Think about everything you need to be, do and know as a teacher. If you are committed to being, doing and knowing the things that you should, you are an accountable teacher.
Here are some of the things that we must BE, DO, and KNOW.
Mr B loves his job as a teacher, but he gets frustrated many times. There are times when there’s pressure– to create assessments, to check assignments, to create reports, to manage the classroom. He gets overwhelmed but doesn’t give up. He understands that he has a responsibility towards his learners and their future. So, he doesn’t give up. He works out ways to manage his time, organise his workspace, create systems to manage his classroom. He can do all of that because he is an accountable teacher.
Ms D, a school teacher, at times, gets lazy and doesn’t want to work. She could take a short cut and use lesson plans created by her colleague. She doesn’t do that, she knows that she won’t be able to deliver it to perfection because she doesn’t own it. On an unrelated topic, she, sometimes, feels like sharing her holiday pictures on social media. But she doesn’t, because her social media account is public and the parents of her students could have access to that content. Then, there are a couple of colleagues who she doesn’t get along with, yet she maintains a cordial relationship with them. Then there are times when she wants to scold a couple of students in her class. Of course, she doesn’t lash out at them. At any given point in time, in her personal as well as professional life, she keeps her behaviour in check. You see, she is an accountable teacher.
Mr K, a teacher, is also a keen learner. He seeks continuous feedback from his students, his colleagues, seniors and parents to understand his areas of improvement. He is open to constructive feedback and doesn’t mind changing his practices if they lead to his growth. On one occasion, he was supposed to organise an event in the school, he ensured that he learnt all about event management. He keeps learning about different methods to teach his subject and stays abreast with the latest developments in his area of expertise. He understands the levels and needs of each of his learners and makes use of a variety of strategies to make them learn. Needless to say, he is an accountable teacher.
Though the concepts of BE, DO, KNOW have been elaborated with the help of three teachers, it is important to understand that one person can possess all of these characteristics… and an ideal educator should.
If you want to dive deeper into this area of teaching and learning, please feel free to check out our course on Ethics and Values.
Technology is a very powerful tool that enables effective teaching and learning. If not used safely, it can prove to be highly destructive.
We hear all the time, be accountable towards your learners, ‘go the extra mile’, ‘bend over backwards’ for them, ‘go above and beyond’. Accountability towards learners may sometimes seem like going the extra mile, but it is not.
According to any ethical code for the teaching profession ever made, teachers are obligated to conduct themselves based on the ideals of their profession.
