SECTION I – The Professional Teachers are Socially Responsible

ED 202 Learning Module 2

INSTRUCTOR: PRINCESS IZZA Y. PIELAGO

Learning Module Chapter 2: Socially Responsible Teachers: Active Members of Social
Institutions
The teachers' role in society is both essential and significant. Having the greatest influence over
the students and the community, they are expected to play the lead roles in the building of an
intelligent and responsible citizenry. They perform various roles and responsibilities in a society
as the architect of the future generation.

Intended Learning Outcome (ILO)

Develop a web of teachers' role and responsibilities in society.

INTRODUCTION
Teachers of the 21st century will witness the evolution of their professional roles. Their roles will
be more complex and challenging. They will no longer be transmitter of knowledge. They will be
facilitators of learning. They will set the goals and organize the learning process accordingly
towards the realization of these goals.
Teachers will develop among the students the ability to gain information and to use and select
them. Technology will be their partner in the process. Hence, teachers should be information and
technology experts. They should also be prepared to act as technicians and troubleshooters when
the need arises.
Society expects much from teachers. Since they are regarded as architects of the future
generation, teachers are expected to perform their roles not only within the walls of the
classroom but beyond... into the community. They are expected to possess state-of-the-art
knowledge, skills, values and competences that would make them effective teachers for the 21
century learners.
In this chapter, the personal and professional attributes of teachers as well as their roles and
responsibilities shall be presented to you. You are expected to prepare a web of the roles and
responsibilities of a teacher at the end of this chapter.
ENGAGE
What is a professional teacher?
Let us use the metaphor of the mountain and the teacher to identify the salient qualities of a
professional teacher.

The mountain is a huge creation that stands towering over all other structures in the
land. It stands majestic and impressive providing a soothing effect when viewed from a
distance. Its stature is a symbol of strength and stability.

Because of its elevated position, the mountain receives the first rays of the sun at dawn.
The radiance of the sun's rays on the summit creates a beautiful panorama to behold. It
is a spectacular scene to lay the eyes on.

The mountain provides shelter to animals and other creatures living in it. At times when
the rain comes, the soil in the mountain is eroded and water flows freely to the land and
rivers below. The rainwater from the mountain fertilizes the land at the foot of the
mountain. The plants grow and produce abundant harvest for the people living in the
area.

The grandeur of the mountain denotes strength and stability. So do teachers. Teachers must be
healthy and physically fit to perform their job efficiently and effectively. Healthy teachers have
the enthusiasm and vitality to guide the students in the learning process. They are patient and can
control their emotions when stressful and unexpected incidents happen.

As teachers, they must possess certain personal qualities and attitudes in order to succeed in their
profession.
A. Personal Qualities
1. Good Personality – Personality refers to the character and appeal the teachers exude as they
walk and relate with others. Good personality serves as inspiration to the students. They are
motivated to learn and get involved in the learning process under teachers who have pleasing
personality.
2. Honest – Honest teachers possess good sense of value. They are trustworthy and viable to
manifest integrity as professionals.
3. Enthusiastic – Enthusiastic teachers have pleasant outlook, optimism and sense of humor.
4. Caring – Includes being compassionate and interested in others. It is expressed through
understanding how other people feel and react.
5. Role Model – Models good behavior and sets a good example for others to emulate.
6. Fair – Fairness denotes impartiality, open-mindedness and objective judgment and decision-
making.
7. Friendly – Friendly teachers demonstrate pleasant, warm-hearted, and loving relation with
their students.
8. Respectful – Being respectful means being well-behaved. Teachers show politeness and
courtesy in dealing with their students and the public.
9. Dedicated – The teachers are devoted, loyal and committed to the profession.
10. Creative – Creative teachers do things in their own way. They have the ability to create new
and original ideas. They are able to influence their students to be creative themselves.
11. Flexibility – Flexibility is the ability of teachers to adapt to situations. They do not easily get
disturbed or upset when unexpected situations and problem arise.

B. Attitude of Professional Teachers are Manifested in Terms of:

1. Empathy towards students
2. Commitment and dedication to the profession
3. Reflective practitioner
4. Passion for teaching

Successful teachers take care of their wellness. Wellness refers to the combination of physical
health, good attitude and increased productivity.

Going back to our metaphor of the mountain, we imagine beautiful scenery as the rays of the
early morning sun kiss the peak of the mountain. It creates a beautiful view, which is amazing
and inspiring for the spectators.

Teachers are amazing and inspiring too. Students and parents look-up to them as their inspiration
and ideal. Students imitate their teachers' mode of dressing, their conversational style, etiquette
and even their mannerisms. Society considers teachers their role model. They put so much trust
in them that they accept, conform and imitate their way of living. They are the paragon that
exemplifies the characteristics and virtues that make teachers stand above the rest.

GUIDED PRACTICE 1
Classify the following as Personal Quality (PQ) or Professional Attitude (PA):
______ Reflective practitioner
______ Creative
______ Commitment to service
______ Flexibility
______ Passion for teaching

Scenario: A teacher remains calm during a classroom conflict and adjusts the lesson plan to
address the issue.
What quality is being demonstrated and why is this important in 21st-century teaching?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
THE TEACHER AS A PROFESSIONAL
Teachers are professionals. They belong to a profession which society regard as a noble
profession. What is profession?
A profession is an occupation that claims exclusive technical competence, service, ideals, and
ethics of professional conduct.
A profession is the application of intellectual technique to the ordinary business of life acquired
as a result of prolonged and specialized training.
From the two definitions presented to you, you can discern that there are certain criteria for
professional teachers.

Criteria of Professional Teachers

1. Professional Academic Preparation – Teachers have finished a four-year degree course in
education.
2. Licensure and Commitment to the Service – Teachers are licensed professional as certified
by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). They possess extensive knowledge in
their own field and are committed to the service of the youth.
3. Public Service and Altruism – Teachers are aware that teaching is service. They entered the
profession in the hope that they could help influence the students to become better persons
and live more meaningful life.
4. Legal Practice of the Profession – The teaching profession is recognized by the government
as its partner in educating the youth. Society views the teachers as the second parents of their
children.
5. Adherence to Professional Ethics – Teachers are governed by the Code of Ethics of
Professional Teachers. The code provides for ethical behavior expected of the teachers for
discipline purposes.
6. Membership to Professional Organizations – Professional organizations have been
organized for teachers to take care of their welfare. Examples: National Organization of
Professional Teachers Inc. (NOPTI), Manila Public School Teachers Association (MPSTA),
Mathematics Teachers Association of the Philippines (MTAP).

Another focus of comparison between the mountain and teachers is the benefits we gain from
them. The mountain provides shelter for animals and other creatures living in it. The teachers
provide love and nurturing assistance to their students. At times, when the rain comes water
flowing freely down from the mountain symbolizes what teachers can offer to the students. It
signifies their commitment and dedication in the teaching profession. Their principal role as
teachers is to inspire the students to reach their potential and be functioning members of society.
In view of this, teachers provide opportunities for students to cultivate analytical and critical
thinking as well as creative problem-solving skills to meet the demands of the future. They also
develop among the students’ knowledge, habits, skills, and values that would prepare them for
the competitive world.

GUIDED PRACTICE 2
Fill in the blanks:
1. A profession requires prolonged and specialized __________.
2. Teachers are licensed by the __________.
3. Professional teachers are governed by the Code of __________.
4. Teaching is considered a form of public __________.

Why is teaching considered a noble profession rather than merely an occupation?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

EXPLORE
Teachers are active members of social institutions
What are social institutions? Social institutions are special structures which are organized to meet
the basic needs of society. Social institutions include the family, education, religion, and
government.
1. Family – It is a group of people who are related by marriage, blood, or adoption and who
often
live together sharing a common residence and common economic resources.
The family is the most universal social institution. Its primary function is to provide for the
physical and emotional needs of its members. Those who are deprived of the family's affection
and attention oftentimes grow with personality problems.

It is with the family where the development of socialization starts. Children learn who they are
and what they can do from the family. They learn valuing, the sense of right or wrong, proper
behavior and religious practice at home. Children learn from their parents the habits and skills
that they will need in preparation for adulthood. So, parents are regarded as their first teachers.

2. Education – Refers to the process in which knowledge, skills, values, and pattern of
behavior are transmitted from an individual or group to another.

Schooling is formal education which involves instruction based on a curriculum by professional

teachers. Schools and teachers are responsible for formal education. They are tasked to transmit
knowledge and technical skills for survival, transmit shared values and beliefs and prepare the
students for their role in society.

School acts as agent of socialization. The lessons that children learned from the home are fully
and intelligently discussed in school. Students are trained how to get along well with others,
through the various activities they engage in during the learning process. Activities like field
trips, group work and school programs and celebrations develop the social skills and values of
the students. Social ethics is also discussed in schools to cultivate moral and ethical behaviors.

Teachers of the 21st century are expected to prepare the students to be lifelong learners.
Here are some expectations of society from them.
1. Help the students succeed in the knowledge society
• Academic achievement
• Communication skills
• Creative and critical thinking
• Social problem-solving
• Workplace skills
The teacher is expected to create a community of learners who will become independent thinkers
and problem-solvers.

2. Prepare students to be functioning members of society.

5. Teach virtues such as punctually, truth, hard work, honesty, hygiene, patriotism, love and
sincerity, obedience etc. Society needs these values to be propagated. As Theodore
Roosevelt, President of the U.S. stated – “To educate a person in mind and not in morals is to
educate a menace to society.”
4. Act as the bridge between the school and the community.
5. Identify pressing issues and provide enlightenment to society.

The 21st century education demands opportunities for the students to develop intellectually,
ethically, and aesthetically. They also expect the school to develop skills to prepare the students
to meet the challenges of the new era - such skills as creative problem-solving skills, self-
awareness and self-dependency to enable them to be better persons and contribute to a better
society.

• Academic
The school provides for the development of a brand array of knowledge and intellectual skills.
The school develops problem-solving and critical thinking skills among the students.

• Vocational
The school prepares the individual for the world of work and his economic responsibilities. The
school develops skills and work habits that will enable them to work in teams. It also provides
opportunities for developing survival skills of the students that they may be able to function in
society.
• Social and civic
The school acts as an agent of socialization. Students learn how to get along well with others
through the various activities they engage in.

The school prepares the students to become worthy members of society and models behavior that
would prepare the students to participate in a complex democratic society. Social ethics are
discussed in schools to make students aware of their moral and ethical obligation as a person and
as a member of society.

• Personal
This pertains to the development of individual talent and self-expression. The school provides
the total development of the individual including creativity and authenticity.

3. Religion (Church) - is a system of roles and norms that involves faith which binds people
together in social groups. The church is an institutionalized organization of religious
believers following a body of doctrine or dogma.

• Function of religion
• Social cohesion - Religious beliefs encourage strengthening of bonds among people and
cultivate social solidarity and collective conscience among the believers.

• Social control - Religion guides people to conform to the norms and values of society. Specific
religious norms of conduct and values control the behavior of the members. They become the
standards to follow. The church has an intense influence over the beliefs, principles, and
practices of its believers.

• Emotional support - Religion provides meaning for life. It fosters closeness, love, cooperation
and helpfulness among its members. In times of crisis and calamities, the church lends to the
victims. It makes suffering more bearable because of their faith.

4. Government - It is an institution that holds the power to make and enforce the rules and laws
of society. The ruling body must be recognized by its people to enforce the laws or rules and
govern them. In democratic type of government, the citizens elect their official periodically
to govern them for the period.

GUIDED PRACTICE 3
Match the institution to its function.

Institution Function
1. Family A. Enforces laws
2. Religion B. First agent of socialization
3. Government C. Social cohesion and moral guidance
4. School D. Formal transmission of knowledge

How does a teacher act as a bridge between school and community?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Major Output
Create a “Web of Teachers’ Roles and Responsibilities.”

Instructions:
 Place “Teacher” at the center.
 Surround it with at least four institutions: Family, School, Religion, Government
 For each institution, write at least 3 responsibilities.
 Then answer:
 Which role do you think is most challenging today? Why?