Teachers as Influencers – Makers and Breakers of the Education Experience

When one thinks about influencers in this day and age, the first thing that probably comes to mind is social media and the large number of personalities paid by brands to influence the lifestyle choices of their audience. Seldom do we associate influence with its meaning before the social media age. That meaning is the power to have an impact on people or things or to effect on someone in an indirect but usually important change.

 

We spend a big amount of our time in the education system. As a result, the primary and secondary education process lasts about 12 years of our lives. We go on to spend, voluntarily, even more time pursuing numerous qualifications later on. In the context of time spent, we probably spend more time with our teachers than we do with anyone else in the world during this time. Similarly to the influence our parents and peers have on us, teachers hold the key to the development of our knowledge and social norms.

Teachers as Influencers – Makers and Breakers of the Education Experience​

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Role playing that shapes a negative and positive impact

 

Teachers have a very important role to play in the development of a child, shaping their social, emotional, psychological and intellectual qualities. This can happen in two extremes. One is a positive impact that transforms the learner and equips them to face some of life’s teachable moments. The second is a negative impact, that can disable a learners perspective about education and leave them disengaged from the learning process. However, education is not a one way road and this is not to suggest that the responsibility for this influence lies on teachers alone.

 

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Author:

Nolusindiso Noqayi

Article Writer & Content Contributor

Meet the team: A picture of Nolusindiso Noqayi.

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The opinions expressed in this article/publication are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of GiLE or its members.

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