Teacher Duties
Teaching main subject
One of the most important duties of the teacher is teaching the main subject to our students. Each of us finished studying and mastered the course of the subject at university. The teacher teaches and improves our students’ knowledge and skills in that area so that our students will be able to use in their future jobs or in their lives. I am teaching Japanese. If our students can speak Japanese, they will be able to work with Japanese people in Japan. That is amazing thing for our students and Thailand as well. Teaching job skills let our students able to not only be independent in the future but also help Thailand and Japan. Moreover, if our students learn life skills, they will be able to let their lives richly. Therefore, teaching students is very important and meaningful duty for teachers.
Developing myself
I attend seminars about teaching Japanese which were held by the Japan Foundation Bangkok to learn about new materials and new teaching methods to develop myself. I have been trying to develop myself since I started teaching Japanese. Then, I won fourth place in an online materials development competition held by the Japan Foundation Bangkok.
Communicating to other teachers
Our teachers cannot work by alone. And so many things happen in our school every day. And it is impossible for us to deal with them by alone. Therefore, we need other teachers to help each other. We need to communicate to other teachers. We need to share the issues about our students, their parents, our school, societies out of school. It is normal that some problems happen in the school every day. We need to share them with other teachers regularly and work through together. And when the school is on long holiday, we will have retreat to spend time with other teachers, and learn new things together. It is great opportunity to know each other and make our relationship strong.
Take care activities in the school
A school is not only a place where a teacher teaches students, but also a place where teachers, students, parents, and people living in the society around a school have many kinds of activities such as cultural festival, and sports festival. I am belonging to a foreign language group in my school. This group holds some kinds of activities such as a mini-tour guide, English camp, and foreign language events. Those activities are very important because we can not only teach our students but also communicate to people in societies around the school.
Having Activities outside of the school
Having relationship with society around the school
Going out of the school or taking students out of the school is another way to communicate to and have a relationship with people in societies around the school. For example, since our school is Christian school, we sometimes visit local Churches around the school and worship together on Sunday. We encourage people there and communicate to them. If we notice that they need help, we also help and support them somehow. The duty of teachers is not only teaching subjects inside of school but also going out and building a relationship with people living in societies around the school.
Taking students to have a competition outside
and taking students to have some activities outside
Several schools and organizations take place a competition of Japanese language. And it is a good chance for students to use what they have studied at school. It is also a good chance for students to see other students from different schools, and to know how their Japanese is. Many students are inspired by other students from different schools. After coming back to school, they are motivated to study Japanese. Therefore, it is a very important duty for the teacher to take students to participate a competition of outside.
Taking turns watching over students coming to school
It is a very important duty for teachers to watch over students coming to school in the morning and going back home in the evening. It is because there is a heavy traffic in the morning and in the evening. Teachers must keep students safe all the time. Therefore, when students come to school or go back home, teachers need to take turns watching over students every day.
Homeroom Teacher
1. Homeroom
Every morning, the homeroom teacher has a time to have a homeroom. He tells about the schedule of school and tells things which students need to know so that everyone can have a smooth school day. And if students have a question, he will listen to them and answer it. Moreover, it is very important for the homeroom teacher to talk to and observe students every morning carefully to know their physical and mental health. If he notices something wrong with them, he needs to deal with it as soon as possible.
2. Assisting students’ lives
The homeroom teacher needs to assist students when they have problems or need some helps. He needs to give them suggestions or help them. And he needs to take care of students’ overall studying. Moreover, When the school has an event, he needs to lead students to participate it with them. Especially, when there is a big event such as sports festival or cultural festival, he needs to lead students to accomplish the goal together. And he needs to listen to and observe students carefully so that he can notice their problems or their concerns as soon as possible. If he notices something, he needs to deal with it as soon as possible. That is a very important role for the homeroom teacher.
3. Helping students not only studying but also growing mature in both physically and psychologically.
Since students are not adults, they are immature in many aspects. Therefore, they need a lot of help from us. To grow mature in both physically and psychologically, especially the homeroom teacher needs to support many aspects of students’ lives. He needs to notice their problems, listen to them, and try to understand them. Therefore, he needs to check students, and talk to them every day. It is very important for the homeroom teacher to communicate to our students constantly.
4. Parents meeting
It is a very important duty for the homeroom teacher to communicate to students’ parents. The homeroom teacher needs to tell what is happing in school and how their children are in school. And homeroom teacher also needs to listen to parents if they want the school to do something, or they need any helps. Therefore, the school takes place parents’ meeting several times a year to talk about school and their children. And, student’s parents, sometimes, come to school to meet the homeroom teacher in person to talk about their child. He needs to listen to them and understand what is going on so that they can help students and their parents. It is very important for homeroom teacher to communicate not only to students but also to their parents.
5. Visiting students’ house
It is very important duty for the homeroom teacher to visit students’ home to talk their parents in person because some parents have no time to come to school to talk to their homeroom teacher even though they want to share their stories with him. Moreover, it is a good chance for the homeroom teacher to observe and know students’ background. He can know about students more.
6. Helping students plan for their future
It is very important duty for the homeroom teacher to help students think together and plan for their future. Since students are still children, they need a lot of advice from adults. Therefore, homeroom teacher thinks about their future together and assist them as much as possible.
Morning devotion
Since our school is a Christian school, we have a morning devotion every day. It is very important to participate, and worship God together with other Christian teachers. We can listen to the Gospel from Christian teachers and encourage each other. We can start a new day with full of encouragement from others. Sometimes, I also share the Gospel there in Thai language. It is great pleasure to share the Gospel with other teachers.