Teacher Role and Their Responsibilities
When teaching, in any context, it is important that we have legislation put into place for the safety of, both, learners and staff members. There are many different types of legislation that we have to adhere to in Further Education, these include, equal opportunities legislation, disability and discrimination legislation, health and safety legislation, child protection, learner contracts and centre codes of practice. They are put into place to give everyone a fair chance and a safe working environment. Something that is very important in the educational environment. These policies and procedures have an impact in the classroom and outside of the classroom.
The Child Protection Act protects learners against any form of abuse or neglect. It is important to be vigilant in the classroom setting, and recognise any signs of abuse or neglect that the student might show. It is also your duty to establish and maintain an environment where learners feel secure. Outside of the classroom it is important for the teacher to record and report any suspected abuse, referring the case to an appropriate member of staff. The teacher may even have to liaise with parents or external organisations in hours outside of the classroom.
The Health and safety at Work Act is put in place to protect people from risks to their health and safety at work. As a teacher you are expected to take care of the health and safety of yourself and of your students. At Waltham Forest College there are a number of procedures in place to protect your learners. In each classroom there are stickers to show where your nearest first aider is and in the event of a fire, all staff are trained on how to evacuate their classrooms safely and efficiently. It is the teacher’s job to ensure that they are following health and safety rules within the classroom and prevent risks such as trailing electricity cables from projectors, blocked fire exits, bags left on the floor,...