Chapter 5

Teachers Roles in
Primary School

Teachers roles
significant influence on childrens
cognitive and psychosocial
development.
carry out various roles
-practitioner of knowledge and skills,
guide, reflective practitioner,
researcher, socialisation agent,
change agent, substitute parents
and behaviour shapers.

Teacher as Practitioner of
Knowledge and Skills

responsibility to always search for

knowledge and apply it in order to
fulfil the educational needs of the
nations future young generation.
adopt the attitude of wanting to learn
to teach
Love for knowledge
Update & upgrade
LIFELONG LEARNING

Discussion with colleagues

Attending in-service courses
Carrying out researches
Exhibiting open-mind to
knowledge acquisition
opportunities

Guide
Shertzer and Stone (1981) defines
guidance as a service to guide individuals
who need to reach an understanding,
knowledge, and specific skills.
Teacher as a guide of:
Knowledge
Self and time management
Building positive relationship
Adjustment to changes in life routine
Cultivate interest and a healthy personality

Reflective Practitioner
self-reflective teacher
practice self-inquiry (Schon,
1987; Sparks-Langer, 199;
Zeichner & Liston, 1996).
Reflection-in-action; reflectionon-action (Schon)

REFLECTION
PROCESS IN
ACTION
RESEARCH

REFLECTION

RESULTS/CONCL
USION

ISSUES/PROBLE
MS

ANALYSIS

PLANNING

ACTION/
IMPLEMENTATION

Researcher
research culture to understand the
learning environments and their own
actions in order to improve the quality
of their professionalism.
Produce new innovation
Systematically examine the issue of
classroom practice, inquires to produce
new theory and understanding that are
related to the problem faced. /problem
solving

Socialisation Agent
Develop individuals who can socialise and
have high emotional intelligence (EQ)to
be able to adapt to the working world.
Good interpersonal skills
Roles of agents of socialisation:
Contributor of knowledge and skills
Shaping positive social behavior
Shaping a caring culture
A social role model/ example
A link between the school institution and
public community.

 Must participate in local community

activities such as family carnivals,
hiking expedition, cultural events,
tuition/guidance classes and so on.

Change Agent
School is an educational institution that
plays role in bringing change and
innovative modernised community.
According to Fullen (1993), there are
four conditions to face changes, they
are:
a) Personal vision building
b) Inquiry
c) Mastery
d) collaboration

Person
al
Vision
Buildin
g
Inquiry

Study and
identify our
aim to become
a teacher
Practice selfassessment or
reflection
about personal
goals

Substitute Parents
baby sitter
Not all students come from an ideal
or organised family.
Some students in your class might be
subjected to child abuse, child
labour, misuse of drugs or other
problems.
Caring, good listener, needs &
welfare children

 The concern and sensitivity to these

issues will help children cope school
life with more confidence.
By showing love, care and preparing
meaningful and quality learning
experiences, teachers are able to
become substitute parents for the
students.

Shapes Behaviour
Teacher is an important model in
channelling message about
practicing values, beliefs,
philosophies and attitudes to their
students.
In shaping behaviour, teachers must
understand the learning aims that
he/she which to achieve.
The behaviour shaping approach
used must support aims and

Behaviour shapers who apply the

behaviourist approach would:
Focus on behaviour changes
Behaviour is act that can be
observed, heard and measured.
Aim of behaviourist approach is to
teach new behaviour or maintain the
desired behaviour through
reinforcement.

Managing
Learning/classroom
As a classroom manager, teachers are
responsible for:
Planning, organising, directing and controlling
the teaching and learning activity.
Managing classroom in terms of rules and
handling class routines.
Manages the physical environment of the
classroom.
Manage the psychosocial environment of the
classroom.
Manage the assessment process in the
classroom.