Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Are Teacher's Professionals?
Tonight’s class regarding whether or not teachers are professionals was very enlightening and led to some interesting discussions. Whether or not teachers possess esoteric pedagogical knowledge is not evident. Since elementary school teachers do not possess esoteric subject knowledge and the esotericness of our pedagogical knowledge is debatable, I guess that mean we do not fit the definition of professionals. In my “prior life”, I spent ten years working for a software development firm. I was employed as a trainer and also did quality assurance. Since I was not a programmer, I did not have an esoteric knowledge base. My job did not meet any of the other seven standards outlined by Strike to make me a professional. I had a specialized skill. I could teach our customers how to use our software systems, and I could trouble shoot problems with their systems. However, did I conduct myself like a professional? Yes. Did I dress like a professional? Yes. Did I earn the trust and respect of my customers? Yes. So, I believed I was a professional. And, that is really what it boils down to. What is important is how teachers view themselves and how they present themselves to the students, the parents,fellow teachers, the administration and the community. This must be done regardless of whether we meet the same professional standards as doctors, lawyers or CPA’s. I have been thinking about Katie’s remark and I agree with her. If a teacher is overly concerned whether or not they are viewed as a professional, then they are in the wrong profession. Teaching is about the children and making a difference not about our status in society.
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3 comments:
I agree with you Cathy. "What is important is how teachers view themselves and how they present themselves to the students, the parents,fellow teachers, the administration and the community." Does it really matter if teaching is considered a profession? I do not think our career path is less important because teaching may not pass all of the tests Strike believes define a profession. Even when it comes to salaries... there are plenty of jobs that have salaries comparable to doctors and lawyers that are not considered professions and plenty of doctors and lawyers who do not make all that much money, so I do not think being considered a profession will help the pay scale much. I believe we should stick to being professional as a teacher and not get hung up on our career being a profession.
Cathy, great comments. I believe that being a professional is all about the way you think of and present yourself. More importantly is the love and concern that teachers possess for children. If you regard yourself as a professional and conduct yourself in an appropriate manner, than you are one!
Very well said Cathy. I was looking forward to our discussion about teacher's as professionals since I come from a background which has clearly defined guidelines for the use of term "professional" as it relates to your credentials. I agree that professionalism in teaching, whether it is officially recognized or not, can be conveyed to students, parents and staff by the manner in which a teacher handles themself in and out of the classroom and how well they do their job.
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