Teaching is a highly multifaceted profession .

According to Webster (2016) teaching refers to an

art ,act or process of imparting knowledge and skills .Multifaceted means something with many
expectations and responsibilities. For teaching to be successful teachers are expected to be role
models , socializing agents , learning facilitators ,curriculum implementers , classroom
supporters and promoters of social order and equilibrium . However , even though teaching is
highly multifaceted ,it is not always the case that all teachers are able to meet their expected roles
but some are failing and some of their roles need specialized agents. Therefore in this essay,
using home area teaching practice and theories learnt from different disciplines such as sociology
,psychology .philosophy and administration and management the writer is going to discuss the
multifaceted nature of teaching profession .
As a profession,teaching has many expectations and duties which teachers need to perform for
teaching to be successful.Teachers are expected to be socializing agents that is they must play a
big role in the interaction of pupils themselves.Teachers teach pupils how to communicate well
with others and teaching them what is expected at the school and community at large as well as
teaching them the dangers of misbehavior .A functionalist sociologist particularly Durkheim
(1956) argued that the school is a society miniature and its major function is to maintain the
collective conscience defined as shared norms and values of the society .So in this case it is the
duty of the teacher to transmit societal norms and values of the society of pupils and this helps
the pupils to develop a sense of belonging and commitment to the society.Therefore by doing
this the teacher creates cooperation of social order among students and the community thus one
can support the view that teaching is a multifaceted profession.
Moreso teachers are learning facilitators.For effective learning to take place teachers should play
a pivotal role in facilitating learning ,that is they must focus on what mostly directly improves
student learning .In this case the teacher must study the environment ,behavior and age of the
students and this helps the teacher to identify students learning needs .A psychologist Minton
(2012) argued that

psychological education fosters administration skills which facilitate

effective teaching to the teacher.In this case the teacher will be able to create a conducive
learning environment by knowing what type of teaching aids to use ,how and when to
teach.So inorder for effective teaching to be achieved ,the teacher should use punishments and
rewards.Rewards encourage students to adopt the right things by punishments they will strictly

be made to avoid wrong.Thus from a behaviorist psychologist Pavlov in Sprinthall ,Sprinthall

and Oja (1994) in his classical conditioning behavior can be conditioned that is it can be
changed or shaped through rewards and punishments. Therefore given those various roles of a
teacher ,one can support that teaching profession is multifaceted.
More still, the

other role of the teacher is being a role model .The teacher inspires and

encourages the pupils to strive for greatness ,live life to their fullest potential and by so doing
pupils will admire the teacher and be inspired to be like the teacher .Pupils will learn through the
teachers commitment to excellence.Pupils spent most of their time with teachers so teachers are
poised to be influential in the students life thus from a sociologist Cooley (1902) through the
interaction process the teachers act as a mirror to students so that they will imitate .They imitate
what is defined good and at the same time avoiding wrong .Therefore the teacher plays a role in
student development by acting as a role model .One can agree that teaching is a multifaceted
profession.
Furthermore , a teacher is also a manager in the form of a classroom manager. In the classroom
the teacher manages the pupils,time and resources .For effective learning and teaching to take
place ,there must be effective classroom management.A teacher must plan work before teaching
so that planned work is taught.Teaching without planning may cause the teaching of content
which is not in the syllabus which leads to pupils failing examinations.A teacher as a manager is
expected to control the pupils.He must limit aimless movements and teach them not to make
noise.This is inline with Fayols administrative theory in which management functions are
planning, organizing, commanding ,coordinating and controlling . Fayol argued that these
functions were universal in the sense that all managers performed them in the course of their jobs
,whether the managers worked in business, military, schools or religion, thus the teacher as the
classroom manager must stick to Fayols management functions for them to run the classroom
effectively and efficiently.
More so ,teachers act as counselors. It is the duty of the teacher to give pupils advice as well as
warning them against problems emanating from their growth.The teacher gives advice on how
to overcome some of the life challenges which results in stress,by giving them possible
solutions. A black psyschologist Mwamwenda (1990) argued that the teacher equipped with
educational psychology which avails invaluable knowledge on theories of

child

and

adolescence development will be in a good position to identity and isolate specific stages of
development of learners.Therefore in this regard for example during adolescence turn to bad
behavior like substance abuse and premarital sex which result in unwanted pregnancies and
eventually school drop outs.The teacher as a counselor will highlight the negative reflects of
drug abuse and premature sex .Therefore teaching is a multifaceted profession
More so ,teachers are also curriculum specialists that is the understanding of curriculum content
standards ,how various components of the curriculum link together and how to use the
curriculum in planning instruction.It is from a philosophical point of view teachers are the most
critical human resource in curriculum implementation and if unwilling or un able

to

implement a curriculum innovation it will surely fail .Therefore the teacher plays a pivotal in
order to come out with effective teaching governed by rules and regulations thus the
teaching profession is multifaceted in nature
However,though teaching is largely regarded as multifaceted it must not be ignored that some
of the teachers are not able to meet all of their expected roles.Some of their assumed roles are
roles of trained specialists with full knowledge for example counseling role .There are peer
educators who can better give advice to peer groups.
All in all teaching is a multifaceted profession that is teachers must play various roles to
improve student learning and shaping the culture of the school and community at large .

REFERENCES
Mwamwenda ,T.S (1990) Educational Psychology:An African Perspective.Durban:Butterworks
Minton,J.S (2012) Using Psychology in the Classroom.London:Stage Publication Limited
Fayol, H(1949) General and Industrial Administration.London:Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons Ltd
Durkheim ,E (1956) Education and Sociology.New York:Free Press
Sprinthall N.A, Sprinthall,R.C and Oja N.S (1994) Educational Psychology.A developmental
Approach.London:McGraw Hill
Cooley C.H (1902) Human Nature and the Social Order.New York:Scribners sons