Role of Teacher and Students

The role of the teacher and students is different in the society centered model than in the traditional knowledge centered model currently used in many public schools. In the society centered model, the teacher acts as a facilitator more than a director and the students take on a more active role, which includes collaborating with their classmates to resolve problems (Ellis, 2004).

 We, the local educators and citizens, believe that having students take on the role of active learners and collaborators will help them to develop the skills they need to be successful as employees and citizens better than the traditional model currently does. This is one of the many reasons why our town needs a school that utilizes society centered curriculum. Additional key points of the role of the teacher and students in the society centered model are summarized below. These points are based on the ideas of Ellis (2004).

Role of the Teacher

•   Facilitates class projects

•   Helps students to understand that they can achieve more by working as a group

•  Helps students to make their own decisions about learning and connect their learning to real-life situations

•  The teacher does not lecture, but rather helps students to brainstorm and reflect.

Role of the Students

•    Collaborate with their classmates

•    Help each other to design projects and work to resolve problems in the community

•   Practice leadership skills

•   Use their content knowledge to help them solve problems

•   Participate actively in the school

Please navigate to the media gallery page to see pictures and videos of teachers acting as facilitators and students working with their class to solve problems.