On some show in the 80s, the robots were only used for cleaning the carpet or testing compatibility. However, they are now considered as both a friend and a threat to teachers because they are heading to many English language courses. For example, students in South Korea are now being taught English via robots which are controlled by teacher in the Philippines. Therefore, the question here is that will teachers be placed by robots any time soon? From my perspective, robots are just the teacher assistants and they will not be able to fully replace the human teacher.
First, students can think that robot is modern and fun, but there is a fact that some students are frustrated for the robots can't really understand what they are trying to say, especially when they are not in a good mood or they are crying. Emotion is one key element that teachers are superior to robots. Some argue that there are some robotic teachers and they are programmed and trained to cry if children pull their arms or hit them; however, what if the situation is reversed? If the students are unintentionally being hit by their classmates or being hurt by tables or objects inside classroom, how the robots react and what the robots should do are still open questions.
Second, teachers surely understand each and an individual better than robots do. Teaching and learning process are not simply be "programmed" and after each lesson, the consideration whether the students can catch up with the teachers' delivery are as important as a well-designed lesson plan. Robotic teachers can be really good at the first stage - plan a lesson, but the capability of understanding each students' acquired knowledge will be an obstacle for them. On the other hand, teachers might not always prepared the lesson carefully and even when they do so, they might somehow be effected by the mood and learning environment, but they can observe the students' behaviors, moods, eagerness to learn and other factors that robots might not be able to process the way human do. Teachers certainly will be better in the way they provide the emotional support and boundaries that will help children becoming flourishing adults in the future stage.
Finally, robots cannot replace teachers because they cannot inspire us. Steve Jobs stated in his famous interview with Computerworld’s Daniel Morrow in 1995 that “The most important thing is a person. A person who incites your curiosity and feeds your curiosity; and machines cannot do that in the same way that people can” Even Steve Jobs, the tech wizard himself believed that and spoke that out, we can imply that it is not as simple as handing it over to a computer or robots to solve different both societal problems and emotional issues. In fact, robots can be teachers and mentors inside the classroom, but how about outside the classroom context? Teachers can play roles not only as mentors, but also as supporters and inspirations for their students - not just inside the class, but outside as well. They are there for students and they definitely will be there.
Robots have their good sides in teaching as well. They can entertain students, help them to imitate the correct sounds or structures or just to show them how miracle and wonderful technology is. More and more apps are developed as a base background for the developing and creating perfect robots for the teaching and learning process. So, as teachers, we should remember: do not fear the technology, embrace it! Why? Because the robots will always lose out to a knowledgeable teacher equipped with a clear understanding of technology and how it can enhance the classroom experience.