Aims And Objectives Of Teacher Education At Elementary, Secondary Level, And Higher Level

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Teacher education refers to the training of teachers and it is level-specific. It includes teacher training programmes which vary based on the needs of pre-primary, primary, secondary, higher education, and vocational education. For classroom transactions, specific strategies and methods are used at different levels. When it comes to teacher education programmes, there is no uniformity in the country as the content and the process of the programme varies from state to state. Rabindra Nath Tagore once professed,

“A teacher can never truly teach unless he is still learning himself. A lamp can never light another lamp unless it continues to burn its own flame.”

The historical development of teacher education in India dates back to the history of Indian education itself. India is regarded to have one of the largest systems of teacher education in the world. Teacher education was born in India in around 2500 B.C. Teacher education is designed in a way that students can learn effectively according to their level and the course is designed to fulfil their needs.

The main aims and objectives of teacher education at the elementary, secondary level and higher levels are as follows:

Aims of Teacher Education at the Elementary Level

There should be some learning experience according to the needs of the learners.
The teacher should know the language of the learners to easily achieve the teaching-learning experience.
It is important for elementary teachers to understand the physical, social and mental development of the learners.
The elementary teachers should emphasise the psychology of the child.
The teacher should implement games and activities with pictures for the learning experience in the classroom.

Aims and Objectives of Teacher Education at Secondary Level

The teacher should be aware of the learning outcomes of secondary levels.
Similarly, there should be certain experiences regarding child psychology to make the learners understand more.
It is important for secondary-level teachers to understand the physical, social and mental development of the learners.
The teacher should understand the physical and mental changes during adolescence to overcome the fear and lack of confidence among teenagers.
The teacher should know various teaching techniques to teach effectively.
The teacher should have better communication skills to understand the feelings of the learners.
The teacher should select and organize the main course to achieve the teaching-learning goal.
The teacher should inculcate the values of social awareness, morality, idealism and a sense of responsibility among learners.

Aims and Objectives of Teacher Education at the Higher Level

Impart adequate knowledge about the subject

The teacher must have a good command of the subject matter of the topic as well as the assignment given in the college.

Equipping teachers with the necessary skills

Teacher education should enable one to develop skills to stimulate experience in an artificially created environment. It focuses more on the creation of an emotional atmosphere and less on material resources. The teacher must have the ability to observe, infer, and generalize.

Understanding of child psychology

Understanding child psychology is important because the teacher develops the ability to appreciate and acknowledge the difficulties faced by the students. This allows the teacher to develop new modes and methods of teaching and achieving goals based on the needs and comfort of the learners.

Develop a Proper Attitude towards Teaching

Developing a proper attitude toward teaching is important as it will enable the achievements to be maximized through both human and material resources. It also develops a proper perception of the problems like regular attendance, universal enrolment, and the like.

Development of Self-Confidence in Teachers

Teacher education should also develop self-confidence among the teachers under training so that they can adjust to physical conditions, adjust to social environments healthily, and also adjust themselves to derive emotional satisfaction with their life.

Proper Usage of ICT Tools

The teacher should know the proper usage of teaching aids and ICT Tools.

Teacher education should enable teachers to understand the importance of individual differences in children and to take measures that are required for the optimum development of learners.