Protect the Environment; Protect Human Life Meeting new ambassadors, pope underlines tie between ecology, morality

CINDY WOODEN | CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Posted: 12.18.09 VATICAN CITY | Pope Benedict XVI took his message on the moral obligation to protect human life and protect the environment directly to the representatives of eight governments in Europe, Africa and Asia. Welcoming new ambassadors from Denmark, Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Finland and Latvia to the Vatican Dec. 17, Pope Benedict said, The continued degradation of the environment is a direct threat to the survival of humanity and human development, and it may even directly threaten peace between individuals and peoples. The pope presented each ambassador with a special message for his country and then addressed all eight ambassadors together, highlighting the churchs concern for environmental protection, particularly as it relates to safeguarding human life and dignity, eliminating poverty and promoting peace. Creation is the precious gift God has given to men and women. They are its administrators and must recognize all the consequences of this responsibility, the pope told the group. Pope Benedict said real progress in safeguarding creation and promoting the dignity and sacredness of human life will require a change of heart and behavior by all people. Indeed, the good of the human person does not lie in the ever more rampant use and unlimited accumulation of goods consumption and accumulation, which are reserved for the few and proposed as models for the masses, he said. While religions have an obligation to help their members embrace such a change of heart, he said, governments also have a role to play in promoting solidarity with the poor and ensuring a well-managed, but equal access to the goods of the earth. In his message to the Danish ambassador, Hans Klingenberg, the pope praised Denmarks leading efforts to protect the environment, but he insisted that ideologies promoting ecology are misguided if they do not recognize the central importance of the human person. Too often, he said, such ideologies

do not respect the God-given dignity of human life and of marriage based on the union of one man and one woman open to having children. Addressing Alpo Rusi, Finlands new ambassador, the pope said the Catholic Church and other mainline religious groups are making an invaluable contribution to society when they draw attention to certain values that are in danger of being eroded through the process of secularization. The pope said he understood how much pressure governments face from groups lobbying in the name of tolerance for acceptance of an ever wider range of viewpoints and lifestyles, but, as I have often pointed out, the virtue of tolerance is not served by the sacrifice of truth, particularly the truth concerning the dignity of the human person. In his message to Francis K. Butagira of Uganda, the pope expressed hopes for a final and lasting resolution of violence in the northern part of the country where the rebel Lords Resistance Army has been sowing terror for decades, especially by kidnapping children and forcing them to fight or to serve as sex slaves. Concern for the continuing violence in Darfur was at the center of the popes message to Sulieman Mohamed Mustafa, the new ambassador from Sudan. Sudans natural and human resources will lead to prosperity only when the nations citizens live in a land where harmony and goodwill prevail on the basis of the just resolution of existing conflicts, the pope said. In his messages to the ambassadors from Bangladesh and Kazakhstan, the pope particularly highlighted the importance of interreligious dialogue and respect for religious freedom in promoting peace and assisting the weakest members of society. Showing a preferential love for the poor and the ailing, embracing the weak as precious in the sight of God: these are the ways by which society is infused with the breath of divine goodness that sustains the life of every creature, he told Abdul Hannan, Bangladeshs new ambassador to the Vatican. http://www.thefloridacatholic.org/cns/2009_articles/20091218_cns_protect.ph p

Working Together to Protect the Environment and Save Lives: The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Boutwell Visits Nagoya
The United States Coast Guard Cutter Boutwell, based out of Alameda, California, visited Japan in October 2007 as part of her patrol in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The Boutwell's mission on this farreaching patrol includes working with partner nations to protect the environment by intercepting vessels engaged in illegal high-seas driftnet fishing and promoting the safety of human life at sea by participating in joint training exercises. This cooperation is made possible by the North Pacific Coast Guard Forum, which was initiated by the Japan Coast Guard in 2000 as a venue to foster multilateral cooperation through sharing information on matters related to combined operations, illegal drug trafficking, maritime security, fisheries enforcement, illegal migration, and maritime domain awareness. Earlier in the Boutwell's patrol, a Japan Coast Guard long range maritime patrol aircraft identified possible high-seas driftnet fishing vessels five hundred miles east of Hokkaido, Japan. Utilizing the data provided by the Japan Coast Guard aircraft, the Boutwell was able to locate the targeted vessels. Further investigation determined that one of the Chinese fishing vessels was rigged for illegal high-seas driftnet fishing. With the help of the Japan Coast Guard aircraft and a Chinese Fisheries Law Enforcement Command officer onboard the Boutwell, the vessel was apprehended and ultimately turned over to Chinese authorities. In addition to these operations, the Boutwell worked with the Japan Coast Guard on joint training exercises. On October 16 the Boutwell arrived in Ise Bay off Nagoya to conduct a joint search and rescue (SAR) exercise with the Japan Coast Guard. During the SAR exercise, each coast guard vessel had the opportunity to demonstrate shipboard medical evacuations. Recovering a simulated victim from a distressed vessel, helicopters from each agency transported the injured to the other nation's coast guard vessel. The Boutwell's HH-65C helicopter deployed an aircrew member to the 75-foot Japanese Patrol Boat Shiraito to prepare the patient for hoisting and further transfer to the 427-foot Japanese Cutter Mizuho. Simultaneously, a Japanese Bell 212 helicopter launched from the Mizuhoand deployed two technicians to the Boutwell for a similar rescue. After completing the medical evacuation, the HH-65C landed on the Mizuho to complete the patient transfer. According to officers on board the Mizuho, this was the first U.S. Coast Guard helicopter to land on a Japan Coast Guard cutter in history.

After the SAR, the Boutwell arrived in the Port of Nagoya where the crew participated in vessel boarding exercises with the Japan Coast Guard. Both sides demonstrated boarding techniques and then discussed ways to improve their tactics to enhance their shared mission of protecting human life at sea.

After their official duties, the crew of the Boutwell enjoyed the sights and sounds of Nagoya. They played their Japan Cost Guard counterparts in a few friendly games of baseball and explored Sakae, JR Towers and other hotspots in downtown Nagoya. They also visited Nagoya Castle and the Tokugawa Art Museum among other places of cultural interest.

(All photos courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard PA2 Jonathan Cilley.) Thanks to the joint activities conducted by the crew of the Boutwell and their Japan Coast Guard counterparts, Ise Bay and the rest of the Northwestern Pacific are safer and more environmentally sound. The U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Consulate in Nagoya look forward to continuing this unique bilateral cooperation with the Japan Coast Guard.

http://nagoya.usconsulate.gov/wwwhn-20071016-boutwell.html

The Role & Goal of Education

[Some thoughts for Students, Parents & Teachers]

Role of Education
1. Aim of Education : Education is a continuous and creative process.Its aim is to develop the capacities latent in human nature and to coordinate their expression for the enrichment and progress of society, by equipping children with spiritual, moral and material knowledge. 2. Education to Realise Truth : Within this creative process, it is possible to achieve an essential harmony between faith and reason through an approach to education that encourages the free investigation of all reality and trains the mind to recognize truth, irrespective of its origin. 3. True Education : True education releases capacities, develops analytical abilities, confidence in himself, will power and goal setting competencies, and instils the vision that will enable him to become self-motivating agent of social change, serving the best interests of the community. 4. Expanded Definition of Eduation : Today, education needs an expanded definition that frees it from today's largely economic context and acknowledges its role in transforming both individual lives and entire society. 5. Objectives of Education : Education in terms of the knowledge, qualities, skills, attitudes, and capacities that enable individuals to become conscious subjects of their growth and active responsible participants in a systematic process of building a new world order. 6. Education as an Instrument of Change : Educated persons should understand their positions as members of both a local community and the world community and they must believe that their lives can make a difference. 7. Education for Individual & Community Growth : Education makes the child a collaborator both in his own growth and in the development of his community. A well-educated community member is a determined yet humble participant, who helps overcome conflict and division thereby contributing to a spirit of unity and collaboration. 8. Education not only for Economic Growth : Although economic considerations are recognized as necessary in educational planning, resistance is growing against the conventional view that education is chiefly a means for only improving the individual's own economic situation. 9. More than Words Alone : An educational approach directed towards personal growth and social transformation, and based on the belief that human beings are essentially spiritual, however, must go well beyond a mere statement of purpose.

10. Tapping Inner Forces : But moral values are not the only constructive elements of social processes, rather, they are expressions of the inner forces that operate in the spiritual reality of every human being, and education must concern itself with these forces, if it is to tap the roots of motivation and produce meaningful and lasting change. 11. The purpose of Education The purpose of education for individuals both male and female --- is to develop the powers and capacities latent within them, so that they may contribute their share to an ever advancing civilization. 12. The Relevance of Education : Universal education must be relevant to the true needs of a community and contribute to the unification of mankind. It must enable people both to move in the direction of their own choosing and help them appreciate those universal qualities that distinguish the entire human race. 13. Women & Education : Women must be educated not only for the service they render to humanity as the first educators of children, but ultimately, for the special contribution women must make to the creation of a just world order, an order characterized by such compassion, vigour and scope which has never been seen in human history. 14. Education should help self discovery : Education should lead to the discovery and perfection of one's capabilities and instil a commitment to serve the best interests of the community and the world as a whole. 15. Moral Education Community Responsibility : The dual responsibility of developing the childs character and stimulating his intellect, belongs also to the community as a whole, including the father, grandparents, and neighbours. Indeed the extended family and a close community may provide the best environment for nurturing children. 16. Spiritual Approach to Moral Education : Awareness of the necessity to free people from religious bigotry and fanaticism gives rise to a non-sectarian yet spiritual approach to moral education. 17. Words and deeds supported by Moral Force : When words and actions are not directed by a moral force, scientific knowledge and technological know how lead us readily to misery as they do to prosperity and happiness. 18. Education for Social Change: At certain moments in history, education must also act as a powerful instrument for profound social transformation. 19. Education for Individual & Social Growth : Increasingly, it is becoming evident that education should be examined in the light of its contribution to individual growth and to bring about fundamental structural changes in society, changes which are necessary for the creation of a just, peaceful, and harmonious environment. 20. Concern for Social Progress:

Education should lead to an adequate understanding of some of the concerns of programmes of social progress, such as health and sanitation, agriculture, crafts and industry, at least in the local context. 21. Service UnLocks Capacity : The realization that it is chiefly service to humanity and dedication to the unification of mankind that unlock individual capacity and release creative powers latent in human nature. 22. Balance between Culture and Values : Commitment to the unity of mankind implies a balance between the study of ones own cultural heritage and an exploration of those universal qualities that distinguish the entire human race. 23. Cultivate Virtues and Skills: Human beings are inherently noble, and the purpose of education is to cultivate such attributes, skills, virtues and qualities as will enable them to contribute their share to the building of an ever advancing civilization. 24. A Positive Attitude Towards Learning : Indeed, the cultivation of positive attitudes towards learning is now coming to be perceived as a precondition for the achievement of most social and economic goals and objectives. 25. Excellence in Productive Skill : A reasonable degree of excellence in at least one productive skill through which individuals can experience the truth that work is worship, when performed in a spirit of service, and can secure the means of existence with dignity and honour. 26. An Aid for Intellectual Investigation : Some development of the individuals capacity for intellectual investigation as a distinguishing power of the human mind and as an indispensable instrument for successful community action. 27. Dignity and Decision Making: Individuals should be skilled in the art of consultative decision making and empowered with the sense of their own dignity and worth. 28. Recognize Nobility and Capacities : This notion of the student as inherently noble, yet in need of patient cultivation, implies that the teacher must be a model of nobility, self-actualization and discipline. Sound character is ultimately more important than intellectual brilliance. The teacher must also see the nobility and capacity in each student recognizing that a lack of opportunity is different from lack of capacity.

http://www.cmseducation.org/rolegoal/role.htm

The Role of The Educator: Faculty and Student Guidelines for Meeting With and Referring Students Who May Have Eating Disorders by: Michael Levine, Ph.D., and Linda Smolak, Ph.D. 1. No matter how strong your suspicion that a student has an eating disorder, do not make a decision without first speaking privately with the student. If possible, select a time to talk when you will not feel rushed. Ensure sufficient time and try to prevent interruptions. 2. Roommates or friends should select the person who has the best rapport with the student to do the talking. Unless the situation is an emergency or otherwise very negative for many people, confrontation by a critical group without professional guidance should be avoided. 3. In a direct and non-punitive manner, indicate to the student all the specific observations that have aroused your concern. Allow the student to respond. If the student discloses information about problems, listen carefully, with empathy, and nonjudgmentally. 4. Throughout the conversation, communicate care, concern, and a desire to talk about problems. Your responsibility is not diagnosis or therapy, it is the development of a compassionate and forthright conversation that ultimately helps a student in trouble find understanding, support, and the proper therapeutic resources. 5. If the information you receive is compelling, communicate to the student: Your tentative sense that he or she might have an eating disorder; Your conviction that the matter clearly needs to be evaluated; Your understanding that participation in school, sports, or other activities will not be jeopardized unless health has been compromised to the point where such participation is dangerous. 6. Avoid an argument or battle of wills. Repeat the evidence, your concern, and if warranted your conviction that something must be done. Terminate the conversation if it is going nowhere or if either party becomes too upset. This impasse suggests the need for consultation from a professional.

7. Throughout the process of detection, referral, and recovery, the focus should be on the person feeling healthy and functioning effectively, not weight, shape, or morality. 8. Do not intentionally or unintentionally become the students therapist, savior, or victim. Attempts to moralize, develop therapeutic plans, closely monitor the persons eating, adjust ones life around the eating disorder, or cover for the person are not helpful. 9. Be knowledgeable about community resources to which the student can be referred. In discussing the utility of these resources, emphasize to the student that, since eating problems are very hard to overcome on ones own, past unsuccessful attempts are not indicative of lack of effort or moral failure. 10. Faculty should arrange for some type of follow-up contact with the student. If you are often involved with students with eating disorders, consultation with a professional who specializes in eating disorders may be needed.

http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/nedaDir/files/documents/handouts/Rol Guide.pdf

The Role of the Educator and Institution in a Changing Educational Landscape

22 October 2008 12 Comments

In response to my post on collaborative spaces, Gina Minks over at Adventures in Corporate Education posted her thoughts on what she sees are some issues with my argument. I posted an initial response as a comment, but wanted to follow up with further elaboration here. The main question her post brought me to consider is that of the role and purpose of institutions in an age of increasingly open access to course materials, portability of information, and hyperconnected learners. Significantly too though is the notion of the digital divide and how to accommodate the needs of learners with limited access to resources and technology. Background Projects like the Open Courseware initiative, Wikieducator, and to a fair degree iTunes U as well, have all begun to demonstrate a new manner of course delivery in which materials and curricula are openly shared, freely adaptable and available to any learner who cares to explore them. Connectivism and Connective Knowledge (CCK08), offered out of the University of Manitoba, is another example of this and has been implemented on a massive scale. At least at the outset of the course there were 2,200 enrollments with the majority being informal. Meanwhile other initiatives such as the Social Media Classroom have emerged as collaborative endeavors in which groups of educators from across the international sector work together to develop a curriculum that is independent of any institution. Fundamental Questions In some regards the entire notion of what education is seems to be in a state of flux, with the traditional framework of institutions, universities, educators and learners suddenly brought into question, and their roles in a state of renegotiation. This leads to very practical questions: If, in this changing landscape:

Content and course materials are no longer necessarily something to be owned and hoarded, but freely and openly shared; Curricula is no longer centrally organised and dictated, but instead contextually interpreted and adapted;

Enrollment is no longer controlled, but instead open to all ages, levels of experience or existing knowledge, and geographical regions; Information no longer flows one-directionally from an expert to a novice, but is instead discussed, interpreted and negotiated by a network of its participants

what is the role and fate to be for a system of learning that is founded on the former tenets? Having said that, what unique experience is afforded to students that choose to formally enroll? What are they paying for? A Facilitator of Connections One might argue that the awarding of recognised degrees upon completion of years of rigorous assessment and review is a key role that institutions and universities will continue to hold in a new paradigm (if it can indeed be called one); and it most certainly is. I would argue, though, that this is just a tiny part of the overall equation, and that an even greater and more significant role than is in the facilitation of connections. As discussed early on in CCK08, we have a need to address several key points during the learning process, including

We have a need to externalise; We have a need for frameworks or structures for sense-making; We have a need to socialise and negotiate around knowledge;

For the individual learner, then, the social element and presence of other learners with whom to interact is of critical significance. So too is access to informed, expert nodes to act as pathways through key concepts in the subject matter. Certainly groups of learners might seek to come together independent of formal education and undertake a subject on their own, however with universities and schools recognised as institutions of learning, prospective students stand a far greater chance of discovering valuable nodes or connections there than on their own. Furthermore, many universities and institutions maintain close ties to industry that the average individual just wont have developed. Some departments will, for example, bring in guest speakers from the private sector to discuss their real-world experience and thus add a practical element to theoretical discussions. Certainly these events can be recorded and made available online along with other course materials, however this arguably pales in comparison to sitting in the same room in-person and having the opportunity to ask them questions. Additionally there is the notion of resources and infrastructure. There is a tremendous difference between reading and discussing a section on chemistry experiments or watching a video clip and having access to a laboratory within which to actually

conduct them yourself, as well as interact with expert technicians skilled in their use. Institutions and universities are in a position to offer these sorts of opportunities to formally enrolled, paying students; the average individual is not. Learning Design The role of the educator in this landscape, then, becomes one of guide, informed node, more granular facilitator of connections; perhaps even translator and moderator of discussions. The significance of this lay in the notion that organising ones own individual learning experience is a very different matter to overseeing the learning experiences of an entire cohort of students. As such it requires a much different, more tactical approach. Universities as Learning Bazaars To adapt Eric Raymonds seminal work on open source software development, the new landscape of learning in formal education may begin to resemble a bazaar more than a cathedral. Here learners can congregate in a seemingly chaotic marketplace full of different perspectives and personal learning objectives, yet in which the essential processes of negotiation around knowledge, and externalising can occur. As with most FOSS projects though, the presence of a central body to help guide the process is important in ensuring that adequate cohesion and cooperativity exists amidst the populous of independent agents, while at the same time recogising the importance of autonomy and room for exploration http://techticker.net/2008/10/22/the-role-of-the-educator-and-institution-in-achanging-educational-landscape/

You are a product of your environment. So choose the environment that will best develop you toward your objective. Analyze your life in terms of its environment. Are the things around you helping you toward success - or are they holding you back? W. Clement Stone It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment. Ansel Adams Our environment, the world in which we live and work, is a mirror of our attitudes and expectations. Earl Nightingale

Environment
Act of environing; state of being environed. That which environs or surrounds; surrounding conditions, influences, or forces, by which living forms are influenced and modified in their growth and development.

http://www.brainyquote.com/words/en/environment160714.html

environment

( n-v r n-m nt, -v rn-) n. 1. The circumstances or conditions that surround one; surroundings. 2. The totality of circumstances surrounding an organism or group of organisms, especially: a. The combination of external physical conditions that affect and influence the growth, development, and survival of organisms: "We shall never understand the natural environment until we see it as a living organism" (Paul Brooks). b. The complex of social and cultural conditions affecting the nature of an individual or community. 3. Computer Science a. The entire set of conditions under which one operates a computer, as it relates to the hardware, operating platform, or operating system. b. An area of a computer's memory used by the operating system and some programs to store certain variables to which they need frequent access.

environment [nvarnmnt]
n 1. external conditions or surroundings, esp those in which people live or work 2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) Ecology the external surroundings in which a plant or animal lives, which tend to influence its development and behaviour 3. the state of being environed; encirclement 4. (Electronics & Computer Science / Computer Science) Computing an operating system, program, or integrated suite of programs that provides all the facilities necessary for a particular application a word-processing environment environmental adj environmentally adv

environment

( n-v r n-m nt) All of the biotic and abiotic factors that act on an organism, population, or ecological community and influence its survival and development. Biotic factors include the organisms themselves, their food, and their interactions. Abiotic factors include such items as sunlight, soil, air, water, climate, and pollution. Organisms respond to changes in their environment by evolutionary adaptations in form and behavior.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/environment

educator

( j -k t r) n. 1. One trained in teaching; a teacher. 2. a. A specialist in the theory and practice of education. b. An administrator of a school or an educational institution.

educator [djket]
n 1. (Business / Professions) a person who educates; teacher 2. (Business / Professions) a specialist in education; educationalist

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/educator
To aid life, leaving it free, however, that is the basic task of the educator. Maria Montessori

The task of the educator lies in seeing that the child does not confound good with immobility and evil with activity. Maria Montessori
Having been an educator for so many years I know that all a good teacher can do is set a context, raise questions or enter into a kind of a dialogic relationship with their students. Godfrey Reggio

Role of Educators in the 21st Century, The

Childhood Education, Fall 2004 by Staley, Lynn, Bayer, Eileen In January 2004, Lynn Staley and Eileen Bayer, ACEI representatives to the United Nations (UN), participated in a special conference sponsored by the Committee on Teaching about the UN titled, "Poverty, Partnerships and Peace: The Role of Educators in the 21st Century." We appreciated the opening testimony of Catherine Bertini, UN Under-Secretary-General for Management, who described the courage of some Afghan women who opened bakeries to serve homebound women and girls not permitted in public without a male escort. "If we could do one thing in the world, we need to educate girls," Bertini said. "The education of girls affects family life, community life, the GNP [gross national product], health care, and nutrition." The first panel discussion on poverty was opened by Andres Guerrero, Education Programme Officer for UNICEF. "Poverty is a denial of human rights and a condition of injustice," he stated. "It is interdependent and unequal." He also reminded us that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) call for a 50 percent reduction in world poverty by 2015. Eduardo Doryan, from the World Bank, commented, "The world is out of balance," and reported that one-half of the world's population still lives on less than $2 a day. Sister Florence Deacon, of Franciscans International, reported that despite progress, 54 countries in the world are poorer today than they were in 1995. If we are to successfully reduce poverty, she said, we must understand three things: 1) poverty reduction is multifaceted-programs must address the clean water supply, sanitation facilities, education for all, employment, health, and nutrition; 2) poverty reduction requires partnerships of "the poor, the providers, and the policymakers"-it's about empowerment; and 3) poverty reduction requires education. "The untapped excellence of the poor is being wasted on survival," said Sister Deacon. "We need to create the political will [in our children, via an education] to eradicate poverty." Guerrero concluded the panel presentations by highlighting the connection between poverty reduction and conflict resolution. "Peace is not the absence of violence but an active force against violence," he said. "Poverty is reduced when social justice and a rights-based perspective is evident. We must educate and equip our children to be active participants in change." In the second panel, Yvette Stevens, Director, UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, told of her own childhood journey in Africa, where an education equipped her for her life of advocacy today. She spoke strongly for educating children, who then teach their parents and thus pave the way for changing cultural norms.

Whether you are actively serving children in a developing nation or teaching in a well-equipped Western classroom, global issues have local relevance. Are we educating our children to be active advocates? Are we integrating global education and peace education into our curricula? Are we facilitating classroom projects whereby children help children? Please share your success stories with us so that we might pass them on to our membership. We are all advocates for children and families! Please send your ideas to Children for Children c/o Carol Petranek, ACEI Public Relations Manager, at cpetranek@acei.org. Lynn Staley and Eileen Bayer, ACEI Representatives to the United Nations
Copyright Association for Childhood Education International Fall 2004 Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3614/is_200410/ai_n9456043/

What is the role of a Teacher?

Schools are one of the first places where kid behavior and future educational success is shape. Teachers are carriers of either positive or negative behavior toward students. The reason why the first years of school are so critical is because kids learn the base of their educational life. I believe that teachers must love their career in order for them to pass enthusiasm, to assists, and to provide a warm environment to the students. In my opinion teachers are the second mothers for the students because students spend a lot of time with their teachers. At the same time. I believe a real teacher becomes through many years of training and experiences in the field. The same way, mothers are not born being great mothers but as their experiences with their kids expands they become experts on the field. We know that mothers look the best for their kids and one of their goals is to raise their kids so they can become professionals and pioneers for the society. Some of the mother role toward kids is to give them care, love, respect, lead, instruct and to try to form a safe and pleasant environment at their homes. Are these attitudes of the mothers toward their kids related to what the role of the teacher should be with the students in the classroom? If not, what should be the role of the teachers then? I believe that a teacher is someone who becomes through many years of training and experiences in the field. I have not found a teacher who is an expert the first day of their profession. I believe that is urgent for everyone who is a teacher or is planning to become one to get prepare in the field the best they can. All teachers who get prepare will know how to set up rules in the classroom. Those kinds of teachers will probably have fewer problems in their classroom because they will be able to control the classroom. There are all types of teachers some are better than others. Through my life I had some professors who were well prepared and some who were not. I had some teachers who just came into the class and stared teaching. They did not get involve with the students. I rarely talked to them. Those teachers did not show any concern about what the students were feeling. One way for a teacher to get students involve in the classroom is to ask them questions. I remembered there were some students at the class that were shy including me who did not have the chance to get involved in the class or to participate. Therefore, I believe the way students act depends on the teacher attitude. That is why I strongly recommend all teachers to invite the student to participate in

the class. It is very important that teachers encourage students because students will benefit from it. A teacher carries a big responsibility in her classroom. One reason is that all students depend on her/him. Everything the teacher sys will have an impact on the students. If the teacher feels joy of feels anger, it will be spread among children because the attitudes of the teacher gets contagious. If the teacher laughs, students also laugh, why? Because teachers are responsible for the social behavior in the classroom. If something goes wrong the only responsible is the teacher even if it was not their foul. The teacher must create a warm and protective environment but at the same time professional. If students feel secure in the classroom the result will be shown in the academic progress. A good star could be a mutual trust with each student. Teaches have the responsibility to know his/her students in the classroom. Each day, the teachers show one of their attitudes that the students are unaware. Also, the students do the same in order for the teacher to get to know them, too. This is a good exercise to do because it benefits the whole class to break the ice. The first days most of the students are afraid of the teacher because they do not know how is the teacher personality. It will change until the point that the teacher and students discover to have common hobbies with each other. I think that school is a place where one goes to learn but I also believe that there should be times where fun is a necessity. That is why I think that a teacher should also have fun with the students. Kids learn faster when they feel attracted to an exciting lesson. Teachers must not forget that kids get born fast that is why creative lessons must be plane ahead. There should be interest in what people want to learn says Mr. Spayde in his article earning the Key of Life?(59-62). I believe a teacher should also be someone who guides student rather than someone who is a totalitarian in the classroom. The teacher needs to show respect toward the students so the students also respect the teacher. Teacher must not forget the s/he teaches to different students who brings different students who brings different traditions and customs because the students come from different backgrounds. ne of the keys that is useful for teachers is to understand and accept the way students are acting the way Thomas says in his article he Mind of Man?(120-124) Therefore, teachers need to create a curriculum that

guides students to a path of success. Consequently, they need to receive guiding depending on their students need. Sometimes, the teacher caring attitudes could have a long positive or negative influence on students. Student self-esteem could be lift up because it could create ambitions in their minds for future academic success. As Mike Rose explains in ives in Boundaries?that an educator must be an open mind person that must respect the students diversity and give love and caring attitudes toward students. I believe that is crucial to make students believe in themselves. One of the roles that a teacher carries is to encourage students in the issues that bother them about school in their personal life. It could make a big difference in the student life if he/she is lift up to keep going and to not let anything put us down. Psychologically, students could be affected if they have problems with their teachers. One of the results could be that students will avoid going to school. As professional teachers, we do not want any conflict with the students. Sometimes, the behavior of students demonstrates that something is not going right. Therefore, I think teachers must pay attention to any suspicious sings that could bother the student. As teacher is our responsibility to find out what is going on with the students in the classroom. Kids deep in their hearts feel that teachers could help them but sometimes they are afraid to ask the teacher. This issue that I see almost everyday at the school were I work as a teacher assistance. The students prefer to talk to their friends about their problems and sometimes teachers are the last person to find out about the problem. Sometimes is the teacher foul that students do not seek his/her help because sometimes the teachers do not form a bound of communication. The teachers must let students know how she feels when students do not trust her maybe it would help students to change their minds about telling the teacher his/her problem. One of the teachers that I work with is one of these persons. Students do not seek for her help but they rather look for my help instead. I help them in everything I can but sometimes it gets really hard for me to know what to do. I believe that she is with her students. I do not see that she has a connection with the students. I believe, that teachers need to think about what are the students feeling. As teachers, one good way to do this is to look back in our school years and remembered what we went through when we were students. We will realize that most of the kids have problems with their teachers. I do not believe that there are students who have not encounter a problem with the teacher. Therefore, I do not think there is a perfect

relationship between teachers and students because the relationship of teachers and students is perfect. Therefore, teacher priority should only be the benefit of the student feelings. Often, there is a debate about if a teacher should be a role model for students. Teachers are respect by society because they are view as knowledgeable about different subjects of school. I believe that even if teachers do not like to be point out as being role models I certainly think they are. Teachers have the qualities to be or become role models for students. Why? Because most teachers respect, love, care, instruct, and guide their students to become a successful person. Students view teacher as being wise therefore they look up for them. Students know that if they need something they just need to ask them. Kids learn from every lesson the teacher gives. Therefore, I believe that a teacher have an enormous responsibility on his/her actions. Even if teachers are considered to be role models I believe they still make mistakes. It is normal to make mistakes because is our nature of being humans. At the same time, students should not look to their teacher to copy them but rather to compare and to see the mistakes to not do them in our lives. Students should concentrate in doing their work and being proud of the way they are. All teachers have the key to provide a good environment for the students. The benefits of having a pleasant environment are for the teacher and students. But before that happens a teacher needs to be well prepared in order that the students receive the best treat. It is essential and crucial for teachers to be prepared because the first years of school are very important for the students. The future education success of the students depends on their first years. It never late to star a bound of a relationship between teacher and students. Consequently, the contact of the students with the teacher is an everyday act. Even though, there will be some days in which students will have impropriate but other days where there will not be a problem at all. As humans, sometimes teachers do things that are not correct however we always have another chance to do it better. In conclusion, I strongly believe that teachers need to show respect, caring, become role models, make a pleasant environment, treat students right, instructs them but not be totalitarian, and guides them through the road of success. The only who gets the benefits are the students and sometimes it could be a negative or positive. Throughout my life I have learned valuable lessons from great teachers but I also had negative impact in my life as well.

Works Cited

Rose, Mike. ives on the Boundary.?The Presence of Others. Ed. Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruskiewicz. New York: St. Martins Press, 1997, 97-110 Thomas, David. ives on the Boundary.?The Presence of Others. Ed. Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruskiewicz. New York: St. Martins Press, 1997, 120-125 Spayde, Jon. . ives on the Boundary.?The Presence of Others. Ed. Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruskiewicz. New York: St. Martins Press, 1997, 58-64
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Role of a Teacher in Society By Shiben Raina The role of a teacher in society is both significant and valuable. It has farreaching influence on the society he lives in and no other personality can have an influence more profound than that of a teacher. Students are deeply affected by the teacher's love and affection, his character, his competence, and his moral commitment. A popular teacher becomes a model for his students. The students try to follow their teacher in his manners, costumes, etiquette, style of conversation and his get up. He is their ideal. He can lead them anywhere. During their early education, the students tend to determine their aims in life and their future plans, in consultation with their teachers. Therefore, a good and visionary teacher can play a prominent role in making the future of his students while as a corrupt teacher can only harm his students much more seriously than a class of corrupt and perverted judiciary, army, police, bureaucracy, politicians or technocrats. A corrupt and incompetent teacher in not only a bad individual, but also an embodiment of a corrupt and incompetent generation. A nation with corrupt teachers is a nation at risk; every coming day announces the advent of its approaching destruction. The importance of a teacher as an architect of our future generations demands that only the best and the most intelligent and competent members of our intelligentsia be allowed to qualify for this noble profession. It is unfortunate to find that generally the worst and the most incapable people of the society find their way into this profession. Anyone who fails to find an opening in any other walk of life, gets into this profession and recklessly plays with the destiny of the nation. An important reason for this is understood to be the poor salaries of our primary and secondary teachers which are no better than that of clerks. A large number of our teachers is , therefore, frustrated and disinterested. They have to go for part-time jobs to meet their basic needs. Again, the teaching profession also does not enjoy due respect in the society. The primary and secondary teachers are particularly at a disadvantage. Their status is lower than that of doctors, engineers, advocates, civil servants; even lower than that of semi literate and illiterate traders. It would therefore require great commitment for an intelligent individual, however fond of education and training he may be, to forsake the career of a doctor or engineer in favour of teaching. Therefore, while selecting good teachers, it must be borne in mind that better opportunities,prospects and perks are offered to the teachers. When we speak of good teachers it means that a teacher must be a model of faith and piety and should have a fairly good knowledge . A teacher should consider it his duty to educate and train his students and should feel responsible for it. He should feel that his students have been entrusted to him and he should avoid any breach of the trust the society has reposed in him. He should be a sociable person with his roots in the society. People should take him as their well-wisher and a sincere friend who cares for their children.

It should be ascertained at all cost that a candidate for this profession has a natural acumen and aptitude for teaching. He should actively participate in the social activities in a positive way. He should know the art of teaching with a deep insight into child psychology. He should always deal with the students in a just manner. He should not lose his self-control on mistakes his students may commit, and instead he should respect their feelings and ego, and should try to understand and resolve their difficulties with grace while keeping his cool. He should be able to smile in the face of bitter criticism on his opinions, and should not feel ashamed or humiliated to accept his mistakes wholeheartedly. He should be proud of his culture, his national dress and his national language.He should be a missionary, a mentor, a reformer and a guide besides being a dedicated tutor. In other words, he should be a perfect teacher and a perfect educationist. While highlighting the role of a teacher in the society, it is imperative to involve the role of parents, too, in the process of character building of the students. In the past, parents and teachers both used to make the best of their efforts to provide an atmosphere to their children congenial to the development of higher virtues and morals. But the gross social change over the last fifty years, large scale urbanization, ruthless competition for financial gains, and heavy preoccupation in everyday life deplete all time and energy from the parents, leaving behind little time or energy for them to monitor their children. Whatever time they have at their disposal is consumed by newspapers, television and other recreations. As a result, the younger generation hardly gets any opportunity to share ideas with their elders or to enter into a meaningful discussion. On the other hand, this idea is gaining ground among us that education is not meant to build up better human beings, but only to get better jobs. Consequently, the students' minds are obsessed with better jobs and dreams for higher social status.It is,therefore,duty of the parents, too, to take active interest in the day-to-day progress of their children both in and outside the institution and apprise them of the real meaning of education. (Dr.S.K.Raina,Formerly Fellow IIAS Shimla.(India) 2/537 Aravali Vihar,Alwar 301001.Mobile: 09414216124) http://ezinearticles.com/?Role-of-a-Teacher-in-Society&id=746217