Traditions of Learning and Role of Teachers: An Indian Perspective

A school teacher, also known as an educator, is a person who helps students acquire knowledge, skills or virtues through the practice of teaching. Informally, anyone can take on the role of a teacher (e.g. showing a colleague how to do a particular task). In some countries, teaching of school-age young people may take place in an informal setting, such as within the family (home schooling), 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 workers, pastors). In most countries, formal teaching of pupils is usually provided by paid professional teachers. This article focuses on those whose main role is to teach others in a formal educational context, such as a school or other place of initial formal education or training. It also discusses the role of the teacher in Indian tradition and in modern education, using the examples of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. The paper concludes with the authors' observations, suggesting that education policy needs to be reshaped, with emphasis on improving professional training in government institutions and universities, and developing partnerships between industry and academia. Teaching is a highly complex activity. This is partly because teaching is a social practice that takes place in a specific context (time, place, culture, socio-political-economic situation, etc.) and is therefore shaped by the values of that specific context. Factors that influence what is expected (or required) of teachers includes history and tradition, social views of the purpose of education, accepted theories of learning, etc.