The Roles of a Teacher Outside the Classroom

A teacher has a very diverse role within the educational environment. In the classroom she must be an instructor, critic, disciplinarian, motivator, role model and adviser. However, a teacher's job can expand to include other roles outside the classroom. Many teachers assume roles outside of the classroom to facilitate the development of a good rapport or for other reasons. Roles for a teacher outside of the instructional environment include: coach, club sponsor, tutor and counselor.

Most schools employ counselors to address non-instructional issues and problems that impact a student's progress through school. However, many teachers end up serving as counselors to their students. Usually this is because a student feels more comfortable confiding in a teacher with whom she already has a rapport than the school counselor. Since teachers interact on a daily basis with students, they may be the first to recognize a student's problem.

Many teachers accept a supplemental job as a coach when the teaching contract is signed. In some states, a head coach must possess a valid and current teaching certificate in order to coach. Some teachers also accept jobs as assistant coaches. This arrangement facilitates student success on and off the playing field. Having knowledge of the sport, coupled with the existing classroom rapport, positively impacts student performance.

Some teachers accept roles as club sponsors after school hours. In some instances, this arrangement creates a natural extension of their course assignments. For instance, the 4-H sponsor may be the agriculture teacher, or the Future Business Leaders of America sponsor may be the business teacher. The math team sponsor will more than likely be a math teacher, and a science teacher will be the sponsor of the science club.

In light of increased emphasis on schools meeting minimum state and federal performance standards, many schools pay teachers for after-school tutoring. Teachers may agree to serve as after-school tutors to supplement their income or to provide additional instruction so that their students will pass standardized tests. After-school tutoring increases the likelihood that the students will succeed and also increases a teacher's class pass rate.