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Teacher’s Responsibilities and Duties
From the point of view of quality assurance there are two
basic considerations that stand out – the teacher and the student. From the
point of view of the teacher, he enters the department on three-month’s
probation. No matter how much experience the teacher may be able to draw on from
previous professional appointments, there is always a settling in period during
which the teacher has to find his feet and in some cases adapt to a completely
new environment. It is for this reason that each and every teacher is required
to undertake the induction course but also take advantage of the mentor process
that will hopefully be of use to him. As outlined below the probationary period
involves at least two observations by general coordination and quality
assurance. The follow up will include input from three reports and a student
questionnaire, the latter seeking student feedback on whether the course outline
was followed, completed…et cetera but not on their personal opinions about the
teacher. The logical outcome of this procedure will be that the teacher comes
off probation and is subject to the regulations and policies of the department
and college. In the case of a negative outcome, the teacher will in fact follow
college policy regarding termination of contract within the probationary period.
Protocol I – Teacher Probationary Period – 3 months
Protocol II for Teaching Observations, Teacher Intervention
As you will see there is also a protocol to be followed
regarding student complaints which specify the classroom teacher. This might
theoretically happen at any time during a teacher’s contract. Another scenario
would be a request from general coordination for a teacher to be observed. Both
of these involve the teacher being placed in protocol II, whereby the teacher is
again observed, advised and supported by both departmental staff from
professional development and quality assurance, usually for the period of a
month. The aim of protocol II is to provide support to the teacher within the
framework of both the classroom and the department and provide a solution which
is satisfactory to both the teacher and the student body concerned. A positive
outcome at the end of this period will suppose a successful conclusion to the
intervention. If the teacher receives a negative follow-up, he will be placed
under protocol III. Here he is again considered under probation and expected to
improve on:
·
Negative
follow-up from protocol II
·
Breaches in
departmental policy
·
Breaches in
college policy or contractual obligations
The teacher will be informed by General Coordination at all
times while on Protocol III of the implications of further unsatisfactory
reports, which may include non-renewal of contract. The College administration
will be informed of the teacher’s inclusion in Protocol III.
It should be emphasized here that the protocol is designed to
offer support for the teacher at all times while termination of contract
resulting from the protocol is ultimately designed to protect the right of the
student to an optimal learning environment.
Examples
of teacher observation sheet templates are available for all teachers to view.
Let us now look at some specific areas of the teacher’s
responsibilities and duties:
·
Schedule,
attendance and punctuality
·
Keeping
records, writing reports
·
Exam preparation,
Invigilation and marking
·
Conduct &
behaviour, dress code, relations with students
schedule, attendance and punctuality
It is the obligation of the teacher to himself and the
department to attend all timetabled classes as specified on his teacher
schedule. On his schedule the teacher will also find scheduled office hours and
non-scheduled office hours. All three components will total 40 hours per week.
The teacher is requested to attend office hours at his work station (i.e. the
teacher should not justify not being in the department by saying that he had
departmental work to do at home). Non-scheduled office hours will, from time to
time be used to timetable class substitutions and teachers should make
themselves available if and when needed for these non-scheduled hours.
With reference to attendance at class and punctuality, the
teacher will arrive in good time for the beginning of the class period at 15
minutes past the hour. Student attendance should be taken in the first five
minutes of class with students arriving more than five minutes late being
registered as absent (twenty past the hour). The student in question, while
technically absent, is to be allowed to continue in the class and receive
instruction. Teachers who systematically arrive late for class may find
themselves included under the departmental protocol described above. Likewise,
absences from class should always, without exception, be cleared with general
coordination so that a substitution can be arranged. It is the obligation of the
teacher to inform general coordination of any possible absence due to sickness
as soon as possible and no later than one day prior to the scheduled class
taking place. Where possible, hospital or doctor’s consultations should be
arranged within the teacher’s own free time.
Keeping
records, writing reports
A teacher’s office duties,
apart from student liaison, will include the keeping of appropriate departmental
records on student attendance and course marks, the writing of any reports
required in committee work, and the updating of his personal course portfolios.
With regard to student liaison, the teacher should always make himself available
and allocate times during office hours for student consultation. If required to
do so a teacher will also input the marks from student quizzes into the
computerized marking system. The teacher will receive instruction as to the
nature of the input procedure.
Exam
preparation,
Invigilation and marking
A teacher’s
responsibilities also extend to exam preparation, invigilation and marking. A
teacher may be asked by his course coordinator to prepare a version to be used
as a mid-term exam paper. The course coordinator may also request that the
teacher prepare a version or contribute to a final exam paper for the course
that the teacher is teaching, with his own ideas and input. The teacher has the
right and obligation to avail himself of the subjects included in the exam
papers and the form that the exam will take. The teacher will therefore be
advised at all times of the subject matter and question forms of the final exam
papers.
A teacher will undertake
invigilation of exams. Exams are organized under the auspices of the
departmental examination committee (mid-term exams) or of the college
examinations committee (final exams). Both examination procedures require the
teacher to arrive punctually at the specified time and venue. It is a serious
breach of departmental policy to not carry out these duties and therefore a
disciplinary matter.
A teacher’s duties also
include the marking of his own class section papers and the delivery of the
marks before the deadlines agreed upon to the course coordinator concerned.
Conduct &
behaviour, dress code, relations with students
A professional conduct is
required at all times. With so many different nationalities in the department it
is the teacher’s duty to be culturally sensitive to his peers and not become
involved in any way in any behaviour or voice any opinions that might be
construed as offensive or insensitive. The teacher also has an obligation to
uphold the good name of the EFL centre with regard to other parties or
departments. In addition there is an unwritten dress code in operation within
the department which the teacher should observe, namely to dress in accordance
with his professional position, i.e. as an ambassador of the teaching profession
in general and YIC in particular. If western style dress is adopted this should
preclude the use of jeans, t-shirts, tennis shoes, sneakers and the like.
Western style dress adopted off-campus should always reflect concordance with
local customs, i.e. length of shorts, swimming costumes at beaches et cetera
should be appropriate (shorts worn should be calf length or at least reach the
knee).
With regard to relations
with students, it should be noted that a strict policy is adopted by the college
regarding this. While relations should always be cordial and friendly, college
policy does not contemplate situations where teachers accept or offer any kind
of “favour” that might be misconstrued by other students or teachers. Teachers
in this respect should not accept or offer rides in automobiles or take coffees
or meals with students et cetera. The teacher should also make sure that
culturally sensitive issues do not enter the classroom in the form of discussion
or comment. Neither should religious, political or current affairs of a
sensitive nature be discussed inside the context of a formal lesson.
Miscellaneous matters
termination
of contract, illness, death, force majeure
Teachers should consult
their written contracts for information on the above issues and/or seek
clarification from either the head of department or the Royal Commission as the
teacher’s employers.
Temporary Text From College Website
Teachers are the most important persons in any educational pursuit. So they have to play a very vital role in any structured and unstructured educational institution to achieve desired results. Department of English at Yanbu Industrial College also expect their teachers to follow certain codes of conduct to maintain decency, grace, culturally accepted social skills, and a decorum with students as well as among them. Some of the following guidelines in this regard are mentioned below:
Self Motivation
Teachers are expected to be self motivated to troubleshoot any situation with their will power, sense of growth and inquiry, altruism, and their persistent to stay calm and analytical.
Facilitation
Teachers act as facilitators and do not give the impression that they know everything. They create learning situation by making use of all the resources conscientiously and intuitively. They act as mentors with prompt actions and updated knowledge. Balance between directive and supportive behavior is necessary for better productivity.
Self Awareness
Teachers are realistic, self confident, honest, and strike a balance between personal and institutional goals for maintaining academic discipline.
Self Regulation
Teachers are rational, emotionally stable, and appreciative of self esteem of students. They create a climate of comfort, support, and trust with self discipline and consistency.
Empathy
Department expect their teachers to value others, go extra mile to build mutual trust, develop interpersonal relations with students and their fellow staff, appreciate the effort of students who need extra help, and stay caring and helpful.
Social Skills
Social skills of teachers are compatible with cultural sensitivities. Teachers appreciate diversity and manage their verbal and non verbal skills through adaptability and situational leadership.
Communication
Department expect teachers to maintain decent and suitable communication with students as well as among themselves with appropriate use of words, variation in their speed and volume, pauses, inflexion, articulation, clarity, appropriate gestures, variation in style and behavior, decent dress code, balance temperament, appropriate anxiety level, and honest approach.