Effects on Education: The teacher cannot make the student learn but the former can have a tremendous influence on learning

The teaching profession must be associated with the needs of teachers who have possessed with professional qualities. The needs must encompass the following: positive atmosphere in a class wherein the students are very attentive and responsive to the discussion and some other related activities to be done inside the classroom; fair treatment among the students and the teacher himself in day-to-day living and teaching; firmness and understanding from their superiors; recognition for their contributions as far as effective teaching and humane lesson application are concerned; and chance for professional growth.

As far as the roles of teacher are concerned, Gregorio expounded on the several roles that…since learning is an active process on the part of the learner, it is not possible for the teacher to learn for the student. In a very real sense, the teacher cannot make the student learn, but the former can have a tremendous influence on learning. The teacher can help stimulate or motivate the learner by bringing the latter to see the connection between the learning problem and some significant needs or interests of the student. The teacher can help the learner make those reactions which are to be learned, and help the learner obtain the appropriate reaction by guiding his thinking through questions that focus attention on particular aspects of the problem which might otherwise be overlooked. Thus, the teacher may have a great influence by helping the learner get satisfaction from the right source of reactions. As the desired behavior is reiterated over and over, adequate practice can be provided and progress made toward a high level of learning.

According to Albert Einstein, this educational crippling of individuals I consider the worst evil of capitalism. Our whole educational system suffers from this evil. An exaggerated competitive attitude is inculcated into the student, who is trained to worship acquisitive success as a preparation for his future career. I am convinced there is only one way to eliminate these grave evils, namely through the establishment of a socialist economy, accompanied by a educational system which would be oriented toward social goals. In such an economy, the means of production are owned by society itself and are utilized in a planned fashion. A planned economy, which adjusts production to the needs of the community, would distribute the work to be done among all those able to work and would guarantee a livelihood to every man, woman and child. The education of the individual, in addition to promoting his own innate abilities, would attempt to develop in him a sense of responsibility for his fellow-men in place of the glorification of power and success in our present society.


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