Kassymova R.S., Ramazanova S.A.

Al-Farabi Kazakh National University

TEACHER’S AUTHORITY AND PEDAGOGICAL SKILLS

Abstract. The problem of effectiveness of teacher’s influence on students was always in the center of teachers attention. One of the possible ways to solve this problem – the formation of authority relations. Authoritative teacher achieves an effective influence on the student, without the formal attributes of its power. Authority is needed for the effective implementation of integrated pedagogical process, problem-solving of training, education, development of influential subjects.

Key words: pedagogical authority, teacher’s influence, pedagogical skills

Teacher’s pedagogical mastery, being the constituent of his authority, is in the inseparable unity with it. On the one hand, it is impossible to build a credible relationship with mild pedagogical skill, all the more so in its absence. On the other - authoritative relations contribute to fulfillment of the teacher, giving its pedagogical skills more defined forms.

The phenomenon of pedagogical authority is so big in its cause-and-effect relationship that many aspects of pedagogical mastery, including the issues of the optimization of pedagogical interaction and design, are viewed from the position of its influence on authority formation. In this regard, the chapter combines virtually everything associated with teaching and demonstration of teaching skills, and thus more voluminous.

The nature and content of teacher’s authority

The problem of effectiveness of teacher’s influence on students was always in the center of teachers attention. One of the possible ways to solve this problem – the formation of authority relations, because an authoritative person affects others more effectively and convincingly.

The pedagogical authority has two significant and interrelated sides: inner and outer. It is very important for the teacher to perceive himself as an authoritative person. Otherwise it is impossible to have the high self-esteem, which is the core of individual, to maintain active professional position, internal balance, creativity. These parameters can be taken as the inner side of phenomenon of teacher’s authority.

Authority is needed for the effective implementation of integrated pedagogical process, problem-solving of training, education, development of influential subjects. The need for effective interaction occurs at the level of building relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the administration. These postulates can be attributed to external manifestations of authority, i.e. to the outer side of the phenomenon.

Authority from the Latin “auctoritas - dignity, strength, power, influence”. The origin of this term is associated with the history of ancient Rome, where authority meant the power of the Senate, in contrast to the powers of other governmental institutions. In the works of Cicero repeatedly mentioned the «auctoritas senates». The statements of the authority can be found in the teachings of Plato, Aristotle, Democritus, Antiphon, Hippias. The concept of political expediency of authority nominated by Hobbes, Spinoza, Locke, Holbach, Hegel.

Authority arises as a consequence of social needs. Requirements permeate all aspects of society. They are the root causes of the social activity of people working in the material and spiritual production, politics, and culture in various social institutions.

Thus, the objective basis of the appearance of authority are the social needs.

The system needs an original constant component, "invariance" in the structure of public authority. Real social content of authority depends on the specific historical conditions and the nature of activities. Field of activity brings about substantial adjustments in disclosing the concept of "authority."

Authoritative teacher achieves an effective influence on the student, without the formal attributes of its power. Process of formation of influential relationship has always extended in time and is not so simple, and not everything depends, as it sometimes seems, only on the teacher, his professional and personal qualities.

We will try to understand the process of building influential relationships that are so essential in the interaction of teacher and student, and which will largely determine the efficiency of solving the problems of education and training.

First of all, it should be noted that the authority is only gained in the process of significant activities. Significance - an essential characteristic of activity in the course of which may form the authoritative relationship, otherwise the solution to the problem of building authoritative relations - hopeless. For the student what the teacher does, what he teaches, the basis of his professional activities, is an important, necessary thing. Moreover, significant activity does not have to be shared. It’s enough if subject S₂ (student), in whose eyes the authority of the subject S₁ (teacher) is acquired, recognized the activity of the subject S₁ to be significant. Fruitful and interesting research results in this area made by different local psychologists and sociologists: A.V. Petrovsky, M.Y. Kondratyev, R.K. Shakurov, etc.

In the structure of authority we can distinguish the general and special. A specific place in the structure is occupied by the moral and psychological characteristics of the individual, which reflect both the general properties for all occupations, as well as special, unique to figure in a specific area of practice.

Besides the already mentioned important position it should be recalled that in society there are certain canons, the requirements to the identity of the teacher, which must somehow be corresponded to or at least should be considered. But authority - this is a very specific attitude of one person to another, or a group of people to a particular subject. Therefore, in addition to general canons and requirements to the teacher each subject S₂ will have their individual demands, their own conceptual understanding of authority. However, in each individual concept of the authority a common concept is present, which reflects historical patterns of the development of society and its economic order, tradition, and common values. That which has the most significant impact on the possible individual concept of the subject regarding the authority, is largely determined by values of personality in the broadest sense. This is what it seeks, and what its needs and interests, and in terms of not only to achieve a certain social status, but cultural values.

From this we can deduce a very important pattern: the authority of the subject does not exist outside of and apart from the social environment. The authority of the individual - is the result of fixing of some attitude of the society on the person.

Maintenance of any authority necessarily includes two aspects: social and specific, the ratio of which is determined by the dialectic of the general and the particular. If general, the social side, is present in every form of authority, the special determined by sphere of social life, and a way of impact and influence.

Authority expressed in the ability to send (without resorting to coercion) actions and logical thinking the other person (or people) to the desired path. The possibility of such effects is caused by the trust and positive emotional attitude of people to the authority bearer. Authority is associated with the value orientation and characteristics of the group activity and determines the degree of inspiring action of this man. Suggestion and imitation stand out as the most important mechanisms of authority. And it is not only about a deliberate action, but also unintentional, involuntary suggestion.

Authority is more colored personal than professional. Therefore, it is more correct to use the term "teacher's authority," as well as "doctor’s authority," "lawyer's authority" (and not pedagogical, medical, legal authority, etc.). Thus, we emphasize the general and specific in this phenomenon.

Noteworthy are also the power credentials of teachers, which they possess. Teacher credentials - an attribute of his teaching activities. Implementing of powers refracted through the teacher’s culture. The way the teacher will use the power given to him, will largely be determined by its culture (spiritual, moral), so it is an urgent question about the culture of the teacher, of his personal qualities such as justice and tact. Where there is power, the question of fairness is relevant. Where the issue of justice is relevant, pressing the question about the culture in the broadest sense.

It would be wrong to regard the establishment of the authority of the teacher as a gradual process, and the end result - a genuine authority - as something permanent. This is a very dynamic process, because the teacher himself - is only one subject (S1) of subject-subject relations. The authority is a function of two variables: features both of a subject, and the object of authoritative relationships in which both members of the relationship are active.

For a very long time, attempts were made to link the individual characteristics of the teacher with his capabilities to effectively influence the students, building authoritative relationships with them. However, the consideration of the phenomenon of authority solely in terms of the presence or absence of certain qualities of the person should be regarded as obsolete. This conclusion is accepted by many psychologists. At the same time, one must admit that some of the personal qualities that are manifested in the implementation of joint activities, either favor or hinder the achievement of authoritative position, while being not the cause, and certainly not a determinant of authority, but only a prerequisite of its establishment.

The influence of authoritative teacher is more diverse in its nature. Authoritative teacher, as already noted, influences not only directionally, but much more often undirected. Influence may be indirect, authoritative teacher affects not only when it is actually present, but also when he is referenced, thought about. Effective is not only verbal, but also non-verbal action. Look, facial expressions, gestures - all can have an effect. Authoritative teacher affects students with all his being, but this is the top of the authority.

Authoritative teacher also influences by suggestion. The main thing that distinguishes the suggestion from other influences - a significant reduction in critical relationship of man to the information received, because originally the person trusts the source. It is that trust that is the basis of authority relations.

It has already been identified a number of factors contributing to the human tendency to uncritical acceptance of information, also including age-appropriate features of children. Each word of an adult a small child perceives as an absolute truth, while the criticality increases with age, but not automatically. Teenager is much more critical than younger pupil, and high school student - more critical than a teenager. This is largely due to the amount of knowledge: the more it is, the wider range of information is subjected to critical reflection, doubt. Raising of teenagers criticality associated with the accumulation of individual experience, makes higher requirements for teachers of senior classes. High school students are much more likely to reject unproven information than younger students. Disregard to the arguments of students could seriously undermine the authority of the teacher. Implementing the method of persuasion in its influence on the subject S2 (student), the authoritative entity S1 (teacher) to achieve the influence result may make use of fewer arguments in contrast to the subject, who does not enjoy the reputation as a subject S1. Thus, the process of effective influence of the authoritative teacher goes faster.

If you come back to the definition of the authority, the first thing we should emphasize that almost all researchers of the phenomenon of authority isolated the moment of trust. Trust - the unifying principle of qualitative characteristics of subjects’ authoritative relations. Therefore, thanks to the trust of the subject S2 (student) towards subject S1 (teacher), the latter can effectively influence not only by persuasion, but by suggestion. One of the essential qualities of authoritative teachers should be honesty and the ability to create an atmosphere of trust. Confidence - that feeling of safety and comfort in interpersonal relationships, which is necessary to create a healthy, open environment. Without trust, it is impossible to establish good, close interpersonal relationships. In the style of the manager (who is also a school teacher, he manages and supervises a group of children and their activities) the manifestation of justice, openness and care, treatment of students as to the value is important. If positive behavior on the part of the head remains constant, the trust will be developed, maintained and enhanced. Fear usually creates distrust, and therefore the question arises of how to use the powers vested in each teacher.

The bases for the authority of the teacher are his business qualities and professional competence. Teacher is versatile, so his professional requirements are expressed widely: it is actually a proficiency of teaching subjects, knowledge of a variety of teaching methods, teaching technology. The broader the functional responsibilities of a manager, and teacher in particular, the greater the bases of his authority must be presented.

Not carried away by too deep and all-encompassing authority of the teacher characteristics, in fear of "drowning" the nature of authority in its functions, parties, criteria, we propose the following definition: the authority of the teacher - it's a social and cultural phenomenon that qualitatively characterizes the system of relationships to the teacher, determines its professional and personal status, acceptance and recognition of his priority role in the system of subject-subject pedagogical relationship.

In order to understand the process of the formation of the authority we must imagine its structure, understand its unifying principle.