Critically Reading the World

Teaching for Democracy

Collaboration

Activism

Teaching as a Profession
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

          One final point to address in my rationale regards teaching and its perception by the general populace. By many, teachers are considered to be some of our most valuable resources. Many others look at teachers as incapable, uneducated, unmotivated, and unskilled. Unfortunately, that description fits numerous educators whom I have had the misfortune of running into in my twelve years of public education. However, it does not tell the whole story. As with anything, bad news sells better than good. Hence, which teachers do people hear or read about on a regular basis, the dedicated teachers struggling in an unsupportive environment to increase the life chances of apathetic students or the immoral teacher propositioning his (or her) students? The latter receives the notoriety, and teachers everywhere suffer. For those of us who know better and wish for the world to as well, we must work twice as hard to make up for these bad apples. We may never receive as much publicity, but the unheralded act is more gratifying (and hopefully life-changing for a student) in the end.
          All that said, I view teaching as a profession, not one on par with medicine and law but above many other more remunerative occupations. This view forces me to live up to the high standards my teacher education program, and myself, have set. I must continue to educate myself about teaching. I must be sure to obey the letter of the law regarding teachers. Most importantly, I must strive to be an active participant in the construction of this profession. If I wish my students to be active, I must be active as well. I cannot sit in the teacher's lounge, lamenting the state of the profession. I must live by the sentiment preached to my students. If you do not vote, you cannot complain about the state of the country. You did not take part in correcting the situation; therefore, you should just grin and bear it. My students felt this statement to be illogical and unfair, but I hold myself to it. God helps those who help themselves, not those who sit on their posterior and long for how things used to be. Those actions do not characterize a professional, nor do they exemplify a good citizen. 
          I wish to be both a professional and a good citizen. Following the rules, continuing to educate yourself, and actively working to mend society's wounds are merely three ways to be both. As a teacher, a professional role model, I must not only talk the talk but walk the walk. Young people can smell a faker a mile away. And then what good could I do?
          For further discussion of my views on teaching as a profession, please peruse Standard VI.