The charisma of the critical other: Enhancing the role of the teacher

Abstract

From time to time, education is marked by critical events. These bring radical change in both pupils and teachers. At their centre, these events have a critical agent, who conceives and coordinates the work. They also have “critical others” who also make a significant input, but who have no formal role within the institution. Their function is to enhance the role of the teacher, basically through the provision of a charismatic quality. This derives from three main attributes, namely: (1) models for students; (2) personal qualities emerging from “self”, providing trust, faith, and inspiration, contributing to the generation of communitas among groups and the motivation of individuals; (3) qualities emerging from “profession”. Critical others contribute towards the authenticity of teachers' work. They do this by the provision of verisimilitude (“living history”, a real book, etc.); by contributing to the integrity of knowledge both within itself and with the learner's self; by fostering information and communication skills; and by validating teachers' and pupils' work as genuine endeavours within their field of discipline. Teachers and others are role-partners sharing a role. Each helps the other to extend as professionals. If the conditions for effective role-enhancement are met, critical others present one means by which teachers can ease any constraining strictures of their role, and reinforce its professional base.