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The Major Roles Of A Primary Teacher

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What are the major roles of a Primary Teacher?
Defining the roles and duties of a Primary Teacher can be quite difficult. Gipps et al. (2000) define teaching as: “a diverse, complex activity with no clear ‘rules’ except that the teacher should teach and the children should learn.” (Gipps et al. 2000 p.4).
The roles of a primary teacher may be decided by what we believe is effective teaching. The idea of how children should be taught and how children learn has changed over time. Gipps (1992) examines how contributions from theorists change the way we look at children’s development and learning. She proposes that there are two main types of models of learning, ‘constructivist’ and ‘transmission’ and goes on to suggest that the roles a …show more content…

In this perspective, Carroll suggests the role of the teacher is not to hand down information but to support children’s learning and help them reach higher attainment levels than they would if they were working alone. Teachers must facilitate discussions to allow pupils to share and co-construct meanings as well as organise problem-solving activities. Carroll’s writing further cements the point earlier mention by Gipps (1992), suggesting the roles a teacher takes in the classroom depends on the theory they follow. This can be seen as the roles a teacher performs when following either perspective are very different.
Having good and substantial knowledge of relevant subjects is often stated in current literature and documentation as a necessary factor for good and effective primary teaching. It is included in the Department of Education (2011 p.11) Teachers’ Standards, where it is stated that teachers should have secure subject and curriculum knowledge, and be able to inspire pupils into developing their own learning and knowledge. A report from Ofsted (2009) looking into the connection between high quality teaching and subject knowledge in primary education, showed that where lessons were deemed satisfactory, the teachers weakness in their subject knowledge had negative effects on their pupils achievement. Writing for the Times Educational Supplement, Morrison (2014) suggests that subject knowledge is the most important factor for successful teaching in

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