Responsibility is every teacher’s concern. This is because teachers pose as substitute guardians for students while they’re at school. This means teachers have to be and show that they are responsible enough to take care of students physically and mentally.
However, this doesn’t mean you’ll go further and beyond to do everything that their parents do, just o prove a point. This article discusses the simple, yet significant things that every responsible teacher does;
1. Guiding and counseling students
Students are a work in progress, and they are in your hands whenever they’re inside school premises. This is exactly why you don’t have to act like they know everything they’re doing, and have to counsel them at all times you deem relevant.
This can either be done while they’re all gathered together, in small groups or in person, depending on the student in question.
2. Adequate preparation for every lesson
Every responsible teacher prepares adequately for each and every lesson they’re about to have. The things they prepare include;
- The scheme of work
- Lesson plans in line with the approved national curriculum on termly and weekly basis
- Their notes and reference books
- Other materials and things they need
Some teachers, once they get used to the job and feel like they have enough experience in it, start to tone down on their amount of preparation before every class, which is not a good way to go.
3. Forging a good relationship with students
Every responsible teacher knows that a good relationship with students is ideal id you want students to love the subject, the school and to be free with you. Here’s how they do it;
- Holding casual conversations with their students
- Cracking jokes with their students during classes
- Learning students’ names
- Being open and approachable; because students are better at making friends with teachers, than teachers themselves
Not everyone is good at this, especially because of personal reasons. However, it is the passionate and responsible teachers that go an extra mile to do this, but still maintain boundaries.
4. Keeping records
If you’re one of those teachers that are able to keep their important records for a reasonably long period of time, you’re a responsible one. To be honest, keeping records in good shape is one hell of a tough job, and it’s hard to find someone who can stick to it.
Examples of the important documents include;
- Student assessments
- Details of students including age, health, tribe
- Notes
- Lesson plans
5. Attending meetings regularly
Departmental and staff meetings are so important to teachers, and it can have numerous benefits including;
- Keeping teachers up to date with impending changes in operation and how to adjust
- Provides a great opportunity for teachers to express their grievances
- Enables proper planning and distribution of the workload
Responsible teachers know this, and that’s why they always attend every meeting so that they never miss out on the advantages.
6. Strict adherence to the time tables
There are some times that teachers deliberately kill some time before going to conduct their lessons. This is usually caused by less to no supervision, but it can have effects like;
- Low coverage of topics during class time
- Rushing through explanations, that some students fail to catch up
- Encroaching on other teachers’ time, due to trying to cover what they planned, even when their time is up
Responsible teachers know this, and that’s why they adhere to their time tables, thus achieving their expected results.
7. Continuous assessment and evaluation of the students’ performance
If you don’t measure your progress, you don’t actually know it. Responsible teachers know this, and that’s why they always assess their students in ways like;
- Exercises
- Tests
- Promotional exams
- Home works
- Group discussions/ learning takes place
- Assignments
When students are constantly tested, teachers get to know where the problem is, and then figure out how they can solve it for the better.
8. Invigilating exams
Every teacher sets exams, but it is rare to find teachers coming out to invigilate exams. First, here are the advantages of invigilating exams;
- Prevents examination malpractice
- Helps students if they need something like correcting a typing error, or a medical issue
- Maintains order in the examination room
Responsible teachers know this, and that’s why they make it a point to invigilate the examination room, even if it’s inconvenient sometimes.
Conclusion;
Responsibility is more than just a skill – it’s a trait! This means you can also practice and with a high number of repetitions, you perfect it and it just becomes a part of you. However, it is perceived as just and fair if you show an equal amount of attention to all students, because partiality of any form will downplay all your efforts.