Every society expects its educational institutions to help in developing competent citizens who would at the same time maintain the existing values and adopt fresh ones.
Every school subject must, either through the matter taught or through the ways of learning it, contribute to the growth of knowledge and competence in learners.
Teacher occupies an important place in the process of education and a great responsibility therefore devolves upon the teacher. According to Binning, ‘Teaching is a progressive occupation and the teacher must ever be a student”.
From the point of view of society as well the teacher occupies an important place; Dr. Radha Krishnan has rightly remarked, ‘The teacher’s place in society is of vital importance. He acts as the pivot for the transmission of intellectual traditions and technical skill from generation to generation and helps to keep the lamp of civilisation burning”.
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In order to prove worthy of the trust reposed in him the teacher must have certain qualities and characteristics. The qualities and characteristics are required for teachers of every subject. This is true about teacher of commerce as well.
Teacher
The teacher of commerce is expected to possess certain qualities and characteristics. Such qualities are described in brief in the following pages:
In a nut shell it can be said, ‘The teacher of commerce must be properly qualified person and should possess the training qualifications to teach.”
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For any improvement in commerce education a well qualified and trained commerce teacher is a must. The most important of the several qualities expected of a commerce teacher is the he should be devoted to the profession of teacher. It has been observed that persons generally after taking training in commerce teaching profession switch-over to some other profession. The subject of commerce has now received wide recognition and acceptability, second only to science subjects. Therefore, it has become essential that profession of commerce teacher is taken up very seriously.
Since the first and foremost duty of a commerce teacher is to teach so it is desirable that he fulfills the requirements of the profession and possesses the necessary qualifications.
Qualifications of a Commerce Teacher
A teacher of Commerce should have :
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(i) A master’s degree in commerce.
(ii) A bachelor’s degree in education.
(iii) Specialisation in Commerce education.
(iv) A good academic back-ground in Economics.
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(v) Proficiency in skill subjects.
(vi) A thorough understanding and knowledge of theories of skills.
Besides these, he should have special aptitude and training in the audio-visual aids and vocational guidance. He should have enough of professional experience and training to undertake the teaching of type-writing and short-hand efficiently. The success and prospect of vocationalisation at secondary stage largely depends upon this aspect of specialisation on the part of the commerce teacher.
Specially on instructor or a teacher. Who is required to teach short-hand and type-writing must have specialisation in these subjects and a good back-ground in teaching methods of commerce subjects.
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Knowledge of teaching short-hand and type-writing in English or any other regional language should be essential for a commerce teacher. Teachers for teaching short-hand and type-writing should be professional rather than M.Com. with specialisation in short-hand and typewriting It is better to appoint a person, to teach short-hand and typewriting, who has practiced these subjects as stenographers at more than 100 words per minute for more than five years. These persons will fare well and try to develop the vocational skills of students.
Qualities of a Commerce Teacher
Various qualities which are desirable in a commerce teacher are as follows:
Personal Qualities
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(i) He should have a good personality.
(ii) He should be graciously dressed.
(iii) He should be man with qualities of integrity, fairness and moral fitness.
(iv) He should have a pleasant speaking voice.
(v) He should possess a good physical and mental health.
(vi) He should be socially acceptable to his colleagues.
(vii) He should have interest and aptitude in teaching profession. In this respect Mudaliar Commission observed, ‘Teachers must develop a new orientation towards their work. They should lode upon their work as a great social and intellectual adventure”.
(viii) His relationship with his students be polite, submissive and friendly.
(ix) He must have an urge of learning new trends in this subject of Specialisation.
(x) He should be able contrive and use a variety of teaching- learning procedures.
(xi) He should be trained in use of various instructional techniques such as committee of work, question-answer, demonstration, project, discussion etc.
(xii) He should be competent to develop, construct and use a wide variety of teaching aids.
(xiii) He should be able to use variety of methods to evaluate pupils’ progress and his own growth as teacher.
(xiv) He should be able to function efficiently in the guidance programme of the school.
(xv) He should be able to function well in organisation and supervision of co curricular activities.
(xvi) He should have a good understanding of the needs of students in relation to knowledge.
(xvii) He should have a good understanding of current world conditions and problems.
(xviii) He should have a good proficiency of observation and records of behaviors, interest and development of students.
(xix) A good habit of study and research in commerce education.
Interests of commerce teacher
A commerce teacher to be successful should have a variety of interest.
These may be summarised as under:
Community Interests
(i) He must be an active member of parent-teacher association.
(ii) He should be actively interested in community activities.
(iii) He should be interested in student’s clubs and other school Activities.
Professional Interest
(i) He should have knowledge of equipments of business and industry.
(ii) He must remain in touch with the latest researches in his filed of interest.
(iii) He should have a personal library of bodes and magazines of Commerce, Economics and Education.
(iv) He should try to acquire professional growth through higher education in Commerce, Economics and Education.
(v) He should make it a point to participate in summer schools, work-shops, refresher courses and other in-service education programmes organised for commerce teachers.
(vi) He should contribute articles to magazines of Commerce, Education, and Economics.