Submitted by: Aliza Arif - 211597

Submitted to: Dr. Sadaf Zamir Ahmed

Subject: Teacher Education
Assignment Topic: Unit 1: Introduction to Teacher education

Department of Education
Faculty of Social Sciences
Air University, Islamabad
 Introduction to teacher education
1.1. Who is teacher?
“A good teacher is like a Candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others”. Mustafa
Kamal Ataturk.
“A teacher is the only person who is capable of imparting knowledge and shaping the
youths to the wider scope of knowledge. Teachers are capable of living and molding the
youths such that their power is paramount as they determine the fate of the society. Both
teachers and parents live with the children for a long time and hence they are capable of
imparting knowledge, skills an values that cannot be easily challenged by the society.”
(Nyerere, 27th August 1966).
A great nation is built though a teacher in the four walls of a class room. A teacher’s
profession is a noble one, it is said yes, and it is a noble one. I feel it is the basis of all
other professions. It is the teacher who creates doctors, scientists, engineers, artist,
dramatist, singer, builder and all other professionals. A teacher, also called a
schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire
knowledge, competence or virtue. Informally the role of teacher may be taken on by
anyone (e.g. when showing a colleague how to perform a specific task). In some
countries, teaching young people of school age may be carried out in an informal setting,
such as within the family (homeschooling), rather than in a formal setting such as a
school or college. Some other professions may involve a significant amount of teaching
(e.g. youth worker, pastor). In most countries, formal teaching of students is usually
carried out by paid professional teachers.
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students.
The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of
formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first
obtain specified professional qualifications or credentials from a university or college.
These professional qualifications may include the study of pedagogy, the science of
teaching. Teachers, like other professionals, may have to continue their education after
they qualify, a process known as continuing professional development. Teachers may use
a lesson plan to facilitate student learning, providing a course of study which is called the
curriculum. A teacher's role may vary among cultures. Teachers may provide instruction
in literacy and numeracy, craftsmanship or vocational training, the arts, religion, civics,
community roles, or life skills. A teacher who facilitates education for an individual may
also be described as a personal tutor, or, largely historically, a governess. In some
countries, formal education can take place through home schooling. Informal learning
may be assisted by a teacher occupying a transient or ongoing role, such as a family
member, or by anyone with knowledge or skills in the wider community setting.
1.2. Concept of Teaching
The meaning of teaching is to teach or instruct students. I think teaching is everywhere,
when someone guides others outside or inside an educational institution, they also teach.
Teachers play a very important role in our society. The term "teaching and learning
process" is famous because it is a combination of two important words. Teachers teach
students in a certain environment called Teaching. Learning is something we call to
absorb knowledge, to acquire some knowledge or to construct concepts with the help of
acquiring knowledge.
Teaching is the process in which one individual teaches or instruct to another individual
or group. Teaching is a systematic process of solving the people’s problem and provide
safe solutions with good and strong justification. Teach with good self-experiences is
very precious for the people, who need a solution. If someone guides other, this is also a
teaching. Generally we use “teaching” word for those people who teach us in an
education settings.
Philosophers/ Educationist defined teaching as:
According to Henry Clay Morrison: teaching is a relationship between two people, one
person’s personality is mature and other one is less mature.
According to Jackson: Teaching is an eye to eye relationship between two or more
persons, one is teacher and other are students.
Teaching stand for:
T Training , Transferring knowledge
E Effective teaching, Experienced, Evaluator
A Attractive, Active, Affective
C Counselor, Creative
H Honest, Humble
I Intelligent, Interpreter, Impressive personality
N Nourishing students
G Growing, Grooming, Guidance

1.3. What is teacher Education?

1. Teacher education or teacher training refers to the policies, procedures, and provision
designed to equip (prospective) teachers with the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and
skills they require to perform their tasks effectively in the classroom, school, and
wider community. The professionals who engage in training the prospective teachers
are called teacher educators (or, in some contexts, teacher trainers).
2. Teaching is a profession and is a process of professional preparation of teachers,
(MHRD, 2012). Teaching is an art that can be acquired through a series of well-
designed activities, its’ imperative, therefore due emphasis should be laid on the
education of the teachers.
3. The National Education Policy (1972-1980) recommended reorganizing teacher
education programs, introducing innovative techniques, and improving facilities for
teacher education to meet the massive requirements of teachers at all stages. It
recommended the introduction of Education subject at Secondary, Higher Secondary
and Degree levels to prepare teachers for primary, middle (elementary) and high
(secondary) levels. Moreover, the policy further suggested an increase in number of
female teachers at all levels especially at primary level by relaxing academic and
 training requirements in special cases(GoP, MoE, 1972, p.23).As a result of this
policy decision, the teacher education curriculum was revised and improvised in 1976
(Khan, 2011, p.105). Shahid (1985, p.41) stated that this policy was implemented to a
great extent and two-thirds of its recommendations were implemented fully or
partially.
4. NCFTE (2010), described that teaching is a profession and teacher education is a
process of professional preparation of teachers. “If you educate a boy, you educate
one individual, if you educate a girl, you educate a teacher, If you educate a teacher,
you educate a community. “Knowledge is power” implies that teaching is an art that
can be acquired through a series of well- designed activities, its imperative, therefore
due emphasis should be laid on the education of the teachers.
5. Teacher education program that it should prepare good teachers by providing them
with a sound foundation of the theoretical knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes
and interests. It should enable the trainees to acquire knowledge, skills and techniques
for effective teaching and to inculcate in the trainees the desired ideals and
behavioural patterns of the society in which we live.
6. The improvement of educational provision in every country is greatly dependent on
the efficiency of teachers' education. This efficiency in turn, depends on the
knowledge and skills obtained during their education on a first level, on the
accumulation of their professional experience, its practical application and its
interaction with the educational context on a second level, and on the potential
offered to the teacher during his/her professional career to adapt to the new
developments so that they are able to be constantly updated, improved and
modernized.
1.4. Need of Teacher Education
The American Commission on Teacher Education rightly observes, “The quality of a
nation depends upon the quality of its citizens. The quality of its citizens depends not
exclusively, but in critical measure upon the quality of their education, the quality of their
education depends more than upon any single factor, upon the quality of their teacher.”
In his Call for Action for American Education in the 21 St Century in 1996, Clinton
indicated that every community should have a talented and de dictated teacher in every
classroom. We have enormous opportunity for ensuring teacher quality well into the 21St
century if we recruit promising people into teaching and give them the highest quality
preparation and training”.
The need for teacher education is felt due to the following reasons;
1. It is common knowledge that the academic and professional standards of teachers
constitute a critical component of the essential learning conditions for achieving the
educational goals of a nation. The focus of teacher preparation had to shift from
training to education if it had to make a positive influence on the quality of
curriculum transaction in classrooms and thereby pupil learning and the larger social
transformation. The aspects that need greater emphasis are; the length of academic
preparation, the level and quality of subject matter knowledge, the repertoire of
pedagogical skills that teachers possess to meet the needs of diverse learning
situations, the degree of commitment to the profession, sensitivity to contemporary
 issues and problems and the level of motivation. This is not possible if teacher
preparation focused only on training. Holistic teacher building is necessary and
therefore teacher education needed more emphasis than mere training.
2. Educating all children well depends not only on ensuring that teachers have the
necessary knowledge and skills to carry out their work, but also that they take
responsibility for seeing that all children reach high levels of learning and that they
act accordingly.
3. People come to teacher education with beliefs, values, commitments, personalities
and moral codes from their upbringing and schooling which affect who they are as
teachers and what they are able to learn in teacher education and in teaching. Helping
teacher candidates examine critically their beliefs and values as they relate to
teaching, learning and subject matter and form a vision of good teaching to guide and
inspire their learning and their work is a central task of teacher education (Fieman-
Nems er, 2001).
4. The National Academy of Education Committee‘s Report (Darling- Hammond and
Bransford, 2005) wrote that: ―On a daily basis, teachers confront complex decisions
that rely on many different kinds of knowledge and judgement and that can involve e
high stakes outcomes for students‘future. To make good decisions, teachers must be
aware of the many ways in which student learning can unfold in the context of
development, learning differences, language and cultural influences, and individual
temperaments, interests and approaches to learning‖. In addition to foundational
knowledge about the areas of learning and performance listed in the above quotation,
teachers need to know how to take the steps necessary to gather additional
information that will allow them to make more grounded judgements about what is
going on and what strategies may be helpful. More importantly, teachers need to keep
what is best for the student at the center of their decision making.
5. Teacher education like any other education al intervention, can only work on those
professional commitments or dispositions that are susceptible to modification. While
we can‘t remake someone‘s personality, we can reshape attitudes towards the other
and develop a professional rather than a personal role orientation towards teaching as
a practice.
6. The Ministry of Education document ―Challenge of Education: A Policy Perspective
(1985) has mentioned, ―Teacher performance is the most crucial input in the field of
education whatever policies may be laid down, in the ultimate analysis these have to
be implemented by teachers as much through their personal example as through
teaching learning processes.
1.5. ROLE OF TEACHER FOR CONDUCIVE LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT
Teaching is a multifaceted profession. Apart from the process of teaching and imparting
information to the students, teachers have many roles to play. They take an important
place in the lives of the students in their classes. Primarily they set the tone of their
classes, create a warm atmosphere, and look after the students by looking for signs of any
trouble. They become role models for the students.
As a leader the role of a teacher in the classroom is to lead students and families. The
classroom teacher is responsible for creating a positive and disciplined learning
environment:
 In class
 In co-curricular activities
 In informal conversations with students
In this way, each student is challenged to grow in knowledge and maturity to the best of
his ability, in all aspects of his life.
1.5.1. Areas of Responsibility
The class teacher is responsible for:
 To promote the mission and philosophy of the school/college through structured
classroom prayer, participation in the academic life of the college and modeling of
appropriate standards of behaviour.
 Maintaining a positive and effective learning environment through well-crafted
lessons that meet a wide range of student abilities and interests.
 Establishing realistic and challenging academic standards of student performance. –
A challenging and realistic schedule of student homework.
 Comprehensive attention to student assignments submitted for marking and
supervision.
 Demonstrate knowledge, ability and confidence in the relevant subject discipline.
 Demonstrate a high level of professionalism in all activities.
Let’s take a detailed look at teacher roles as teachers play many other roles in the
classroom:
1. Teaching Knowledge
The most common role of a teacher in the classroom is to teach knowledge to children.
Teachers are given a curriculum that they must follow that meets state guidelines. This
syllabus is followed by the teacher so that complete knowledge can be given to the
students in the given time (academic year). Teachers teach in a variety of ways, such as
lectures, small group activities, and practical learning activities.
2. Creating a Classroom Environment
Teachers play an important role in making the classroom environment positive or
negative. Students often imitate the actions of the teacher. If the teacher creates a cordial,
happy environment, then the students will also be happy. Teachers are responsible for
social behavior in their classrooms. This behavior is primarily a reflection of the teacher’s
actions and the environment set by him.
3. Role Modeling
Students spend a lot of time with their teacher and their teacher becomes a role model for
them. This can be a positive or negative effect depending on the teacher. Teachers not
only teach children but also love and care. Hence teachers are respected by the
community and become a role model for the students and parents.
4. Advice
Mentoring is a natural role played by teachers. Mentoring is a method by which a teacher
encourages students to perform at their best. It also includes encouraging students to
enjoy learning. Listening carefully to students is part of giving advice. By taking the time
to listen to what students say, teachers give students a sense of ownership in the
classroom. It helps in boosting their confidence and helps them to be successful.
5. Signs of Trouble
As a protector, the teacher sees signs of trouble in the students. When there is a change in
the behavior of the students and any signs of physical abuse are visible, the teachers need
to look at the problem and solve it according to the rules.
1.5.2. Friendly classroom environment
The best classroom environment is one that results in efficient learning (Callhan 1996).
The classroom environment becomes conducive to learning when the teacher analyzes
the behavior of each and every student in the class before planning the teaching. In such
an environment, students become self-directed when encouraged through proper teacher
guidance and teaching techniques.
According to Arif (2003), in order to create a conducive classroom environment, teachers
should establish and maintain it through the following teaching principles and
management practices. They should use the time in a productive way to reduce disruptive
behavior. Students should remain involved in learning oriented tasks and activities.
Following are the steps to make the classroom more effective:
1. Keep the students motivated while motivating the students to learn: The teachers
set the stage for creating a positive classroom environment. Motivating students is
the first step towards preventing discipline problems in classrooms because the
student involved in learning does not have time to engage in conflict with others.
2. Meeting basic needs: Teachers should try to meet the basic as well as age related
needs of the students. Make students feel physically comfortable competent, safe,
welcoming, socially accepted and valued. Otherwise, they are more likely to
experience learning difficulties and engage in disruptive actions.
3. Exercise a moderate level of control: The degree of class control should be
moderate. Students learn very well in the classroom where teachers neither exercise
too much nor exercise too little control. Too much control over memory tasks can be
effective but it is detrimental to learning that involves critical and creative thinking.
4. Empowering students: Make them responsible for their own learning through group
and individual learning activities so that they eventually become independent
learners. This is one of the objectives of good classroom management.
5. Place instruction at the student level: Keep instruction at the developmental stage
of the students so that they do not feel frustrated or bored. Otherwise, they may
behave disruptively.
6. Develop a healthy and professionally strong relationship with all the students by
being friendly with them. Learn their names and some positive information about
each to greet them.
7. Communicate interest to all the students and show concern for each of them.
Interest and concern are communicated through brief eye contact with everyone and
through helpful gestures and facial expressions during teaching.
8. While giving instructions, move around the class and ensure physical proximity to
all the students.
9. Avoid labeling students with negative adjectives, which are likely to lower their
self-esteem. Labeling affects the quality of teachers’ interactions with students,
which further negatively affects students’ expectations and actions.
10. Describe the behavior of the misbehaving student, not the character of the student.
Say “Your comment was rude” instead of “You’re rude.” Criticizing students’
personality is less likely to change their behavior.
11. Increase “busy time” by engaging students in learning tasks, through understanding,
overlapping, smooth transitions and group focus.
12. Teach roles and routines in an academic fashion to young students with lots of
explanations, examples and exercises during the preparatory classes.
13. Develop a set of some general classroom rules that apply to different situations.
These rules should be demonstrated in the classroom.
14. Be assertive rather than passive or aggressive in enforcing discipline. Enforce the
rule by force, fairly, consistently and calmly.
15. Create a business-like atmosphere in the classroom, where students understand that
they and the teacher have a common goal of carrying out activities that promote
learning (Arif, 2003).
To handle a student misbehaving, the following suggestions may prove helpful:
1. Deal with the current, current problem immediately, not past instances of student
misbehavior.
2. Talk directly to the student instead of talking to others.
3. Do not be harsh and agitated. Remain calm and address firmly. Anger, empty threats
and physical behavior should be avoided.
4. If the student is hostile, the teacher can address his hostility by responding in a soft,
calm and soothing tone. To pacify him, the sentiments of the students must be
acknowledged.
1.5.3. More about the role of a teacher in this society:
Teaching has diverged from the old concept of “show-and-tell” practices. Therefore the
role of teachers in the education of children has also changed radically. From the modern
perspective of the technological world, instruction not only primarily involves lecturing
students, but also provides each child with a rich, rewarding and unique learning
experience. Students no longer need to sit in rows at desks and dutifully listen and record
what they hear. Now they are more active and need to participate in the process of
teaching and learning by sharing knowledge with their peers and teachers.
The educational environment has now spread from the classroom to the home and
community and even throughout the world. Information is not limited to specific text
books but is available everywhere. Schools are centers of lifelong learning. Teaching has
been taken as the most challenging and respected career in this changing era as the social,
cultural and economic health of our entire country depends on it.
Therefore, each part of the teaching process and the role of teachers should be
reconsidered such as teacher-student relationship, teaching tools and techniques, rights
and responsibilities of teachers, curriculum form and content, standards of assessment,
preparation and professional development, working environment As does the structure of
teachers and schools. So that teachers themselves and their businesses can better serve
schools and students.
Tray Teaching was traditionally considered as knowledge-delivery, custodial child care
and identification/help of academically less able students. School-education factories pay
teachers and keep children stationed to take lessons and tests. Teachers educate students
in the same way, just standing in front of the class and teaching the same lesson year after
year.
However, today, teachers are encouraged to adopt new practices for teaching and learning
in the fields of arts and sciences. The redefining nature of education now includes the
close relationship between a caring adult and a secure, motivated child. Therefore the
redefining role of teachers is to get to know each student as an individual by
understanding his/her unique needs, learning style, social and cultural background,
interests and abilities.
Teachers have to;
 Help students integrate their social, emotional and intellectual development.
 Enabling students to seek, understand and use knowledge
 To make better decisions in your personal life; and give importance to contribution to
the society.
 See yourself as a master of a subject like History, Math’s or Science.
This new relationship between teachers and students will take the form of a different
concept of instruction. It has been found that new teaching methodologies such as
project-based, participatory techniques, educational adventures, etc. can make students
participate in the instructional process. Other than this;
 The curriculum should be related to the daily life of the students,
 The learning activities provided in the classroom should best engage the students’
abilities, and
 Evaluation should measure actual achievements and should be an integral part of
learning.
The day-to-day job of the teacher has become;
 Designing and guiding students through engaging learning opportunities, –
Discovering and creating meaningful educational experiences that allow students to
solve real-world problems,
 To learn big ideas, powerful skills, and habits of mind and heart that meet agreed
educational standards,
 As a result what students remember from regular lectures and textbooks, they come
alive as they participate in the creation and expansion of new knowledge.

1.5.4. New Tools and Environments

New technology is the most powerful force that is changing the role of teachers and
students in education. Teachers are no longer primary information providers. The basic
function of teaching has shifted from the delivery of facts to helping children learn how
to use knowledge of facts to enhance their abilities to think critically, solve problems,
make informed decisions and form knowledge. For which benefit both the students and
the society. Teachers spend more time working face-to-face or with small groups of
students. Changes in the delivery of education demand changes in school structure as
well. This may include extended periods of instruction and school and mixed-aged
classes in which students spend two or more years with the same teacher to free up
learning time limits.
The concept of team teaching is becoming popular in which two or more teachers share
responsibility for a group of students. This means that an individual teacher will no
longer be responsible for everything for all students as someone with a different set of
ability to teach them. So our schools should have a number of teachers who have an
appropriate level of responsibility based on their abilities and level of experience.
1.5.5. New Professional Responsibilities
In addition to rethinking their primary responsibility as director of student education,
teachers are also taking on other roles in schools and in their profession. They are
working with colleagues, family members, politicians, academics, community members,
employers and others to set clear and attainable standards for the knowledge, skills, and
values that we need to acquire from America’s children. Should expect. They are
participating day by day
Schools make day-to-day decisions, work side by side to set priorities, and deal with
organizational problems that affect their students’ learning. Many teachers also spend
time researching various questions of educational effectiveness that expand their
understanding of learning dynamics. And more teachers are spending time mentoring
new members of their profession, ensuring that education school graduates are truly
prepared for the complex challenges of today’s classrooms.
1.6. Personal characteristics of effective teaching
12 Characteristics of an Effective Teacher are:
1. Prepared
The most effective teachers come to class each day ready to teach that day’s lesson.
They: 
 Jump right into the lesson with enthusiasm.
  Avoid wasting instructional time. They start class on time, teach for the entire
class period, and time flies in their classes.
2. Positive
The most effective teachers have optimistic attitudes about teaching and their students.
They always: 
 Look on the bright side of every situation. 
 Communicate with students about their progress. 
 Praise and recognize students for hard work.
 Help students act kindly toward one another.
3. Hold High Expectations 
The most effective teachers believe every student can be successful. They: 
 Hold students to the highest standards. 
 Consistently challenge their students to realize their potential. 
 Build students’ confidence and teach them to believe in themselves.

4. Creative
The most effective teachers are resourceful and inventive in their teaching methods.
They: 
 Might wear a clown suit if the class reaches its academic goal. 
 Agree to participate in the school talent show. 
 Use technology effectively in the classroom.
5. Fair
The most effective teachers handle students and grading fairly. They: 
 Allow all students equal opportunities and privileges. 
 Provide clear requirements. 
 Recognize that “fair” means giving every student an opportunity to succeed. 
 Understand that not all students learn in the same way and at the same rate. 
6. Display a Personal Touch
The most effective teachers are approachable and friendly. They: 
 Connect with students personally. 
 Are genuinely interested in who their students are as people. 
 Visit the students’ world. For instance, they sit with them in the cafeteria; they
attend sporting events, plays, and other events outside normal school hours.
7. Cultivate a Sense of Belonging
The most effective teachers have a way of making students feel welcome and
comfortable in their classrooms. 
 Have a warm, welcoming attitude that helps students know they belong in your
classroom. 
 Communicate how much they love teaching and prefer it to other occupations.
8. Compassionate 
The most effective teachers are concerned about students’ personal problems and can
relate to them. Numerous stories established how the sensitivity and compassion of
caring teachers affected them in profound and lasting ways. They:
 Understand when students are having a difficult time and act accordingly.
 Remember that students are people with lives outside of the classroom, just like
teachers.
9. Have a Sense of Humor 
The most effective teachers do not take everything seriously and make learning fun.
They:
 Use humor to break the ice in difficult situations.
 Bring humor into the everyday classroom. 
 Laugh with the class but never at the expense of any particular student. 
10. Respect Students
The most effective teachers do not deliberately embarrass students. Teachers who give
the highest respect get the highest respect. They: 
 Respect students’ privacy when returning test papers. 
 Speak to students in private concerning grades or conduct. 
 Always avoid situations that unnecessarily embarrass students.
11. Forgiving 
The most effective teachers do not hold grudges. They: 
 Forgive the students. 
 Start each day with a clean slate. 
 Understand that disruptive or antisocial behavior can quickly turn a teacher
against a student, but that refusing to give up on a difficult student can produce
success. 
12. Admit Mistakes
The most effective teachers are quick to admit it when they’re wrong. They: 
 Apologize to mistakenly accused students. 
 Make adjustments when students point out errors and oversights. 

References:
https://www.definitions.net/definition/teacher
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teacher
Concept of teaching and its definition (B.Ed. NOTES). (n.d.). Physics Catalyst. Retrieved
October 1, 2021, from https://physicscatalyst.com/graduation/teaching-definition/
https://www.slideshare.net/Muppudathi/teacher-education-36158505
https://ddceutkal.ac.in/Syllabus/MA_Education/Paper-4.pdf
Tahira, M., Hassan, A., Malik, A., & Yousuf, M. I. (2020). Teacher Education in Pakistan: Issues
and Problems. Online Submission.

Recommendation:
Also read this: philosophy of higher education with reference to Pakistan.
Tahira, M., Hassan, A., Malik, A., & Yousuf, M. I. (2020). Teacher Education in Pakistan: Issues
and Problems. Online Submission. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED608314.pdf (read this for
more understanding about teacher education in Pakistan)