This article could apply to any field of employment today, not just education.  The “Other duties as assigned” clause at the end of most job descriptions has been used to both expand employees horizons as well as provide cause for termination.

Many schools today have a stated goal of creating life-long learners.  Teachers realize the importance of continuing education credits in order to keep their certifications current, but there may be times when lesson plans need to change, new technologies need to be incorporated into those lesson plans and new strategies need to be crafted so that all learners can achieve to their potential.

So as a teacher, what happens when you receive word that 5 of the students in your class this year speak no English.  Two speak Spanish, two speak Chinese, and one speaks Korean, and you’re expected to be able to communicate with them so they can grasp the learning points in your lesson plan, and master them so they can demonstrate their knowledge on the state-mandated achievement tests.  Yes, you’re one of those life-long learners, too!  If you expect your students to be life-long learners, then one of the best ways to teach this concept is to model it.