Teachers advised to position themselves as change agents

Professor Prince Boateng, the Principal of Ada College of Education (ADACOE), has advised teachers to position themselves as change agents in their respective fields.Professor Boateng further stated that building their brand as change agents must be based on compassion, curiosity, and awareness.'There is far greater competition out there for job placement and employment opportunities than ever before, and like the early bird, the best-placed applicants are those who are aware of happenings in their chosen field and position themselves advantageously not to be left out,' he said.He was speaking at the launch of the school's 60th anniversary, which was also the 15th congregation, at the school premises at Ada-Foah in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region.He noted that awareness would position them to be more knowledgeable, emotionally intelligent, and sensitive to the subtle peculiarities they needed to identify to tailor the right responses for each student.The ADACOE principal added that there was a need for the newly trained teachers to be aware of the intentional movement towards Africanness, as well as the vast geographical nature of Ghana, and not refuse their posting to teach in any part of the country.He further said being able to speak intelligibly about artificial intelligence and what it held for human beings and the world of work, global warming, and carbon footprints, among others, would be an added advantage for their carriers.'Being a global citizen, you must learn to be culturally sensitive and choose your words cautiously as you address and engage pupils, students, parents, peers, and the general populace wherever you may find yourself,' he added.Prof. Boateng cautioned them against gangs of grumblers, complainers, pessimists, slanderers, rumour mongers, and lawbreakers as trained teachers.He stressed that through their training, they had become an important cog in the wheel of the chosen people, bringing light wherever there was darkness, hope where there was despair, and understanding where there was confusion, adding that the dissemination of knowledge should be the passion of trained teachers.He asked them to hone their skills in curiosity by being observant, developing a listening ear, and desisting from being in a haste to jump to conclusions.'Indeed, I would seriously advise you to study and take a life lesson from the Rotary Club's Four-Way Test in your perspectives, conclusions, and pronouncements. I assure you, you will be noted for your fairness and wisdom in your interactions and human relations, should you faithfully apply these principles,' he concluded.