Role of the Resource Teacher: Guru or Source

How many teachers have been to yet another mandatory meeting taking precious time from planning, only to hear that all your planning has to be redone anyway because your resource teacher has found something new? In your schools, the resource teacher is the guru – not the source.

What’s the difference you may ask? The guru is very knowledgeable in his or her field and believes everyone should utilize their information because it is the latest and greatest. The guru is offended when challenged by staff that may not have been to the seminars and workshops he or she has, but have enough experience to know whether something is practical for their classroom population and schedule. The source is the source! The source will present new information and knows that it may not be applicable to all parties. Nevertheless, his or her information is hyped and made available as an option. There is no offense taken if the new information is not utilized.

A successful resource teacher must take on the role of the source. It is imperative that he or she presents the new information in an engaging way – one that includes the audience in the learning process to foster self-discovery of the main points. Then the audience can decide whether or not to apply the information to their classroom situations.

It is important for the Resource Teacher to be the source rather than the guru. The source activates learning; the guru preaches. It has been said in the past that people only remember 10% of what they hear and 90% of what they do. Think of the impact a source of a Resource Teacher can have when a wealth of information is made available for the taking and is presented in a non-threatening, welcoming way. That dreaded mandatory meeting might become an anticipated diversion in the day. Go source!