Greg Whitby: This is the most important role of a teacher

Greg Whitby establishes what the most vital role is for a teacher. Can you guess what it is?

The focus should not be on the teacher but on the learning, Greg Whitby writes.

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I recently had a conversation with a parent who felt frustrated by what they called the ‘revolving door’ of teachers their son had for year 8 maths.

They asked me how it was possible for multiple teachers to establish continuity or build the necessary rapport required for delivering quality teaching and support.

It’s a fair question and one built on the premise that the teacher is always at the centre of the learning.

Staffing is one of the biggest challenges of leading any school community. Consistency is important; however teachers do get sick, they are entitled to take leave and many have parental/family responsibilities.

Making sure that students aren’t negatively impacted by staff absences requires us to address two things.

It is critical that we realise that the real work of teachers is teaching students how to learn, Greg Whitby writes.

The first is how we organise the school day. This is particularly relevant in secondary schools where groups of students are taught one subject by one teacher. If a teacher is away, they are usually replaced by a relief teacher.

Despite how committed and capable these teachers might be, it is a huge task to be able to establish rapport and manage the dynamics of a classroom for a short period of time.

The second is how we organise the learning. In NSW, there is a review currently underway of the curriculum.

This is a golden opportunity for us to think differently about individual teachers having sole responsibility for their specialist subject and move to an integrated approach where responsibility is shared and learning is focused on project-based learning.

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In this model, the focus is not on the teacher but on the learning. Teachers working in teams becomes a powerful antidote to the issues that arise from teacher absences and shortages.

It is critical that we realise that the real work of teachers is teaching students how to learn. We won’t be able to do this successfully unless we shift the model of learning from being teacher-directed to student-centred.

Greg Whitby is the executive director of schools for the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta. Follow him on Twitter @gregwhitby