A STUDENT TEACHER

The student teacher is expected to assume a role quite different from that of the learner.He needs to make much personal effort to overcome the transition of being a teacher.The student teacher’s modes of behavior  are expected to be different from those he has been use to as a learner or student in an institution. Prior to student teaching, students are usually told by their predecessors about how difficult it is to get to the level of the students.But as a prospective teacher he should accept such stories with a grain of salt, bearing in mind that since they have passed the hurdle,there is no reason why he should not.

    The student teacher should always have at the back of his mind that the success he desires  to achieve borders greatly on great human relations.It must be clear in his mind that he is out there to teach children primarily and not subject matter as such.He or she should constantly remember that his being in that school is as a result of the good will of the school officials, the staff and, at times, the parents.

    Moreover, the student teacher should have the belief that he  is sent to a school to enhance the instructional program of a classroom.Hence, he must express himself with clarity, he must be active in the classroom,his teaching must be meaningful to the students,and he must use illustrations or other instructional aids to clarify his objectives.

    The regular staff members in the school look forward to the student teachers for innovations in the teaching profession.Therefore student teachers should endeavor to exhibit something new in their teaching methods.They should also have in mind the following conditions:

*He should know he is in the school temporary as a guest to train to become an effective teacher.

*That his modes of behavior reflect upon the institution that sent him as well as upon himself.

*That his role at the school, even though he has assumed a teaching position, is essentially that of a learner or a trainee.

*That he should cooperate with the class teacher in order to ensure his success and understanding of the class.

*That he should be able to evaluate his own learning and that of his students.

*That he should observe parent-teacher meetings.

*That he should participate in staff meetings.

     Some of these ideas,for example, participating in staff meetings, apply only in some cases, due to differences in local school administration.But the essential point is that the student teacher should understand what things are expected  of him or her during teaching practice and act accordingly.Student teachers regard their student teaching experience as the best course,but sometimes as the most difficult in their school career.Ideally,student teaching should serve as an experience which helps the prospective teacher to take a look at himself.It is desirable for him to become increasingly self-directive, analytical, and perceptive in developing his unique abilities.Undoubtedly,teachers for today’s schools must develop sensitivity to changing societal conditions, they must be willing to develop the potential and skills of the children, and they must be able to participate intelligently in matters affecting the contemporary educational problems.

   Furthermore, there are other significant factors which can assist the student teacher to play his role properly.These factors  are briefly stated below :

1-Ability to exhibit emotional maturity.For a student teacher to play his role efficiently and successfully, he must have enough self-confidence, well tempered with appropriate humility, to match the scope of his responsibilities.He needs to be poised in most classroom and learning situations.He must be relatively adaptable to sudden changes in learning situation.The student teacher also needs to develop a sense of humor as this aids in reinforcing his teaching.

2-Depth of Understanding. Student teachers who have sufficient knowledge in a variety of things are usually successful.In-depth knowledge is essential in at least a few fields of learning .Above all, the student teacher must be interested in knowledge and in its advancement to the youth.

3-Social effectiveness.The student teacher must be successful socially in order to ensure successful learning.In other words, he or she must genuinely be interested in people and he must show particular interest in the young ones  if he is to be successful in his interaction with them.Children and adolescents like someone who develops sensitivity to their personal and social problems.

4-Leadership Ability. Student teaching is one of the ways in which a student teacher exhibits his leadership qualities.He can do this through his association with young people in the process of his teaching.The student teacher needs to develop some element of personal forcefulness in his interaction the students.The ability to speak fluently is an additional advantage in this regard.

      The student teacher has a responsibility for the guidance of the pupils.A student teacher’s success is judged  by his pupils largely on the basis of the help he gives them in terms of learning to understand themselves and their environment and the assistance he renders in an effort to solve their immediate problems.Some schools have guidance counselors, but where they are not, the student teacher should guide them to the best of his ability.

   The factors mentioned above are interrelated as they hinge on the personality of the individual.The key abilities of the teacher are extremely difficult to identify.But an attempt has only been made here to identify a few which are considered necessary in enabling the student teacher play his or her role successfully.
   The roles stated above are also very useful to experienced teachers.It should be recalled that a teacher is a regular student reason why you as a professional teacher need to read this and improve in some of those areas where you were lacking.

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