Is there a difference between a teacher and a facilitator?

Are you kidding me? Aside from spelling, that is, a facilitator usually uses what may be perceived as adult learning... Now this need not be perceived as a-dull-t learning, and most adults can voice their opinions quite well - thus facilitating is often more interactive with the audience.

On the other hand, being a teacher has with it a perceived authority to shape minds - to add to the font of knowledge that a student may find necessary in latter life (though I confess to wondering why I had to know such things as the periodic table, algebraic - or trigonometric equations for that matter). A teacher needs to teach what he/she knows of a particular subject, though mostly by following a pre-arranged curriculum or guide. Said teacher need also adjust his/her style with the learning capacity of his/her students you would expect a different approach to be had for pre-K, Primary, Intermediate, High School and College students.

A facilitator normally has, as an audience, people who are relatively older than your average students, thus he/she may apply a be more free wheeling discussion (on the assumption that . He or she can take the talk into any manner of passageway so long as it eventually reaches (or is brought back to) the topic on hand. See, a facilitator needs to get the audience to speak up - to get their ideas across. Its not to let them learn a new thing, its to let them get organized in any discussions they feel they have to do - with the explicit understanding of gathering ideas or answers to a specific issue/problem/situation.

Now - before I give off a different impression that I'm looking down to the teaching profession, I'm certainly not. My seeming outburst at the start was more of surprise - rather than sarcasm. I respect the teachers and the role they play in shaping the minds of any society's future. I wouldn't mind teaching myself - in fact, I can say that I do teach - just in a different arena. I, rather, see them as colleagues - they shape their students' minds and then I handle their finished products (graduates) to further sharpen their knowledge and skills (or even attitudes).

So yes, there is a difference - but we're definitely on the same side - sort of like a police officer and a fireman, same team - but with specific functions.