What is the difference between teaching and educating?

Teaching a child can be said as instructing a child in a certain area. Educating a child is helping him develop mentally, morally, physically and socially. Teaching is just a part of this. You can teach a child how to wash his hands before eating. But you need to educate him and explain to him the reason for washing his hands. It is therefore necessary for the teacher to educate a child before he/she starts teaching the child.

For a young three or four year old child, going to school is an enormous step. The child may never have been away from his mother for such a length of time. He may have had very little contact with children of his own age. But once he starts schooling he needs to become socialised in a new environment. This means that he needs to know

1. the dos and don'ts of getting on with others in the school

2. how to be accepted by others and how to accept them

3 how to gradually become independent while taking part in a group that is much bigger and wider than his immediate family circle.

Now it is the teacher’s responsibility to help the pupils develop all the above and help them learn it. A teacher plays a very important role in setting the base for the years to come. Here are some points that a teacher needs to remember

enjoy the young pupils

be as relaxed as possible

be firm and consistent with them.