CHANGING ROLE OF MENTORS

Dr. N.K. Dutta

(The writer is Founder & Principal, Miles Bronson Residential School, Borjhar, Guwahati)

The history of India is replete with great leaders and personalities who have devoted and sacrificed their lives for the nation. However, among all these luminaries one persona stands apart for his singular contribution as a statesman, academic, philosopher who dedicated great span of his career as a teacher, he is Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He was one of the most recognized influential thinkers during his times. Every year sinCHANGING ROLE OF MENTORS

lues, knowledge and skills of the students form the pillars of nation building. On this occasion it is an opportune moment for us to think, reflect and introspect on the changing role of the teachers.

Teacher as a facilitator:

The role of a teacher has made a paradigm shift from a 'sage on the stage' to a 'guide by the side'. Due to the growth of knowledge economies and digitization there is a transformational change in the role of the teacher. The future of each student depends on developing the Four C's of Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration and Creativity. Therefore, there is a change from traditional closed system of 'teacher centric' approach compassing learners as receptors, product oriented, pen-paper driven where answers are primary and wait is for results to an open system of 'students centric' approach where learner is an initiator, process oriented, questions are primary, technologically enhanced learning and multimedia driven, seeking immediate results and outcomes. The 21st century teachers are facilitators of students learning and creators of productive learning environments, in which students can develop the skills they need at present and in the future. This means shifting roles from one who lectures to a facilitator who provides resources, monitors progress and encourages students to apply, analyse and solve problems.

Teacher as an Innovator:

During this testing time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers have faced a great challenge to learn and integrate technology in their lesson transactions. The need of hour is to adapt to the innovative tools of teaching through virtual mediums. It is commendable that most of the teachers who did not have the exposure and experience of taking online lessons classes were adoptive to embrace this change. This has resulted in students continuing with their schooling, during this lockdown period from homes without any interruption. Kudos to all those teachers who have translated this challenge to an opportunity. This opportunity has created new vistas of learning for students mainly personalize learning, self regulated and anytime and anywhere learning. This has added to another significant dimension in the teaching-learning process through application of synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) methods of online teaching. The future of this use of disruptive and innovative pedagogy will depend on how effectively and efficiently teachers are able to blend the traditional methods of face - to face classroom teaching with digital methods of learning. Blended Learning is an approach to education that combines online educational materials and opportunities for interaction online with traditional placed-based classroom methods. It requires the physical presence of both teacher and student, with some elements of student control over time, place, path or space. Another innovative teaching methodology which is now gaining popularity is the flipped classroom where lessons before being taught are sent (flipped) as homework for the students to have a preliminary read and research then come to the class with a basic ideas of the lesson before it is introduce in the class.

Teacher as a mentor:

Teachers are the role models and they play an exemplary part in instilling values and excellence in students. Now in the 21st century, education depends on thinking skills, interpersonal skills, information media, technological skills and life skills. In order to achieve these skills teachers got to have the expertise towards how to conduct active learning strategies, experiential learning activities, project based learning, inquiry based learning, cooperative learning, art of questioning and skills for differentiated instructions.

Above all teachers are to inculcate in children the lifelong principles of character building, discipline, punctuality, respect, empathy and compassion. Teachers should be able to mirror the image of setting examples and standards for the learners. They should be able to inculcate the values of self-discipline whereby students develop the qualities to be self-directed and independent learners. The teachers are arbiters of a child's destiny. The nation depends on the ability of the teachers to shape the citizens for tomorrow. The teacher role is to identify the innate potential of each child and nurture them to become responsible citizens and dynamic forces of social change and development.

"True teachers are those who help us think for ourselves."

– Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan