Monitor vs. Prefect — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on April 27, 2024
A monitor is a student assigned limited responsibilities, typically within a classroom setting, whereas a prefect holds more substantial leadership duties, often school-wide, encompassing discipline and representing the school.
Difference Between Monitor and Prefect
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A monitor in a school context usually refers to a student given specific, often smaller-scale duties like assisting with classroom tasks or managing supplies. Their role is generally confined to a particular classroom or task. On the other hand, a prefect is often appointed to a more significant leadership position within the school, tasked with responsibilities that include maintaining discipline among peers, organizing school events, and sometimes representing the school at external functions.
Monitors might be responsible for taking attendance, distributing materials, or helping to keep the classroom organized. These tasks are typically straightforward and do not require extensive authority over other students. Prefects, however, often have the authority to oversee student behavior throughout the school, enforce school rules, and act as a liaison between students and school administration.
In terms of selection, monitors are usually chosen by teachers based on reliability and competence in specific tasks. Prefects are generally selected through a more rigorous process that may include applications, interviews, and votes, reflecting their broader role and the leadership qualities required.
The role of a monitor is often seen as a stepping stone to more significant leadership roles within the school, such as becoming a prefect. This progression allows students to develop leadership skills in a controlled environment. Prefects, having more substantial responsibilities, play a critical part in shaping the school's environment and culture, influencing both their peers and the broader school policies.
While both roles aim to develop leadership and responsibility among students, the scope and impact of their duties differ significantly. Monitors have a more limited focus, helping with daily classroom activities, while prefects have a more comprehensive role that contributes to the governance and student welfare at the school level.
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Comparison Chart
Cope
Limited to specific tasks within the classroom or area.
School-wide responsibilities, often including discipline and event management.
Authority
Minimal; focused on tasks rather than oversight of peers.
Considerable; includes authority over peers and significant interaction with school staff.
Selection Process
Typically appointed by teachers based on task suitability.
May involve an application, interview, and sometimes a student or faculty vote.
Primary Responsibilities
Assisting with administrative classroom tasks, helping maintain order during sessions.
Enforcing rules, representing the school, organizing events, mentoring younger students.
Impact on School Culture
Limited influence, role focused on efficiency and order in specific settings.
Significant influence, helps shape student behavior and school policies.
Compare with Definitions
Monitor
Student helper in classroom settings.
The monitor ensured all students received the necessary worksheets.
Prefect
Student leader with broad school responsibilities.
The prefect coordinated the annual school sports meet.
Monitor
Assists with specific tasks.
As a monitor, he was responsible for updating the attendance sheet daily.
Prefect
Enforces school discipline.
Prefects oversee the lunchroom to ensure a calm and orderly atmosphere.
Monitor
Prepares for larger roles.
Serving as a monitor taught him valuable organizational skills.
Prefect
Represents school at events.
Prefects represent their schools at inter-school debates and seminars.
Monitor
Chosen for reliability in tasks.
She was chosen as a monitor due to her meticulous attention to detail.
Prefect
Selected through formal processes.
He became a prefect after a rigorous interview process.
Monitor
Role limited to designated areas.
The library monitor helps keep the books organized.
Prefect
Influences school policy and culture.
The prefects proposed a new initiative for peer tutoring that was implemented school-wide.
Monitor
A pupil who assists a teacher in routine duties.
Prefect
Prefect (from the Latin praefectus, substantive adjectival form of praeficere: "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect's office, department, or area of control is called a prefecture, but in various post-Roman empire cases there is a prefect without a prefecture or vice versa.
Monitor
A student leader in a class.
Prefect
Any of several high military or civil officials in ancient Rome.
Monitor
One that admonishes, cautions, or reminds, especially with respect to matters of conduct.
Prefect
The chief of police of Paris, France.
Monitor
A usually electronic device used to record, regulate, or control a process or system.
Prefect
A chief administrative official of a department of France.
Monitor
A video display or speaker used in a production studio to check audio or video quality
The sound engineer detected a hiss on the monitor.
Prefect
The administrator in charge of discipline at a Jesuit school.
Monitor
(Computers)A device that accepts video signals from a computer and displays information on a screen; a video display.
Prefect
A student monitor or officer, especially in a private school.
Monitor
(Computers)A program that observes, supervises, or controls the activities of other programs.
Prefect
(historical) An official of Ancient Rome who controlled or superintended a particular command, charge, department, etc.
The prefect of the aqueducts; the prefect of a camp, of a fleet, of the city guard, or of provisions; the pretorian prefect, who was commander of the troops guarding the emperor's person
Monitor
An articulated device holding a rotating nozzle with which a jet of water is regulated, used in mining and firefighting.
Prefect
The head of a department in France.
Monitor
A modern warship designed for coastal bombardment.
Prefect
The head of a county in Albania or Romania.
Monitor
See monitor lizard.
Prefect
The head of a prefecture in Japan.
Monitor
To check the quality or content of (an electronic audio or visual signal) by means of a receiver.
Prefect
(British) A school pupil in a position of power over other pupils.
Monitor
To check by means of an electronic receiver for significant content, such as military, political, or illegal activity
Monitor a suspected criminal's phone conversations.
Prefect
A commander.
Monitor
To keep track of systematically with a view to collecting information
Monitor the bear population of a national park.
Monitored the political views of the people.
Prefect
A Roman officer who controlled or superintended a particular command, charge, department, etc.; as, the prefect of the aqueducts; the prefect of a camp, of a fleet, of the city guard, of provisions; the pretorian prefect, who was commander of the troops guarding the emperor's person.
Monitor
To test or sample, especially on a regular or ongoing basis
Monitored the city's drinking water for impurities.
Prefect
A superintendent of a department who has control of its police establishment, together with extensive powers of municipal regulation.
Monitor
To keep close watch over; supervise
Monitor an examination.
Prefect
In the Greek and Roman Catholic churches, a title of certain dignitaries below the rank of bishop.
Monitor
To direct.
Prefect
A chief officer or chief magistrate;
The prefect of Paris police
Monitor
To act as a monitor.
Monitor
Someone who watches over something; a person in charge of something or someone.
The camp monitors look after the children during the night, when the teachers are asleep.
Monitor
A device that detects and informs on the presence, quantity, etc., of something.
Monitor
(computing) A device similar to a television set used as to give a graphical display of the output from a computer.
The information flashed up on the monitor.
Monitor
A studio monitor or loudspeaker.
Monitor
(computing) A program for viewing and editing.
A machine code monitor
Monitor
(archaic) An ironclad.
Monitor
A monitor lizard.
Monitor
(obsolete) One who admonishes; one who warns of faults, informs of duty, or gives advice and instruction by way of reproof or caution.
Monitor
(engineering) A tool holder, as for a lathe, shaped like a low turret, and capable of being revolved on a vertical pivot so as to bring the several tools successively into position.
Monitor
A monitor nozzle.
Monitor
(transitive) To watch over; to guard.
Monitor
One who admonishes; one who warns of faults, informs of duty, or gives advice and instruction by way of reproof or caution.
You need not be a monitor to the king.
Monitor
Hence, specifically, a pupil selected to look to the school in the absence of the instructor, to notice the absence or faults of the scholars, or to instruct a division or class.
Monitor
Any large Old World lizard of the genus Varanus; esp., the Egyptian species (Varanus Niloticus), which is useful because it devours the eggs and young of the crocodile. It is sometimes five or six feet long.
Monitor
A tool holder, as for a lathe, shaped like a low turret, and capable of being revolved on a vertical pivot so as to bring successively the several tools in holds into proper position for cutting.
Monitor
A monitor nozzle.
Monitor
Display consisting of a device that takes signals from a computer and displays them on a CRT screen
Monitor
Someone who supervises (an examination)
Monitor
Someone who gives a warning so that a mistake can be avoided
Monitor
An iron-clad vessel built by Federal forces to do battle with the Merrimac
Monitor
Electronic equipment that is used to check the quality or content of electronic transmissions
Monitor
A piece of electronic equipment that keeps track of the operation of a system continuously and warns of trouble
Monitor
Any of various large tropical carnivorous lizards of Africa and Asia and Australia; fabled to warn of crocodiles
Monitor
Keep tabs on; keep an eye on; keep under surveillance
Common Curiosities
Do all schools have monitors and prefects?
Not all, but many schools, particularly private and boarding schools, have these roles as part of their leadership structure.
What qualities are looked for in a prefect?
Leadership, responsibility, integrity, and the ability to interact positively with both peers and faculty.
Can a prefect influence school policies?
Yes, prefects often have a say in school policies, especially those directly affecting students.
How does being a prefect affect a student's academic and social life?
It often enhances leadership skills, provides a sense of responsibility, and can be demanding alongside academic commitments.
What can monitors learn from their experience?
Organizational skills, reliability, and the basics of leadership, which are foundational for more significant roles like prefect.
Can a monitor discipline other students?
Typically, monitors do not have disciplinary powers; their role is more about task assistance.
What challenges do prefects face?
Balancing authority and peer relationships, managing time effectively, and sometimes handling complex disciplinary issues.
How do prefects manage their responsibilities?
They often work closely with school staff and may have committees or teams of students to delegate tasks.
Are there training programs for prefects?
Many schools provide leadership training or mentoring for prefects to prepare them for their roles.
Can a former prefect return to mentor current students?
Yes, many schools encourage alumni to share experiences and mentor current students, especially in leadership roles.
What are the benefits of being a monitor?
It provides an introduction to leadership and responsibility within a controlled setting.
How is the success of a monitor or prefect measured?
Through the smooth execution of their responsibilities, positive feedback from teachers and peers, and the overall impact on school operations.
Do monitors have any say in student governance?
Their role is more functional and less about governance, focusing on specific tasks rather than broader school issues.
What is the historical origin of school prefects?
The role has its roots in British educational institutions and has been adopted worldwide in various forms.
How do these roles prepare students for the future?
They develop essential skills such as leadership, responsibility, organization, and teamwork, valuable in both academic and professional settings.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
