Each educator has a different outlook behind the strategies and teaching methods that they use to shape the learning and mentality of their students. Education is supposed to be an enlightening experience that is given through instruction in the hopes to cultivate young minds in specific subjects, topics and by challenging the way they may view the world and how to prepare for life after school. Any student should be able to gain from the experience of education through the help of the educator understanding their needs and playing different roles to help them thrive in the environment.

             

               Although, from the outside looking in, the purpose behind education seems to be to teach new information and have students comprehend what is being taught, but it is much more than just that. This purpose varies from person to person and can be as simple as trying to teach a new topic, to being as complex as thinking deeper in comprehension and responding to different views. Teachers should be able to give the youth all the tools they need to develop and succeed in society while producing a learning environment that leads students in a way where they can live morally, creatively, productively and independently. As educators, we must be able to nurture students’ growth and maturation through social, emotional and intellectual development. 

           

               To fulfill this goal a teacher, we must take on the true challenge of playing different roles for all of our students, but it is also important to provide a positive experience, as well as be a positive influence in the process. To be more than just a teacher in the classroom is something that is expected to fit the needs of all students. Some roles include being a facilitator, counselor, co-learner, role model and many more. These roles are needed to fit several student differences in the classroom, whether it be to understand their needs as learners, socially or culturally while also picking up on their strengths and interests. Because students have different ways of learning, it is important to be able to play different roles for diverse students based off their needs and qualities. Having the ability to recognize all these qualities in students can show the commitment and understanding that an educator has toward their students and the outcome of their learning.

           

               Through embracing student differences and qualities, a healthy learning environment can be formed.  Each student is different, has their own way of approaching learning and must be given the chance to learn. The approach to each class or student can vary and is dependent on the type of learner the student is. It is the responsibility of the teacher to recognize what works and what does not.  This is where I believe I learn from my students and become creative in my teaching through learning from them. When it comes to traditional teaching, it may be a problem to try and attend to everyone’s difference, but it is also a challenge and a way to gain more insight in all aspects of our diverse students to problem solve and help guide them in learning. It is a matter of getting to the same outcome with our students, but allowing them to take different routes to better understand what is expected of them.

             

               There is still a lot to learn about education and so much more to offer the youth. It has been an ever changing purpose that will continue to change for the better to enlighten those around us aside from teaching them topics from a book. I believe we should be able to provide our students with the ability to seek, understand and use the knowledge they have learned to create better life decisions, contribute to society after school and overall have a better insight to life. If students are to be seen as lifelong learners, educators are needed to nurture and embrace student differences to promote each student to continue their lifelong learning and hopefully become enlightening beings to others.