WEEK 7: Relationships between school and community

What is the Relationship between School and Community?

Community is a part of the society and education is the counterpart of both the above mentioned elements.

School is the social institution where consciously designed learning experiences are provided with the objectives

of achieving social aim at large, over a period of time. School is also defined as a subsystem of the larger

system of the society. It has to functionally coordinate with its immediate environment, the community in which it

is situated.

The community is meant to employ a wider grouping of people located within fairly recognizable boundaries, and

related to each other by socio-economic and civic activities which produce oneness among them sufficient to

develop a recognizable identity as a group. The main group and agents involved in the dynamics of the

relationship between school and community arc: school administration, teachers, non-teaching staff, students

and parents, governing bodies and school board.

Beyond immediate proximity with the schools are the local political authorities, governmental bodies and political

parties as well as other public, social and cultural institutions. Parent’s are always in a constant touch with the

school and arc proper channel of the procedure which is the part of the community.

Though parents meetings in a school is informal of the general ignorance of people in a village regarding

keeping their immediate surrounding clean staff members can take up this as a serious mission. Hence, parents

are a counterpart of the school subsystem.

 10 Importance of School Community Relationship And Collaboration

Importance of school community relationship and school Community coordination is very important topic. You
people must read my previous article about school community. We will describe it in details.
Linking School with  life
Learning is related to the community’s life. Students come  to know about the utility and application of facts in
life; Therefore, the school learning becomes meaningful.
Awareness of school experience
The students become aware of the various social They come to know about various facts and in the surrounding
community.

Enrichment of school experience

The School experiences can be enriched by the :es. The surrounding community possesses both material and
human. If the children : of the school to explore these resources, their nd outlook will be widened. They will also
cultural heritage and understand their own  Also, the members of the community can knowledge to the students.
Love for Social ideals
The school community relationship helps in calculating desirable social ideals in the students.

Co-operation of the community

The members of the community start taking int in the working of the school. They co-operate and  in the smooth
functioning of the school. The community can help the school with its material and h resources.

Importance of School Community Relationship, Every Teacher Must Know The True Concept Behind It
Education of the community
The school-community link can be used for edu of the community members. The students can org adult
education programmes. Various films, exhibit cultural programmes can be shown to the members community.

Social welfare
The students, can organize certain social programmes. They may launch cleanliness, anti anti-disease
campaigns in the community. They operate with the community to execute certain p initiated by the community.

Strengthening School-Community Interdependence

For developing healthy school co coordination and their mutual interdependence affecting school work, following
suggestions helpful:

Parent-teacher Association
The school should organize parent-teacher association some educated parents and senior teachers. This
citation should organize some meetings in that school regular intervals, according to the convenience of school.
The meetings should be held after school hours. Trent’s Day can be celebrated occasionally, inviting all the
parents of school children to school. They should be told out the school’s programmes, needs and problems.

Inviting Community Members on School Functions

The members of the community should be invited to Ate school on occasions like Sports Day, Prize Distribution
function, celebration of the Independence Day celebration social and religious functions, the UNO Day etc.

Talks by Community Members

The community consists of many people belonging to different walks of life and having varied experiences.
Some it persons may be invited to address the students, example, a doctor can address the students on some
health topics. The Chairman of a municipal committee can the working of municipal committee.

Correlating Teaching with social life

The teachers should correlate their teaching with the day to day life of pupils. They should stress the use and
application of knowledge of life. They may be asked to tap various community resources for supplementing a
work. For example, they may make certain collections from the surrounding environment for the school e.g.,
collections of coins, pictures, weeds, specimens of etc.

Field Trips and Excursions

The school should occasionally organise certain trips and excursions for educational purposes. They may be
done during holidays. When the students visit their social surroundings, they come in contact with various
members of the community and their ways of Living. become aware of their cultural heritage and wider  social
environment.

Social Service Campaigns

The school should organise social service campaign on various occasions. The students may do social under
guidance of the teachers at various public festivals etc. Opportunity of social service should give to the
community people. Let them do social service in collaboration with the school.

Adult Education Programmes

The school can organise adult education programmes During the holidays, the teachers and the students teach
adults. Also, firms and other community people are invited to the school.

Thus, we see that the relationship between the and the community should be strengthened. This will the interest
of both the school and the community, school should function as a community centre, cooperation of the
community in the functioning of school should also be sought.

School as a social institution

 School is an established sets of norms and subsystem that support each society‘s survival
 School is the most imp social institution
 School has identifiable structure and set of functions
 School is the place where child learn interacting and communication skills

Effects of School as a Community

While conventional schooling may be successful for many youth, it is problematic for those who are at risk.
Conventional schooling assumes the following:

(1) all students can derive meaning from a complex and fragmented array of academic courses;

(2) all students recognize or can construct a congruence between schooling and their lives;

(3) students have similar capacities and motivations for learning;

(4) learning is unaffected by the isolation that some students feel in large impersonal institutions; and

(5) students can shield their academic performance from the pressures of outside influences or life
circumstances.

This report examines prototypes of alternative structures that respond in diverse ways to the characteristics and
needs of at-risk youth. It attempts to show how these programs can diminish students' sense of isolation,
incongruity, and incompetence, and can reengage them in the enterprise of schooling. Programs can affect
student performance when teachers assume the extended roles of counselor, confidant, and friend. At-risk youth
can be reengaged in school when more attention is paid to their individual needs in and outside of class.
Teachers should be encouraged to feel accountable for their students and to participate in critical school
policymaking. The report includes 3 references and 3 tables. (AF)

 Communities affect school achievement

 How much children learn in school depends in good measure on the attitudes and values of the surrounding
community -- and on how much those values are shared by the children themselves -- education experts agreed
at a symposium at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in
Philadelphia today (Feb. 16).

Encouragement from adults, federal support and even summer vacation activities have a profound effect on
what children learn, education experts reported in a session exploring the cultural and social aspects of
educational success.

"When it comes to school achievement, one crucial factor is the level of a community's commitment to education
and the level of the children's own continuing commitment to learning what the schools have to teach them," said
Ulric Neisser, a Cornell University professor of psychology and a co-organizer and discussant in the AAAS
symposium, "Cultural and Social Foundations of School Achievement." "If parents and the community care about
schooling, it will get better," Neisser said.
 Schools as community hubs

Effective approaches to the problems of struggling neighborhoods—from health to school success and poverty—
require the focused use of integrated strategies. Consistent with this, community schools and many charter
schools now function as hubs, helping to deliver a range of services beyond education in order to prepare their
students to learn and to assist families. These include social services, “two-generation” support, and population
health services.

There is debate over the potential of schools as hubs and the impact on school achievement.  For success, we
need to explore how schools can best “integrate backwards.” That requires us consider how schools can
function in an interdependent manner with providers of, say, mental health care or social services yet maintain
the control needed to customize services to a student’s needs and achieve academic objectives. 

Despite their considerable potential, schools face many challenges in operating as hubs:

o Sharing student information with other services sectors is often difficult because of privacy rules
and interoperability problems. Fortunately a variety of organizations are taking steps to ameliorate these
problems.

o The wider community impact of hub-based services is rarely measured fully or reflected in city or
county budgets for the hub. In addition to better measurement of such “externalities,” wider use of budget
waivers and creative financing would help address this.

o School leaders need specialized training to coordinate services efficiently.

o Intermediaries can help schools coordinate services, but turning to outside

organizations can alter the focus of a school and the locus of control.

ACTIVITY
Name: _______________________________________________Year and Course: ________________________________________

Instructions: Read the passage below and give your reaction. Place your answer by answering the
steps below. (10pts.)

The department is always striving for better engagement with parents and the community. Schools
which are more accessible lead to stronger relationships with community members, families, children
and young people.

Schools as community hubs is a vision for public schools, preschools and facilities to be more
accessible and shared across communities. This approach will enhance education and wellbeing
outcomes for children and young people and build connections and opportunities for lifelong learning
in communities.

“Schools are often at the heart of any community – they are very vibrant places where mums and
dads, grandparents, children and young people congregate to learn, socialise and build social
networks” Executive director, Early Years and Child Development, Department for Education.

Answer:

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WEEK 8: Social Institutions

A social institution is a complex, integrated set of social norms organized around the preservation of a basic
societal value. Obviously, the sociologist does not define institutions in the same way, as does the person on the
street. Laypersons are likely to use the term "institution" very loosely, for churches, hospitals, jails, and many
other things as institutions. According to Sumner and Keller institution is a vital interest or activity that is
surrounded by a cluster of mores and folkways. Sumner conceived of the institution not only of the concept, idea
or interest but of a institution as well. By structure he meant an apparatus or a group of functionaries. Lester F
Ward regarded an institution as the means for the control and utilization of the social energy.L.T Hobhouse
describe institution as the whole or any part of the established and recognized apparatus of social life. Robert
Maclver regarded institution as established forms or conditions of procedure characteristic of group activity.
Sociologists agree that institutions arise and persist because of a definite felt need of the members of the
society. While there is essential agreement on the general origin of institutions, sociologists have differed about
the specific motivating factors. Sumner and Keller maintained that institutions come into existence to satisfy vital
interests of man. Ward believed that they arise because of social demand or social necessity. Lewis H Morgan
ascribed the basis of every institution to what he called a perpetual want.
Primary Instituitions
Sociologists often reserve the term "institution" to describe normative systems that operate in five basic areas of
life, which may be designated as the primary institutions.
(1) In determining Kinship;
(2) in providing for the legitimate use of power;
(3) in regulating the distribution of goods and services;
(4) in transmitting knowledge from one generation to the next; and
(5) in regulating our relation to the supernatural.
In shorthand form, or as concepts, these five basic institutions are called the family, government, economy,
education and religion.

The five primary institutions are found among all human groups. They are not always as highly elaborated or as
distinct from one another but in rudimentary form at last, they exist everywhere. Their universality indicates that
they are deeply rooted in human nature and that they are essential in the development and maintenance of
orders.

The secondary institutions derived from Family would be

The secondary institutions of economics would be

The secondary institutions of Religion would be

The secondary institutions of education would be

The secondary institutions of State would be

 
Sociologists operating in terms of the functionalist model society have provided the clearest explanation of the
functions served by social institutions. Apparently there are certain minimum tasks that must be performed in all
human groups. Unless these tasks are performed adequately, the group will cease to exist. An analogy may help
to make the point. We might hypothesize that cost accounting department is essential to the operation of a large
corporation. A company might procure a superior product and distribute it then at the price that is assigned to it;
the company will soon go out of business. Perhaps the only way to avoid this is to have a careful accounting of
the cost of each step in the production and distribution process.
An important feature that we find in the growth of institutions is the extension of the power of the state over the
other four primary institutions. The state now exercises more authority by laws and regulations. The state has
taken over the traditional functions of the family like making laws regulating marriage, divorce, adoption and
inheritance. The authority of state has similarly been extended to economics, to education and to religion. New
institutional norms may replace the old norms but the institution goes on. The modern family has replaced the
norms of patriarchal family yet the family as an institution continues. Sumner and Keller has classified institutions
in nine major categories .He referred to them as pivotal institutional fields and classified them as follows:
Types of Social Institutions 

What are the 5 types of social institutions and their functions that
each of them play in the society?
The five main social elements (institutions) that are interactive and make up society are:
1. FAMILY. The family provides succession in society and develops members into adulthood and
future families. Home life.
2. RELIGION. Religion provides a guideline for family living in the form of morality, rituals for birth,
marriage and death and congregation. Guidance.
3. EDUCATION. Literacy, numeracy, social integration. Guidance.
4. ECONOMICS. Production, consumption and distribution of goods and services
5. STATE. Governance, Law, social order. Protection facilitating 1,3,4 and 6.
and for good measure:
6. EMPLOYMENT. Providing the means to support family and home life. Interaction with co-workers.

Examples of Community
Community - a group of people in the same area and under the same government. Examples are:
 Boroughs
 Burg
 Castle towns
 Cities
 Company towns
 Hamlet
 Metropolis
 Military posts
 Municipality
 Shanty towns
 Suburbs
 Towns
 Townships
 Villages
 Community is also a group of people that share common attitudes or interests. Examples are:

 Communes
 Convent
 Gated community
 LGBT community
 Nudist community
 Professional learning community
 Retirement community
 Senior living communities
 The bisexual community

Community Service Organizations

 Boys Clubs
 Boy Scouts
 Girls Clubs
 Girl Scouts
 Kiwanis
 Rotary Clubs
 Soup kitchens

Educational Institutions
Educational Institutions teach skills and knowledge to individuals. Examples are:
 Colleges
 Community colleges
 Graduate school
 Junior colleges
 School districts
 Trade schools
 Universities

Ethnic or Cultural Groups

Ethnic or Cultural Groups are social institutions that include a group of extended family groups related by a
distant, common ancestry.
 African Americans
 Asian
 Canadian
 Hispanic
 Navajo
 Pacific Islanders

Families
 An extended family is a social organization with several generations or several nuclear family groups.
 Families and households are usually parents and children living under the same roof.

Governments and Legal Institutions

Governments and legal institutions are also social institutions. Examples include:
 Air Force
 Army
 Coast Guard
 Congress
 Marines
 Navy
 State legislatures
 Health Care Institutions

 Adult daycare
 Doctor's offices
 Clinics
 Hospice
 Hospitals
 Sanatoriums

Justice System
 Appeals courts
 District attorneys
 District courts
 Federal courts
 Judges
 Law enforcement officers
 Lawyers
 State courts
 Supreme Court
 Traffic court
 United States Court of Appeals
 United States Court of International Trade
 United States Court of Military Appeals

Market Institutions
Market institutions cover the industry that buys and sells goods. Examples are:
 Banks
 Businesses
 Corporations
 Credit unions
 Insurance companies
 Limited partnerships
 Stock Market
 Trust companies

Mass Media Institutions

Mass media shapes communication and opinions. Examples are:

 Books
 Cartridges
 Cassettes
 CDs
 DVDs
 Gramophone records
 Internet
 Mobile phones
 Movies
 Magazines
 Magnetic tapes
 Newspapers
 Pamphlets
 Radio
 Television
Political Institutions

These social institutions influence the process of government, such as political parties. Examples are:

 Authoritarianism
 Conservative
 Democracy
 Democratic Party
 Green Party
 Independent Party
 Libertarian Party
 Liberal
 Lobbyists
 Monarchy
 Republican Party
 Totalitarianism

Religious Organizations

These are groups of people that have similar beliefs in the existence of God or gods. Here are examples:

 Abbeys

 Bible Societies

 Buddhist organizations

 Churches

 Church of All Worlds

 Dioceses

 Hindu organizations

 Jewish organizations

 Mission organizations

 Monasteries

 Mosques

 Feeding America

Add notes:

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ACTIVITY: Written Explanation

Instructions: Read the question below and place your answer in the comment box below. (10pts.)
Question: What do you think is the role of a school as a social institution? Explain briefly
WEEK 9: Critical analysis of the role of social institutions
What are the Five Functions of Social Institutions?
An institution is specifically established for fixed social needs. If it fulfils these needs there is social Solidarity and
cohesion among the people. If it fails to meet prescribed objectives there is dysfunctioning of the institution and
state of unrest will emerge among the people. Generally, the following are the functions of social institution in
societies of the world.

Reproduction
The institutions reproduce human race, goods, services, traditions and all other patterns of social life. Human
race is reproduced in family. Material goods and services are produced and distributed by economic institutions.
Power and authority and status and role are produced and enforced by the political institutions. The religious
institutions’ products are rituals, values, beliefs and ceremonies. Educational institutions provide different
techniques and ways of living for the people.

Socialization
All the institutions preserve social norms by transmitting them to the people participating in them. The process of
socialization starts from birth and continues up to the end of life. Man is always in learning process. The learning
of the ways of life in social groups is called’ socialization. Or the inducting of man into social life is. Socialization.
This process goes on through the institutions because man lives in them. He learns norms of social life only in
the institutions. Family teaches the elementary norms called folkways. The neighborhood teaches mores and
educational institutions guide in legal courses of social life. The bazars and markets guide us in economic
dealing. The religious institutions help us in the normative social life of a religion.

Sense of Purpose
Every institution is established for the fulfillment of a special purpose. Harvard University provide quality
education. Hamdard Dawakhana prepares unani medicines only. Pak-Arab Fertilizer Factory, Multan provides
fertilizer to the peasants. Hospitals provide heath facility to the community. Similarly, religious institutions impart
religious education to the students. It means social institutions fulfill fixed needs of the people and continue their
respective aims.

Preservation of Social Order

The main aim of human Societies is to maintain control and order. This aim can be achieved by creating an
organization among the institutions. An institution cannot function alone without cooperation and association of
other institutions. This dependence among them is called organization. But this dependence among the
institutions tie them together in the bond of mutual relationship. This mutual relationship among the social
institutions is social structure called “Tangency of Institutions”. The institutions when organized together create
the condition of control and order among the societies.  This order and control has its relationship with social
solidarity. The social structure which is organized and in order, creates social solidarity and stability in society
and the government Political institutions, specially are assigned this function of social order and control.

Transmission of Culture
All the institutions are embodiments of cultural configuration. This store of culture remains dead if not transmitted
with a change. Every generation adds something into it from its experience while passing on to the next
generation. The process of transmission is completed by formal and informal education through various social
institutions. Even the market places play this role. The mosque, the bus journey, the marriage customs, the labor
service and the administration of the public affairs, all are transmitting institutions of cultural traits.

Personality Development
The institutions shape personalities of the individuals. A child born to an Indian or Pakistani family if socialized in
America will display American personality traits in him after 1 to 10 years of life. It means personality is not a
biological process. It is a social process and depends upon the institutions which socialize it. Personality
develops in the institutions which socialize it. The nature and characteristics of social institutions reacts in the
personality of the individual which socialize them. Institutions are the organs of society and shape it in the way in
which they are interrelated. Ideas, habits, attitudes and feelings being the parts of personality develop in various
social institutions in which the individual lives.

What are Social Institutions and Why They are Important?

What is Social Institution?  Social Institutions are the establishment in a society that makes the society
function. They work as the backbone of a society. Without the social institutions a society cannot achieve
fulfilment in terms of economy, academy or relationships. When there are no rules and regulations in a
society, people are more likely to indulge in crime and other harmful activities. Social institutions help in
taming such activities. They contribute in organizing a society and its people. There are different types of
social institutions which come with a set of rules and norms and ask the people to follow them. The violation
of such rules often results in condemnation and prosecution.

Five Basic Social Institutions

Politics as a Social Institution-

What is the definition of Political Institutions? Politics is a significant social institution. It is the function of a
society in which all the powers are given to a particular group of people chosen by the citizens through
poles. From the type of food we eat to the type of security we get when we go out of our houses, everything
is decided by that group of people in power. So, voting for a party is a crucial decision for every citizen.
Every society has politics today by the name of government. The government makes rules namely laws for
the entire country, and asks the people to follow them. Breach in those laws result in imprisonment and
penalties. There are different parties in politics of a country. A country’s economy can be improved if the
government complies.

Significant Social Institution- Politics

The people in power often get involved in corruption. Corruption is one of the most negative factors of a
society that prevents its growth. Politicians often give dishonest assurances to people and after they come
into power,forget all about what they said. If a country gets to be corruption free, most of its issues can be
resolved. It is the most anti-society factor and activity in a country.

Economy as a Social Institution-

Economy is that social institution which produces and distributes the goods and services and monitors their
consumption. The goods and services are two of the basic things that the people of a country require. The
two main economic systems are Capitalism and Socialism. The economy is an institution that keeps on
changing. There are many economic trends like diversity in the work place, globalization, self- employment
etc. The transaction of goods and services requires currencies as a medium. The introduction of currencies
in today’s world has made the transactions much easier and advance. Before the currencies came into
existence, the barter system was the only medium of transaction, barter system is where a person provides
good and services in return of other goods and services.

Education as a Social Institution-

Education is another vital social institution. Just as economy and government, education also caters to the
opportunities of growth in a society. If a child is given a proper and sufficient education, he gets an
exposure to the worldly affairs and learns to judge situations better. He also passes his knowledge on and
contributes to the betterment of his society.

Education As Social Institution

Family as a Social Institution-

What do we mean by a Family? When we hear the word family, a house with a mother, father, brother and
sister comes into our mind and it is the most general description of a family. But a family is actually the unity
of two or more people through blood relation, marriage or adoption. Family in a society works as a social
support for an individual. When a child is raised in a family with doting parents, grandparents, brothers and
sisters he or she gets to experience a positive upbringing which continues when he or she actually grows
up.
There are three main functions of a family-
 1. To get an identity.
 2. To rear future generation.
 3. To promote a culture.

Family As Social institutions

Marriage as a Social Institution-

Marriage is that social institution which was created to keep a healthy regulation of a person’s life. It is in a
close association with the institution of family. The norms of marriages vary from culture to culture. A
marriage is the process of uniting two different people from different families together through a ceremony.
It serves the purpose of finding companionship.

Marriage As Social Institutions

Religion as a Social institution-

A religion is that institution which studies, practices and believes the existence of God and the mystery of
life and death. The world is diverse when it comes to religion. Different religions have different beliefs and
practices. A religion in society is believed to be a dominant instrument to control the society.
So, given above are the basic social institutions that contribute in the well-being and growth of a society.
Without these institutions a society cannot function. Although, these institutions sometimes add to the
negative growth of a society as well, we as humans should use our own judgement and understanding and
function accordingly.
ACTIVITY: Critical Analysis of the role of Social Institutions

Instructions: Click and watch the video below. Give at least three roles of the following social
institutions. Place your answer form the comment box. (15pts.)

A. LGU Cabagan
1.
2.
3.
B. Hospital
1.
2.
3.
C. St.Paul Parish Church
1.
2.
3. 
D. Police Station
1.
2.
3. 
E. Role of Individuals in Social Institutions
1.
2.
3.
WEEK 10: The Teacher’s role in school and the community

The Teacher’s role in school and the community

The role of the teacher in a positive school-community relationship is extremely important since it is the teacher
who is the backbone of the educational system. Although school boards create school policy and administrators
interpret these policies, teachers are the personnel who implement school policy. Teachers must also be
prepared to make the most favorable impression possible in even the most innocent of circumstances in order to
maintain public support. The community's perceptions of the teacher affect their perceptions of the school and
subsequently student morale, school resources, and support for the school in general. (CB)

 THE 7 ROLES OF A TEACHER IN THE 21ST CENTURY

 Think about the type of lesson you normally teach:

 In which roles are you often involved?

 Are there any roles in which you have less experience?
 Are there any new roles you might try in the future?

It is clear that the 21st-century classroom needs are very different from the 20th-century ones. In the
21st century classroom, teachers are facilitators of student learning and creators of productive classroom
environments, in which students can develop the skills they might need at present or in future.
However, before we begin to understand the evolving role of an ESL teacher, let’s outline some of the most
popular teacher roles. Harmer, J. states that ‘it makes more sense to describe different teacher roles and say
what they are useful for, rather than make value judgments about their effectiveness.’ So here are some of the
most common teacher roles:

Teacher Roles:
Most teachers take on a variety of roles within the classroom, which role do you think most defines your role in
the ESL classroom?

1. The Controller: The teacher is in complete charge of the class, what students do, what they say and how
they say it. The teacher assumes this role when a new language is being introduced and accurate reproduction
and drilling techniques are needed.
In this classroom, the teacher is mostly the center of focus, the teacher may have the gift of instruction, and can
inspire through their own knowledge and expertise, but, does this role really allow for enough student talk time?
Is it really enjoyable for the learners? There is also a perception that this role could have a lack of variety in its
activities.

2. The Prompter: The teacher encourages students to participate and makes suggestions about how
students may proceed in an activity. The teacher should be helping students only when necessary.
When learners are literally ‘lost for words’, the prompter can encourage by discreetly nudging students. Students
can sometimes lose the thread or become unsure how to proceed; the prompter in this regard can prompt but
always in a supportive way.

3. The Resource:  The teacher is a kind of walking resource center ready to offer help if needed, or provide
learners with whatever language they lack when performing communicative activities. The teacher must make
her/himself available so that learners can consult her/him when (and only when) it is absolutely necessary.
As a resource the teacher can guide learners to use available resources such as the internet, for themselves, it
certainly isn’t necessary to spoon-feed learners, as this might have the downside of making learners reliant on
the teacher.
4. The Assessor: The teacher assumes this role to see how well students are performing or how well they
performed. Feedback and correction are organized and carried out.

There are a variety of ways we can grade learners, the role of an assessor gives teachers an opportunity to
correct learners. However, if it is not communicated with sensitivity and support it could prove counter-productive
to a student’s self-esteem and confidence in learning the target language.

5. The Organizer: Perhaps the most difficult and important role the teacher has to play. The success of many
activities depends on good organization and on the students knowing exactly what they are to do next. Giving
instructions is vital in this role as well as setting up activities.

The organizer can also serve as a demonstrator, this role also allows a teacher to get involved and engaged with
learners. The teacher also serves to open and neatly close activities and also give content feedback.

6. The Participant: This role improves the atmosphere in the class when the teacher takes part in an activity.
However, the teacher takes a risk of dominating the activity when performing it.
Here the teacher can enliven a class; if a teacher is able to stand back and not become the center of attention, it
can be a great way to interact with learners without being too overpowering.

7. The Tutor: The teacher acts as a coach when students are involved in project work or self-study. The
teacher provides advice and guidance and helps students clarify ideas and limit tasks.
This role can be a great way to pay individual attention to a student. It can also allow a teacher to tailor make a
course to fit specific student needs. However, it can also lead to a student becoming too dependent or even too
comfortable with one teacher and one method or style of teaching.

An interactive teacher is by definition one that is fully aware of the group dynamics of a classroom. As Dörnyei
and Murphey (2003) explained, the success of classroom learning is very much dependent on:

 How students relate to each other and their teacher

 What the classroom environment is
 How effectively students cooperate and communicate with each other
 The roles not only the teacher plays but the learners engage in

Brown, H. Douglas (2007) mentions that “teachers can play many roles in the course of teaching and this might
facilitate learning. Their ability to carry these out effectively will depend to a large extent on the rapport they
establish with their students, and of course, on their own level of knowledge and skills.”

According to Harmer, J. (2007), the term ‘facilitator’ is used by many authors to describe a particular kind of
teacher, one who is democratic (where the teacher shares some of the leadership with the students) rather than
autocratic (where the teacher is in control of everything that goes on in the classroom), and one who fosters
learner autonomy (where students not only learn on their own but also take responsibility for that learning)
through the use of group and pair work and by acting as more of a resource than a transmitter of knowledge.
ACTIVITY
Instructions: Click and watch the link below. React to the video and imagine yourself as a teacher.
Place your answer in the comment box (15pts.)
1. Describe the teacher as an individual
2. What are the challenges a teacher must overcome?
3. How important is the role of a teacher in the community?
WEEK 15: Teaching Methods and Strategies: The Complete Guide

Teaching Methods and Strategies: The Complete Guide

You’ve completed your coursework. Student teaching has ended. You’ve donned the cap and gown, crossed the
stage, smiled with your diploma and went home to fill out application after application. Suddenly you are standing
in what will be your classroom for the next year and after the excitement of decorating it wears off and you begin
lesson planning, you start to notice all of your lessons are executed the same way, just with different material.
But that is what you know and what you’ve been taught, so you go with it. After a while, your students are bored,
and so are you. There must be something wrong because this isn’t what you envisioned teaching to be like.
There is.
Figuring out the best ways you can deliver information to students can sometimes be even harder than what
students go through in discovering how they learn best. The reason is because every single teacher needs a
variety of different teaching methods in their theoretical teaching bag to pull from depending on the lesson, the
students, and things as seemingly minute as the time the class is and the subject. Using these different teaching
methods, which are rooted in theory of different teaching styles, will not only help teachers reach their full
potential, but more importantly engage, motivate and reach the students in their classes, whether in person or
online.

 Teaching Methods
Teaching methods, or methodology, is a narrower topic because it’s founded in theories and educational
psychology. If you have a degree in teaching, you most likely have heard of names like Skinner, Vygotsky,
Gardner, Piaget, and Bloom. If their names don’t ring a bell, you should definitely recognize their theories that
have become teaching methods. The following are the most common teaching theories.

Behaviorism

Behaviorism is the theory that every learner is essentially a “clean slate” to start off and shaped by emotions.
People react to stimuli, reactions as well as positive and negative reinforcement, the site states. Learning
Theories names the most popular theorists who ascribed to this theory were Ivan Pavlov, who many people may
know with his experiments with dogs. He performed an experiment with dogs that when he rang a bell, the dogs
responded to the stimuli; then he applied the idea to humans. Other popular educational theorists who were part
of behaviorism was B.F. Skinner and Albert Bandura.
Social Cognitive Theory

Social Cognitive Theory is typically spoken about at the early childhood level because it has to do with critical
thinking with the biggest concept being the idea of play, according to Edwin Peel writing for Encyclopedia
Britannica. Though Bandura and Lev Vygotsky also contributed to cognitive theory, according to Dr. Norman
Herr with California State University, the most popular and first theorist of cognitivism is Piaget.
There are four stages to Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development that he created in 1918. Each stage
correlates with a child’s development from infancy to their teenage years.

The first stage is called the Sensorimotor Stage which occurs from birth to 18 months. The reason this is
considered cognitive development is because the brain is literally growing through exploration, like squeaking
horns, discovering themselves in mirrors or spinning things that click on their floormats or walkers; creating
habits like sleeping with a certain blanket; having reflexes like rubbing their eyes when tired or thumb sucking;
and beginning to decipher vocal tones.

The second stage, or the Preoperational Stage, occurs from ages 2 to 7 when toddlers begins to understand and
correlate symbols around them, ask a lot of questions, and start forming sentences and conversations, but they
haven’t developed perspective yet so empathy does not quite exist yet, the website states. This is the stage
when children tend to blurt out honest statements, usually embarrassing their parents, because they don’t
understand censoring themselves either.

From ages 7 to 11, children are beginning to problem solve, can have conversations about things they are
interested in, are more aware of logic and develop empathy during the Concrete Operational Stage.

The final stage, called the Formal Operational Stage, though by definition ends at age 16, can continue beyond.
It involves deeper thinking and abstract thoughts as well as questioning not only what things are but why the way
they are is popular, the site states. Many times people entering new stages of their lives like high school, college,
or even marriage go through elements of Piaget’s theory, which is why the strategies that come from this method
are applicable across all levels of education.
 

The Multiple Intelligences Theory

The Multiple Intelligences Theory states that people don’t need to be smart in every single discipline to be
considered intelligent on paper tests, but that people excel in various disciplines, making them exceptional.
Created in 1983, the former principal in the Scranton School District in Scranton, PA, created eight different
intelligences, though since then two others have been debated of whether to be added but have not yet officially,
according to the site. The original eight are musical, spatial, linguistic, mathematical, kinesthetic, interpersonal,
intrapersonal and naturalistic and most people have a predominant intelligence followed by others. For those
who are musically-inclined either via instruments, vocals, has perfect pitch, can read sheet music or can easily
create music has Musical Intelligence. Being able to see something and rearrange it or imagine it differently is
Spatial Intelligence, while being talented with language, writing or avid readers have Linguistic Intelligence.
Kinesthetic Intelligence refers to understanding how the body works either anatomically or athletically and
Naturalistic Intelligence is having an understanding of nature and elements of the ecosystem.

The final intelligences have to do with personal interactions. Intrapersonal Intelligence is a matter of knowing
oneself, one’s limits, and their inner selves while Interpersonal Intelligence is knowing how to handle a variety of
other people without conflict or knowing how to resolve it, the site states. There is still an elementary school in
Scranton, PA named after their once-principal.

Constructivism

Constructivism is another theory created by Piaget which is used as a foundation for many other educational
theories and strategies because constructivism is focused on how people learn. Piaget states in this theory that
people learn from their experiences. They learn best through active learning, connect it to their prior knowledge
and then digest this information their own way. This theory has created the ideas of student-centered learning in
education versus teacher-centered learning.

Universal Design for Learning

The final method is the Universal Design for Learning which has redefined the educational community since its
inception in the mid-1980s by David H. Rose. This theory focuses on how teachers need to design their
curriculum for their students. This theory really gained traction in the United States in 2004 when it was
presented at an international conferece and he explained that this theory is based on neuroscience and how the
brain processes information, perform tasks and get excited about education. The theory, known as UDL,
advocates for presenting information in multiple ways to enable a variety of learners to understand the
information; presenting multiple assessments for students to show what they have learned; and learn and utilize
a student’s own interests to motivate them to learn, the site states. This theory also discussed incorporating
technology in the classroom and ways to educate students in the digital age.
Teaching Styles
From each of the educational theories, teachers extract and develop a plethora of different teaching styles, or
strategies. Instructors must have a large and varied arsenal of strategies to use weekly and even daily in order to
build rapport, keep students engaged and even keep instructors from getting bored with their own material.
These can be applicable to all teaching levels, but adaptations must be made based on the student’s age and
level of development.

Differentiated instruction is one of the most popular teaching strategies, which means that teachers adjust the
curriculum for a lesson, unit or even entire term in a way that engages all learners in various ways, according
to Chapter 2 of the book Instructional Process and Concepts in Theory and Practice by Celal Akdeniz. This
means changing one’s teaching styles constantly to fit not only the material but more importantly, the students
based on their learning styles.
Learning styles are the ways in which students learn best. The most popular types are visual, audio,
kinesthetic and read/write, though others include global as another type of learner, according to Akdeniz. For
some, they may seem self-explanatory. Visual learners learn best by watching the instruction or a
demonstration; audio learners need to hear a lesson; kinesthetic learners learn by doing, or are hands-on
learners; read/write learners to best by reading textbooks and writing notes; and global learners need material to
be applied to their real lives, according to The Library of Congress. There are many activities available to
instructors that enable their students to find out what kind of learner they are. Typically students have a main
style with a close runner-up, which enables them to learn best a certain way but they can also learn material in
an additional way. When an instructor knows their students and what types of learners are in their classroom,
instructors are able to then differentiate their instruction and assignments to those learning types, according to
Akdeniz and The Library of Congress.
 

Teacher Leadership: The Role of Educators in Our Schools and

Communities

Teacher Leadership: The Role of Educators in Our Schools and Communities

Teachers have an enormous impact on our students and our communities. Shaping the minds of children is no

small feat. Some educators take their devotion to teaching a step further by becoming teacher leaders.

Teacher leaders take on various roles. They collaborate, research, innovate, mentor and advise, among

numerous other responsibilities. While teacher leadership takes on many forms, one thing is for certain: Teacher

leaders are making a concrete difference in our schools and communities.

What is Teacher Leadership?

Throughout their often-diverse careers, most teachers maintain many leadership roles. Some are among

students, while others influence fellow educators and the community. In recent years, though, teacher leadership

has become a more distinct role that educators must fill.

The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement defined teacher leadership as, “The process by

which teachers, individually or collectively, influence their colleagues, principals and other members of the

school communities to improve teaching and learning practices with the aim of increased student learning and

achievement.”

Teacher leaders step outside the classroom to bring their expertise to a larger platform, influencing educational

culture, practice and growth in their communities. They may help other teachers improve their ability to instruct

students, or they may lead teams to better meet the needs of the students, school and community. Some focus

much of their time on helping parents better work with their children, while others push for reform through

political means. In short, the list of responsibilities teacher leaders take on is seemingly endless.

A teacher leader does not always have authority over peers. In fact, it may be better if they don’t. The Center for

Comprehensive School Reform stated, “The appointment of a teacher leader by an administrator without teacher

input, uncertainty about teacher leader versus principal domains of leadership and inadequate communication

and feedback among teacher leaders, principal and staff can all contribute to conflict.”

Teacher leadership is at its best when the leadership is organic, the teacher leader is respected but not feared,

and they collaborate and nurture instead of enforcing.

Standards and definitions of teacher leaders differ from state-to-state, with degree programs and certification

programs using different names to describe this unique and vital role. The Kentucky Education Professional

Standards Board has these standards:

1. Foster a collaborative culture.

2. Use research to improve practice and student learning.

3. Promote professional learning.

4. Facilitate improvements in instruction and student learning.

5. Promote the use of assessments and data.

6. Improve outreach and collaboration with families and the community.

7. Advocate for student learning and the profession.

Teacher leaders have a huge role to fill in our schools and community that leaves a lot of responsibilities open to

interpretation. They must use their best discretion to promote and advocate in ways that benefit students,

teachers, schools and families.

The Importance of Teacher Leadership
While teachers have always taken on informal leadership roles in their schools and communities, now it’s more

important than ever that teacher leadership is defined and encouraged.

The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development said, “The role of schools is changing — 1both as

an institution and also in the value they bring to and provide for society. No longer merely the stepping stones to

a job or a trade, schools act as important institutions that help grow and develop our youth as citizens and as

engaged members of society.”

A job this big requires leaders both inside and outside of the classroom to guide, encourage, advocate and

inform. While every teacher can lead and influence, a defined framework for what that means helps teacher

leaders succeed. This important role requires support and buy-in from other educators.

Once thought to be the role of administrators, leadership should come from those who are still involved in the

daily grind of classroom instruction, according to many studies. The ASCD stated, “We must end the practice of

moving skilled teachers from the classroom and into the front office and calling that teacher leadership. Now

more than ever, skilled classroom educators must hone their craft, mentor others and grow professionally —

while keeping one foot firmly inside the classroom.”

Those who are with students and other teachers daily see their struggles and needs. Teacher leaders are in the

best position to advocate for instructors and students in schools and the community. They’re also welcomed by

fellow teachers to collaborate and discuss ideas to better their practices and increase student achievement.

Roles in Teacher Leadership

Roles in teacher leadership vary greatly. All teacher leaders, whether designated as a leader through

certification and job title or simply making a difference in their school a community, drive education forward. Here

are just a few roles that a they may take on.

Instructional Specialists
An instructional specialist helps teachers improve teaching strategies and implement new instructional ideas into

their classrooms. Instructional specialists spend a lot of time researching best practices and new studies so that

they can use the latest and most effective lessons and resources in their classrooms. Instructional specialists are
often teachers themselves. They take on this additional role to better the overall educational quality of their

school and help their fellow educators grow.

Mentors
Many teacher leaders take on the role of mentor to help teachers familiarize themselves with the school,

curriculum, practices and culture. Mentors are invaluable when it comes to ensuring that standards are

communicated and that young teachers feel welcomed to the school community. It’s not just new teachers who

need mentors, though. Mentors can help established teachers grow or help parents understand how to

encourage their children outside of the classroom.

Speakers and Bloggers

Some teacher leaders enjoy speaking at professional conferences and community meetings about their area of

expertise or as a representative from their school. Others blog or write pieces for publications. These teacher

leaders help place schools and communities in the spotlight and spread their influence beyond just one school.

Blogging and speaking is a great way to lead many educators in multiple communities.

Data Coaches
Data plays a huge role in teaching, but not every educator knows what to do with the large amounts of it. Data

coaches help guide their peers in analyzing and applying the data to improve instruction. Teachers with a knack

for numbers will really flourish in this leadership role and help drive the education practices at a school forward.

Political Advocates
Teachers and students need representation in the government for teachers to perform at their best.

“Advocating for teacher pay, more planning time and common sense in education policies is a significant

component of teacher leadership,” said Anthony Colucci, a national board-certified teacher and vice president of

the Brevard Federation of Teachers. Teacher leaders can speak from a position of experience on behalf of their

schools and fellow educators in the public arena.

While these jobs differ, all have the goal of bringing teachers together, helping them become better and

advocating for best practices.

How to Become a Teacher Leader
There are many teacher leadership qualities that help them be successful. Becoming a teacher leader starts with

loving to educate others. You must also be willing to take that love outside of the classroom to share what you

know with colleagues and the community. They need to have a passion for learning continually. Most

importantly, great teacher leaders earn the respect of many parties, from fellow teachers to parents to political

leaders.

If you want to expand your education and become a teacher leader, consider an online master’s in educational

leadership. Campbellsville University’s Master of Arts in Education Teacher Leader program prepares you to

lead and mentor fellow teachers. You’ll learn the skills and tools that schools are looking for in a new generation

of leadership. Those who teach our online educational leadership program have experience teaching in

Kentucky public schools, so they’re prepared to identify with your needs and challenges as you enter the next

phase of your teaching career.

If your passion lies with helping special education students, Campbellsville University offers a program

specifically for you. Our online master’s in special education with a focus in teacher leadership will help you

prepare to meet the unique challenges of students with emotional, behavioral and learning disorders and the

educators working with them.

 The Roles of a Teacher Outside the Classroom 

A teacher has a very diverse role within the educational environment. In the classroom she must be an

instructor, critic, disciplinarian, motivator, role model and adviser. However, a teacher's job can expand to

include other roles outside the classroom. Many teachers assume roles outside of the classroom to facilitate

the development of a good rapport or for other reasons. Roles for a teacher outside of the instructional

environment include: coach, club sponsor, tutor and counselor.

WEEK 16: Organizational Leadership

Teachers need to build strong relationships with school stakeholders

AS teachers, our primary goal for our students is to promote learning, inspire them to bring out their best and
help them become productive members of the community.
Some teachers are more popular than others among students. These teachers become popular by building good
relationships with their students, and by treating them with respect. However, this ideal situation would not be
possible without the help and support of all school stakeholders.

Stakeholders are individuals or groups who have an interest or concern for the school. They include parents,
school administrators, board members, local government officials, alumni and socio-civic groups who contribute
to the development of the school community.

Thus, a healthy relationship between the teachers and stakeholders is important, as this will enable everybody to
harmoniously work together, which will have a positive impact on the students.

Parents desire a successful educational system for their children; while the students themselves want to receive
good education. It’s easy to imagine the influence the education system has on government officials, like city
councilors and district representatives, as voters also base their decision on the way public officials show their
support to the school system.

In fact, the community as a whole is the biggest stakeholder in its education system. This is because local
schools educate future employees, business owners and community leaders. A solid education program builds a
stronger community by preparing students to be successful community members.

Since everyone in a community is a stakeholder in the local education system, every stakeholder plays a
different, significant role in supporting the education system.

For example, a stakeholder’s input and relationship with other stakeholders are important in the planning,
implementation and evaluation of, say, health promotion and education programs in schools. Their personal
perceptions and understanding can help motivate children in the school environment.

Parents, on the other hand, can support and influence the adoption and implementation of a solid
school curriculum. In addition, the parents can help monitor and evaluate the implementation of the curriculum
by keeping abreast with the performance of their children, particularly by monitoring their homework activities.

Furthermore, the parents can help teachers by monitoring the behavior and social development of their children
at home, especially for children with special education needs.

As teachers, we know we are dealing with fragile beings. Adolescence, for example, brings insecurities.
Individuals at this age are pulling away from adults. Being accepted by their peers is the key to develop their
self-esteem. When children feel good about themselves, it’s much easier to motivate them to become
academically proficient.

To fulfill our goals of developing successful students, teachers must work together with school stakeholders in
planning and building a school community where children thrive as they enhance their learning capabilities.

WEEK 17: Articles (UNICEF)

ACTIVITY: Written Explanation
Instructions: Read the passage below and explain it in your own understanding.Place your answer in
the comment box below. (10pts.)

Teacher leaders are characterised by their enduring commitment to improving students' learning
(Lovett, 2017)