Do you think of teaching as a profession? If
so, what does this mean to you? Does your idea of teaching as a profession
relate at all to the first blog prompt (on Ayers)?
This is Alison Greci...Yes I do think of teaching as a profession. To me, that means that teaching is something that I am passionate about, something that I take pride in doing, and also something I have gone through extensive training in order to do. Teaching is not a profession one goes in to for the money. You go into this profession because you are passionate about helping change peoples’ lives. This idea goes hand-in-hand with the first response in that we (teachers) are here to help all students reach their fullest potential, achieve their academic goals, and prepare them to be lifelong learners.
Breck Ricca....I do think that teaching is a profession. To be a teacher you need to have the knowledge to be able to teach a classroom full of students. Also the training to become a teacher will make you better at that profession. A teacher should also be passionate and prepared to teach. I also think that it should be something that I love doing.
I am always a little affronted when asked this question, because, in my personal opinion, I don't know why teaching wouldn't ever be considered a profession. It requires extensive schooling and training and in the end, responsibility for the education of 20-30 children per year. If an average elementary teacher teaches for only 10 years, they have the potential to be a provider of knowledge for almost 300 children. I think that this responsibility should never be taken lightly and fully deserves the title of profession, because it is essential to our society and those who will grow up to be future professionals themselves.
I think teaching can be viewed as both formal and informal. The formal aspect of teaching is a true profession because one must become educated in the pedagogical aspects of teaching and spend much time preparing both in the classroom and in the "field" to prepare for this career choice. I also feel that all individuals are teachers in some capacity. Whether it is raising a family, working with co-workers, interacting in the community, we all have the capacity to teach in some way. Instilling a sense of "humanity" is our role as members of society, in an informal manner. Rhonda
Of course I think that teaching is a profession. First one needs to take into consideration how much schooling is needed to become a teacher. While in college teachers must learn and master the subject they are teaching, the different teaching styles, the different ways in which students learn, and classroom managements skills just to name a few things one will learn in college. They also need to stay up to date with their subject field throughout their whole career as a teacher. This relates to the first post because if teaching was not a profession then it would be difficult to "help human beings reach the full measure of the humanity". You need all the skills that are learned in college and the experience one gets every year they teach in order to achieve that goal.
Anise Robinson: Yes, I do think of teaching as a profession. To become a teacher a person needs degrees, certifications, and training. These things are also accompanied by a set of skills that cannot be taught. To me, the teaching profession is an opportunity for some people to educate younger generations in a variety of subjects. To be a teacher is huge responsibility, there is a lot riding on the duties of a teacher. The school districts, principals, students, and parents have very large expectations of teachers. Teaching definitely is a profession.
I absolutely think of teaching as a profession. However, I think Ayers challenges us to think of it in a different way. And when I really contemplate my view about teaching, I tend to hope that all teachers within the profession think more about their role as a "calling" or a "passion." For me, when I was a teacher, I never felt that I just had a job. For me, it was my life (no, I had no balance). I remember once, after a couple of years of teaching and constantly spending my own money to buy things for my classroom or students, I complained to a colleague about this. Her response has always stuck with me. She said that when she spends her own money, she just looks at it as her contribution to her children and to our society. Seen in this light, teaching becomes so much more than a profession.
Ayers urges us to think "outside of the box" about this topic. He seems to assert that thinking of teaching as a profession in the traditional sense of the word somehow distances us from our students and can be limiting. He writes, "Taking the side of the student in this arena means resisting the dogma of profession and career . . . "(p. 54). He believes that authentic relationships between teachers and students are prevented by our current system and "culture of professionalism," which both require us to formally assess students.
Ayers writes of the educational backgrounds of Ella Fitzgerald and Malcom X. In reading these descriptions, I was struck with the thought that teachers have so much power. We have the power to oppress or to uplift. So, profession, or career, or job or calling, or passion, or any other label one can put on teaching doesn't really matter. I suppose what matters is that we understand the power that we hold and the responsibility that it gives us.
Michelle Blowers I definitely believe teaching as a profession because it requires a great deal of knowledge and training as previously stated by other posts. At the same time it requires a huge amount of passion if you want to be an effective teacher. I think passion for teaching is where the Ayers quote comes in. In order to help students reach their humanity, teachers must have the passion to want to get to know every student, meet their needs, and help them achieve full potential. This is something that not only requires knowledge and training, but requires continuous development. This is why we have professional development requirements to meet. Teachers need to stay current on knowledge and effective teaching practices in order to provide the best learning environment for their students.
Oscar “Nick” Zubieta I definitely think of teaching as a profession. It is probably one of the most important professions to have ever been thought of. Think about it, how many of us would be able to read this post if it was not thanks to teaching. Teaching means sharing information that can help an individual further themselves to highest extent that they can. Teaching is relating and connecting with another individual to help them build necessary skills and/or characteristics for the society in which they live. This does not mean that only teachers teach. I am always confused as to the thought that only people with a degree in teaching can teach. My mother does not have a certificate in shoe-tying or a degree in bed-making but she did teach me these skills (but she is a teacher). Teaching, to me, exists everywhere; with new and old acquaintances, school systems, and within one’s self. The only difference is that there are individuals who are trained to teach because someone else may not be able to educate in a certain area, which is why they teach these important skills in schools. My idea of teaching relates so much to Ayers and the thought of helping an individual reach the highest point they can. That should be everyone’s main reason to aiding others, to help them be self-sufficient and able to apply these skills to different scenarios in life.
Melanie Woods I do think of teaching as a profession in that it is a service that requires specialized training before it may be performed. I also think of it as a profession in that there are certain behaviors related to integrity and decorum which are expected of all members of any profession. Mr. Ayers implied that teaching's status as a profession actually detracts from a teacher's ability to do a good job. I would like to think that the two are not exclusive. One of my favorite parts of these chapters was the discussion of how teachers will too often participate in communication about their students "so and so is lazy and not putting forth an effort" that would be considered disrespectful if the communication were reversed..."my teacher is lazy..." He seems to be saying that habits of being a "professional" are in these cases trumping our desire to respect our students. I think, rather, that being a professional requires us to respect our students. I think that part of being a professional is remembering that our students are people, not projects.
I think it is important for society to see teachers as professionals and for teachers to see themselves that way (most I know do). For those who have ever considered teaching "glorified babysitting" or "women's work"...they are the people who simply do not understand the educational background that teachers come to the table with, the work load they endure during the school year, and the amount of pressure they are under to perform and achieve. In all ways that define what a professional is...teachers are. I always say that teachers work harder and longer in the 9 months of the actual school year than most professionals do in 12 months. Without discrediting the vast numbers of people in other careers who work very hard to be successful, teachers are simply overworked and underpaid, and if they do not love what they do and believe in what they do, it is hard to find the sacrifice worth the rewards. I would also like to add that while I absolutely believe that yes, teaching is a profession, I believe, with all my heart, that teaching is also way of life. So much of the teacher's success in the classroom depends on who she/he is outside of the classroom. The teacher brings her students the benefit of her experiences, her perspective, and her world-view. It is with great responsibility that teachers should navigate through their school days, because without a doubt who they are, as people, greatly influences their interactions with students, just as much as the knowledge and material they bring to the classroom. -Kristin Walton
Tiffany Morris: I definitely think that teaching is a profession. In order to become a teacher, a person must go through years of their own schooling in order to one day become a teacher themselves. I do not believe that teachers are given enough credit for what they do. I believe it is a hard job, and it takes a skilled person to be able to teach a classroom of children all day.
My conception of teaching as a profession relates mostly to seeing the position less as a job and more of a life choice. When someone embarks on what they deem a profession, they fundamentally assert who they are and what they stand for. Teaching to me, then, means that one of my primary goals in life is to positively impact and educate young people. Considering it a profession also means that I view it as a craft I will always look to improve at, just as a blacksmith would have honed his skills.
I think the fact that this is even a question says a lot about our society and how others view us as teachers. Of course, I believe teaching is a profession. I never even considered it wouldn't be. Unlike other professions, we do not stop there. Teaching is a profession but also so much more than that. Teaching goes beyond the classroom and beyond any lesson taught throughout the day. And yet, we are still looked down upon. We are considered professionals, but on the lowest end. Sure, we have to go to school, get a degree, gain experience, but there is still thought that are job is easy. I firmly believe that anyone can teach, and they do. Teachers range from all different levels. So, yes anyone can teach, but not everyone does it well. This relates back to the first blog prompt in that we are helping shape the lives of our students. We are guiding them to reach their full potential, not just in their student role, but in their roles in life and reaching a certain point in humanity. Come to think of it, professional, does not describe what we do. We are life changers, here to change people's perspectives on what is is they're doing here. Lastly, I find it ironic that anyone would ever dare to even think that what we do is easy, because it is probably one of the most difficult professions that exists.
Yes, of course teaching is a profession. Like I saw in other posts, we are not doing this for the money. We are doing this because we want to work with children and help them reach their goals and dreams. Just like any other profession, we are going through school to gain the appropriate knowledge to succeed as teachers. We will be working long hours, a lot of times more than we would like. We will have many obstacles to overcome, and it may take a few years to become comfortable. But there is so much more positive that comes out of a teaching profession than negative. I think that any individual that thinks teaching is not a profession should sit in a classroom for a day! I’m sure they would quickly change their mind and find out that teachers do so much more than what many in our society think. -Stacy Anderson
My gut instinct would be to say, “of course teaching is a profession”! But, in order to answer the “why”, I have to think about how one defines a profession. My thoughts go to Abraham Flexner and his notions on what constitutes a profession. In a speech he gave in 1915 to the National Conference of Charities and Correction (one of the precursors to the Council on Social Work Education) he outlined six criteria for a profession: "Professions involve essentially intellectual operations with large individual responsibility; they derive their raw material from science and learning; this material they work up to a practical and definite end; they possess an educationally communicable technique; they tend to self-organization; they are becoming increasingly altruistic in motivation" (2001, p. 156). If one uses Flexner’s criteria, I would argue that teaching is indeed a profession.
I find it interesting that nearly a century ago, Flexner included altruism as a criterion for a profession. The cynical side of me wonders if this idea has been lost in our conversations in society. I would argue that most people would not think of altruism as a standard for a profession, and I would similarly argue that most people (outside of education) would not think of teaching in the same way as Bill Ayers. But, I do believe Flexner’s six criteria speak to Bill Ayer’s thoughts on humanity. It speaks to the constant evolution as a human being, to constantly seek new knowledge and learn and grow from your mistakes, and it also speaks to the autonomy and pragmatism that a teacher must possess.
Flexner, A. (1915). Is social work a profession? Paper presented at National Conference of Charities and Corrections, Proceedings of the National Conference of Charities and Corrections at the Forty-second annual session held in Baltimore, Maryland, May 12–19, 1915. Chicago: Hildmann. (Reprinted in 2001 in a special issue of Research on Social Work Practice, 11, 152-165).
I never considered that teaching wasn't a profession. It is one just as being a doctor would be. We go to school, learn methods and strategies and then go out in schools to educate students. We are trained, in my case, 5 years so far and in my mind, teaching will be my profession. Not only will we be responsible for educating those future doctors, lawyers, etc, but we have to deal with social issues that arise in our classrooms. We will end up putting in so much of our time and effort beyond our paid day and to me that definitely makes us professionals in our field. -Sarah Angles
I believe teaching is a profession and it is a lifelong process. It is not only reserved for teachers to do but for everyone. It does not only happen in classrooms but also in everyday life as well. For example, parents teach their children about love by loving their children. I think that teaching is about demonstrating, modeling, and sharing the many aspects of what human beings and life are about. Through teaching, individuals recognize their potentials and possibilities. In that sense, I believe my idea is related to Ayers’ thinking of teaching as a way to help people to maximize their humanity.
I believe that anything you go to college for and major in is a profession. With that being said I teaching is a profession. People who become teachers do not do it for the money but do it for the passion they have educate students.
No i don't think that my profession relates to what I posted in the first blog. The reason why is because how do you measure humanity? How do you know if your students have reached it? You can't test students on it so how do you know. I do believe that teachers do help students learn. From what they learn they may or may not reach that humanity. Like I said in my first post the definition of humanity can be different.
I think about professions in a couple of different ways. When I think about the word profession, I generally think about something that someone does to make money. I do not think that very many people get into teaching for the money. People decide to be teachers (I hope) because they want to change lives. Teachers guide young people on the path to their futures. This sounds a bit contrived, but I think it is pretty true. Teachers help students realize their potential by showing students their strengths and improving on them. All that being said, teaching is technically a job that gets people money.
This brings about the other way I think about the word profession. Namely, something someone has been trained to do, and is certified to do that thing well. Teachers receive formal training for many years, and informal training any time they interact with students or young people. A teacher’s training is on-going, as he or she figures out what does and does not work in his or her classroom. After training and certifying, a person can become a professional teacher. An odd phrase to be sure, but true enough.
So, teaching is a profession. This means that teachers ought to be viewed as experts. For those outside of the profession, it means that the position needs to be respected. Those who are teachers need to continue working to be even more capable at their professions. Along the same lines of the previous blog, teachers can show they are professionals by helping students reach their full potential. Teachers are professionals, but not for their own sakes. Teachers are professionals so that students can get the best education possible.
I would agree that teaching is a profession to a certain extent. I think that we do possess professional skills and abilities that we trained to have so that we could effectively teach our audience. I think that it helps us to realize the seriousness and responsibility of our position in society, and also lets others know that there is much involved and respected within the teaching profession.
I do think, however, that teaching does not always need to be considered a profession in the sense that those who do not have a license or a degree to teach should still be able to teach. I think teachers are not necessarily made. Teaching is a gift that many possess, whether they ever pursue teaching or not. People may teach life skills or teach concepts in an office, but never have a title as a teacher. Parents, I believe, are some of the most important teachers and their job as a parent is not necessarily considered a profession.
I think that calling teaching a profession is a helpful approach that alerts to others that we are well-trained in our fields; however, I think that "teaching" is such an important ability to have that it should not be limited to that terminology; otherwise, many may never consider themselves able to teach just because they do not have the proper credentials.
Amanda Hayes: I definitely think of teaching as a profession. I think it is a highly unpaid and undervalued profession, but maybe I only think that because I’m in it? During our last class, we brought up the fact that some folks think of teaching as glorified babysitting or an extremely easy job. As a teacher of preschoolers with disabilities, I feel as though I’m correcting this misconception quite often. After all, aren’t we just playing all day? I remember a professor saying teachers are in danger of the infantilization of our profession. She went on to say that one reason people so easily brush off teaching is because, unlike many other professions, teachers do not typically conduct and publish their own research. Psychologists, for example, are frequently running studies to defend and discover important elements within their field. Whether or not I think people would take me more seriously if I had a published, peer-reviewed journal article by yours truly hanging outside my classroom door, it’s an interesting thought.
Troy Lyon: Yes I believe teaching is a profession and I am discouraged that people would think otherwise. I have chosen to become a teacher because I believe in helping students achieve health and fitness knowledge through health and physical education. I have heard the jokes from my friends about the stigma about physical education teachers as well as the income along with it and this makes me angry. I am going into this field not for the money, but because I believe teachers are guides of the youth into adulthood and maybe I can change a couple students minds about exercise so maybe one day we wouldn't be in a health epidemic. I agree that teaching is a profession like the excerpt stated, but it depends what each students learn and how much effort teachers are willing to put into their profession that impacts students lives.
I do not believe that teaching is JUST a profession, but I have to admit that the fact that it is a profession is part of what drew me towards it. I actually started substituting because it paid better than my previous job and the scheduling was as flexible as I wanted it to be. I knew that there was more to teaching, but at the time it was simply the best job I could get. Since then I've reflected on this a great deal, though, and I've come to think of teaching as a socially necessary profession with a significant moral and ethical component, much like nursing, social work, or military service. I think you'd be hard pressed to come up with an argument that it's not a profession at all, seeing as how it is a paid occupation that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification. That being said, to view it as merely a profession would be to shirk the obvious responsibility that a teacher has for his or her students, their families, and society as a whole.
I do view teaching a profession. We are professionals at helping children open up their minds and helping them reach their full potential. Like I said in my previous post, I do not feel that we are the sole contributors to this process because a lot of it boils down to personal choices made by the student. Teaching is a profession because we have been trained and therefore are qualified to teach. We have been taught the strategies and given the tools to teach children effectively. In a way, we could be looked at as the “experts” in our classroom. But in my opinion, any good teacher would not think they are a true expert since we are always learning from our students.
Yes, I do believe that teaching is a profession. Teachers complete coursework required to gain adequate information to educate students and even after becoming licensed, are required to maintain their license with continuing education. This is just as it is in any other profession such as a doctor. Teachers also meet expectations set forth by principals, state officials, as well as federal officials through legal components. Depending on how people in society would describe a professional, this may vary among people who are not fully aware of how much teachers are actually doing for the next generation in society. -Shaina Parm
There are ways in which I view teaching as a profession and there are also ways that my view of teaching is both more and less than a profession. A profession is an occupation that requires specific skill and training. Teaching is indeed an occupation that requires specific skill and training to be done well in any classroom, but there are aspects of teaching that are far greater than what can be trained in a university setting. Sure, when I think of the core academics, there are ways in which a teacher must be trained in order to teach those subjects well, but if we think of this as the purpose of teaching and of education, we reduce the importance of the teacher. As a teacher, I will strive to impart that knowledge and that wisdom on my students, but to stop there would be stopping short.
Having considered Ayers words concerning teaching students so they might reach the full measure of their humanity, I must say that teaching is more than a profession. It is what happens in the halls of the school or in the parking lot, it's what happens in the grocery store and on the city streets. We, as teachers, teach our kids more than academics, we teach them how to become people whether we admit it or not. In this way, teaching becomes more than a profession and also less than a profession. It doesn't necessarily take any training to teach a child to tie his shoes, but there is also no training imaginable that will teach us to show a student how to live and how to love. The closest thing to training of that kind is called life.
John Portelle I do not think teaching is a profession. I think being a teacher is a profession. I might be overlooking the wording here but teaching to me can happen at any part of the day between different people or situation. Just this afternoon someone was teaching me something at work. That person was not a profession about teaching or the topic we were talking about. However I do believe that teachers should be considered professions because our society defines us that way. Teachers require specialized knowledge and intense academic preparation, just like "other profession" in our society. Being a profession and Ayers statement are two different things. I read Ayers statement as any teaching not just in classroom teaching. Being a profession gives you prior possible knowledge that might help other better but the undertaking of teaching can come from anywhere.
This is Alison Greci...Yes I do think of teaching as a profession. To me, that means that teaching is something that I am passionate about, something that I take pride in doing, and also something I have gone through extensive training in order to do. Teaching is not a profession one goes in to for the money. You go into this profession because you are passionate about helping change peoples’ lives. This idea goes hand-in-hand with the first response in that we (teachers) are here to help all students reach their fullest potential, achieve their academic goals, and prepare them to be lifelong learners.
ReplyDeleteBreck Ricca....I do think that teaching is a profession. To be a teacher you need to have the knowledge to be able to teach a classroom full of students. Also the training to become a teacher will make you better at that profession. A teacher should also be passionate and prepared to teach. I also think that it should be something that I love doing.
ReplyDeleteI am always a little affronted when asked this question, because, in my personal opinion, I don't know why teaching wouldn't ever be considered a profession. It requires extensive schooling and training and in the end, responsibility for the education of 20-30 children per year. If an average elementary teacher teaches for only 10 years, they have the potential to be a provider of knowledge for almost 300 children. I think that this responsibility should never be taken lightly and fully deserves the title of profession, because it is essential to our society and those who will grow up to be future professionals themselves.
ReplyDeleteI think teaching can be viewed as both formal and informal. The formal aspect of teaching is a true profession because one must become educated in the pedagogical aspects of teaching and spend much time preparing both in the classroom and in the "field" to prepare for this career choice. I also feel that all individuals are teachers in some capacity. Whether it is raising a family, working with co-workers, interacting in the community, we all have the capacity to teach in some way. Instilling a sense of "humanity" is our role as members of society, in an informal manner. Rhonda
ReplyDeleteMarshall here
ReplyDeleteOf course I think that teaching is a profession. First one needs to take into consideration how much schooling is needed to become a teacher. While in college teachers must learn and master the subject they are teaching, the different teaching styles, the different ways in which students learn, and classroom managements skills just to name a few things one will learn in college. They also need to stay up to date with their subject field throughout their whole career as a teacher. This relates to the first post because if teaching was not a profession then it would be difficult to "help human beings reach the full measure of the humanity". You need all the skills that are learned in college and the experience one gets every year they teach in order to achieve that goal.
Anise Robinson:
ReplyDeleteYes, I do think of teaching as a profession. To become a teacher a person needs degrees, certifications, and training. These things are also accompanied by a set of skills that cannot be taught. To me, the teaching profession is an opportunity for some people to educate younger generations in a variety of subjects. To be a teacher is huge responsibility, there is a lot riding on the duties of a teacher. The school districts, principals, students, and parents have very large expectations of teachers. Teaching definitely is a profession.
I absolutely think of teaching as a profession. However, I think Ayers challenges us to think of it in a different way. And when I really contemplate my view about teaching, I tend to hope that all teachers within the profession think more about their role as a "calling" or a "passion." For me, when I was a teacher, I never felt that I just had a job. For me, it was my life (no, I had no balance). I remember once, after a couple of years of teaching and constantly spending my own money to buy things for my classroom or students, I complained to a colleague about this. Her response has always stuck with me. She said that when she spends her own money, she just looks at it as her contribution to her children and to our society. Seen in this light, teaching becomes so much more than a profession.
ReplyDeleteAyers urges us to think "outside of the box" about this topic. He seems to assert that thinking of teaching as a profession in the traditional sense of the word somehow distances us from our students and can be limiting. He writes, "Taking the side of the student in this arena means resisting the dogma of profession and career . . . "(p. 54). He believes that authentic relationships between teachers and students are prevented by our current system and "culture of professionalism," which both require us to formally assess students.
Ayers writes of the educational backgrounds of Ella Fitzgerald and Malcom X. In reading these descriptions, I was struck with the thought that teachers have so much power. We have the power to oppress or to uplift. So, profession, or career, or job or calling, or passion, or any other label one can put on teaching doesn't really matter. I suppose what matters is that we understand the power that we hold and the responsibility that it gives us.
Michelle Blowers
ReplyDeleteI definitely believe teaching as a profession because it requires a great deal of knowledge and training as previously stated by other posts. At the same time it requires a huge amount of passion if you want to be an effective teacher. I think passion for teaching is where the Ayers quote comes in. In order to help students reach their humanity, teachers must have the passion to want to get to know every student, meet their needs, and help them achieve full potential. This is something that not only requires knowledge and training, but requires continuous development. This is why we have professional development requirements to meet. Teachers need to stay current on knowledge and effective teaching practices in order to provide the best learning environment for their students.
Oscar “Nick” Zubieta
ReplyDeleteI definitely think of teaching as a profession. It is probably one of the most important professions to have ever been thought of. Think about it, how many of us would be able to read this post if it was not thanks to teaching. Teaching means sharing information that can help an individual further themselves to highest extent that they can. Teaching is relating and connecting with another individual to help them build necessary skills and/or characteristics for the society in which they live. This does not mean that only teachers teach. I am always confused as to the thought that only people with a degree in teaching can teach. My mother does not have a certificate in shoe-tying or a degree in bed-making but she did teach me these skills (but she is a teacher). Teaching, to me, exists everywhere; with new and old acquaintances, school systems, and within one’s self. The only difference is that there are individuals who are trained to teach because someone else may not be able to educate in a certain area, which is why they teach these important skills in schools. My idea of teaching relates so much to Ayers and the thought of helping an individual reach the highest point they can. That should be everyone’s main reason to aiding others, to help them be self-sufficient and able to apply these skills to different scenarios in life.
Melanie Woods
ReplyDeleteI do think of teaching as a profession in that it is a service that requires specialized training before it may be performed. I also think of it as a profession in that there are certain behaviors related to integrity and decorum which are expected of all members of any profession. Mr. Ayers implied that teaching's status as a profession actually detracts from a teacher's ability to do a good job. I would like to think that the two are not exclusive. One of my favorite parts of these chapters was the discussion of how teachers will too often participate in communication about their students "so and so is lazy and not putting forth an effort" that would be considered disrespectful if the communication were reversed..."my teacher is lazy..." He seems to be saying that habits of being a "professional" are in these cases trumping our desire to respect our students. I think, rather, that being a professional requires us to respect our students. I think that part of being a professional is remembering that our students are people, not projects.
I think it is important for society to see teachers as professionals and for teachers to see themselves that way (most I know do). For those who have ever considered teaching "glorified babysitting" or "women's work"...they are the people who simply do not understand the educational background that teachers come to the table with, the work load they endure during the school year, and the amount of pressure they are under to perform and achieve. In all ways that define what a professional is...teachers are. I always say that teachers work harder and longer in the 9 months of the actual school year than most professionals do in 12 months. Without discrediting the vast numbers of people in other careers who work very hard to be successful, teachers are simply overworked and underpaid, and if they do not love what they do and believe in what they do, it is hard to find the sacrifice worth the rewards. I would also like to add that while I absolutely believe that yes, teaching is a profession, I believe, with all my heart, that teaching is also way of life. So much of the teacher's success in the classroom depends on who she/he is outside of the classroom. The teacher brings her students the benefit of her experiences, her perspective, and her world-view. It is with great responsibility that teachers should navigate through their school days, because without a doubt who they are, as people, greatly influences their interactions with students, just as much as the knowledge and material they bring to the classroom.
ReplyDelete-Kristin Walton
Tiffany Morris:
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that teaching is a profession. In order to become a teacher, a person must go through years of their own schooling in order to one day become a teacher themselves. I do not believe that teachers are given enough credit for what they do. I believe it is a hard job, and it takes a skilled person to be able to teach a classroom of children all day.
My conception of teaching as a profession relates mostly to seeing the position less as a job and more of a life choice. When someone embarks on what they deem a profession, they fundamentally assert who they are and what they stand for. Teaching to me, then, means that one of my primary goals in life is to positively impact and educate young people. Considering it a profession also means that I view it as a craft I will always look to improve at, just as a blacksmith would have honed his skills.
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that this is even a question says a lot about our society and how others view us as teachers. Of course, I believe teaching is a profession. I never even considered it wouldn't be. Unlike other professions, we do not stop there. Teaching is a profession but also so much more than that. Teaching goes beyond the classroom and beyond any lesson taught throughout the day. And yet, we are still looked down upon. We are considered professionals, but on the lowest end. Sure, we have to go to school, get a degree, gain experience, but there is still thought that are job is easy. I firmly believe that anyone can teach, and they do. Teachers range from all different levels. So, yes anyone can teach, but not everyone does it well. This relates back to the first blog prompt in that we are helping shape the lives of our students. We are guiding them to reach their full potential, not just in their student role, but in their roles in life and reaching a certain point in humanity. Come to think of it, professional, does not describe what we do. We are life changers, here to change people's perspectives on what is is they're doing here. Lastly, I find it ironic that anyone would ever dare to even think that what we do is easy, because it is probably one of the most difficult professions that exists.
ReplyDeleteYes, of course teaching is a profession. Like I saw in other posts, we are not doing this for the money. We are doing this because we want to work with children and help them reach their goals and dreams. Just like any other profession, we are going through school to gain the appropriate knowledge to succeed as teachers. We will be working long hours, a lot of times more than we would like. We will have many obstacles to overcome, and it may take a few years to become comfortable. But there is so much more positive that comes out of a teaching profession than negative. I think that any individual that thinks teaching is not a profession should sit in a classroom for a day! I’m sure they would quickly change their mind and find out that teachers do so much more than what many in our society think.
ReplyDelete-Stacy Anderson
My gut instinct would be to say, “of course teaching is a profession”! But, in order to answer the “why”, I have to think about how one defines a profession. My thoughts go to Abraham Flexner and his notions on what constitutes a profession. In a speech he gave in 1915 to the National Conference of Charities and Correction (one of the precursors to the Council on Social Work Education) he outlined six criteria for a profession: "Professions involve essentially intellectual operations with large individual responsibility; they derive their raw material from science and learning; this material they work up to a practical and definite end; they possess an educationally communicable technique; they tend to self-organization; they are becoming increasingly altruistic in motivation" (2001, p. 156). If one uses Flexner’s criteria, I would argue that teaching is indeed a profession.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that nearly a century ago, Flexner included altruism as a criterion for a profession. The cynical side of me wonders if this idea has been lost in our conversations in society. I would argue that most people would not think of altruism as a standard for a profession, and I would similarly argue that most people (outside of education) would not think of teaching in the same way as Bill Ayers. But, I do believe Flexner’s six criteria speak to Bill Ayer’s thoughts on humanity. It speaks to the constant evolution as a human being, to constantly seek new knowledge and learn and grow from your mistakes, and it also speaks to the autonomy and pragmatism that a teacher must possess.
Flexner, A. (1915). Is social work a profession? Paper presented at National Conference of Charities and Corrections, Proceedings of the National Conference of Charities and Corrections at the Forty-second annual session held in Baltimore, Maryland, May 12–19, 1915. Chicago: Hildmann. (Reprinted in 2001 in a special issue of Research on Social Work Practice, 11, 152-165).
I never considered that teaching wasn't a profession. It is one just as being a doctor would be. We go to school, learn methods and strategies and then go out in schools to educate students. We are trained, in my case, 5 years so far and in my mind, teaching will be my profession. Not only will we be responsible for educating those future doctors, lawyers, etc, but we have to deal with social issues that arise in our classrooms. We will end up putting in so much of our time and effort beyond our paid day and to me that definitely makes us professionals in our field.
ReplyDelete-Sarah Angles
This is Holly.
ReplyDeleteI believe teaching is a profession and it is a lifelong process. It is not only reserved for teachers to do but for everyone. It does not only happen in classrooms but also in everyday life as well. For example, parents teach their children about love by loving their children. I think that teaching is about demonstrating, modeling, and sharing the many aspects of what human beings and life are about. Through teaching, individuals recognize their potentials and possibilities. In that sense, I believe my idea is related to Ayers’ thinking of teaching as a way to help people to maximize their humanity.
Andrew
ReplyDeleteI believe that anything you go to college for and major in is a profession. With that being said I teaching is a profession. People who become teachers do not do it for the money but do it for the passion they have educate students.
No i don't think that my profession relates to what I posted in the first blog. The reason why is because how do you measure humanity? How do you know if your students have reached it? You can't test students on it so how do you know. I do believe that teachers do help students learn. From what they learn they may or may not reach that humanity. Like I said in my first post the definition of humanity can be different.
I think about professions in a couple of different ways. When I think about the word profession, I generally think about something that someone does to make money. I do not think that very many people get into teaching for the money. People decide to be teachers (I hope) because they want to change lives. Teachers guide young people on the path to their futures. This sounds a bit contrived, but I think it is pretty true. Teachers help students realize their potential by showing students their strengths and improving on them. All that being said, teaching is technically a job that gets people money.
ReplyDeleteThis brings about the other way I think about the word profession. Namely, something someone has been trained to do, and is certified to do that thing well. Teachers receive formal training for many years, and informal training any time they interact with students or young people. A teacher’s training is on-going, as he or she figures out what does and does not work in his or her classroom. After training and certifying, a person can become a professional teacher. An odd phrase to be sure, but true enough.
So, teaching is a profession. This means that teachers ought to be viewed as experts. For those outside of the profession, it means that the position needs to be respected. Those who are teachers need to continue working to be even more capable at their professions. Along the same lines of the previous blog, teachers can show they are professionals by helping students reach their full potential. Teachers are professionals, but not for their own sakes. Teachers are professionals so that students can get the best education possible.
I would agree that teaching is a profession to a certain extent. I think that we do possess professional skills and abilities that we trained to have so that we could effectively teach our audience. I think that it helps us to realize the seriousness and responsibility of our position in society, and also lets others know that there is much involved and respected within the teaching profession.
ReplyDeleteI do think, however, that teaching does not always need to be considered a profession in the sense that those who do not have a license or a degree to teach should still be able to teach. I think teachers are not necessarily made. Teaching is a gift that many possess, whether they ever pursue teaching or not. People may teach life skills or teach concepts in an office, but never have a title as a teacher. Parents, I believe, are some of the most important teachers and their job as a parent is not necessarily considered a profession.
I think that calling teaching a profession is a helpful approach that alerts to others that we are well-trained in our fields; however, I think that "teaching" is such an important ability to have that it should not be limited to that terminology; otherwise, many may never consider themselves able to teach just because they do not have the proper credentials.
Amanda Hayes:
ReplyDeleteI definitely think of teaching as a profession. I think it is a highly unpaid and undervalued profession, but maybe I only think that because I’m in it? During our last class, we brought up the fact that some folks think of teaching as glorified babysitting or an extremely easy job. As a teacher of preschoolers with disabilities, I feel as though I’m correcting this misconception quite often. After all, aren’t we just playing all day? I remember a professor saying teachers are in danger of the infantilization of our profession. She went on to say that one reason people so easily brush off teaching is because, unlike many other professions, teachers do not typically conduct and publish their own research. Psychologists, for example, are frequently running studies to defend and discover important elements within their field. Whether or not I think people would take me more seriously if I had a published, peer-reviewed journal article by yours truly hanging outside my classroom door, it’s an interesting thought.
Troy Lyon:
ReplyDeleteYes I believe teaching is a profession and I am discouraged that people would think otherwise. I have chosen to become a teacher because I believe in helping students achieve health and fitness knowledge through health and physical education. I have heard the jokes from my friends about the stigma about physical education teachers as well as the income along with it and this makes me angry. I am going into this field not for the money, but because I believe teachers are guides of the youth into adulthood and maybe I can change a couple students minds about exercise so maybe one day we wouldn't be in a health epidemic. I agree that teaching is a profession like the excerpt stated, but it depends what each students learn and how much effort teachers are willing to put into their profession that impacts students lives.
Nathaniel Dominy:
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that teaching is JUST a profession, but I have to admit that the fact that it is a profession is part of what drew me towards it. I actually started substituting because it paid better than my previous job and the scheduling was as flexible as I wanted it to be. I knew that there was more to teaching, but at the time it was simply the best job I could get. Since then I've reflected on this a great deal, though, and I've come to think of teaching as a socially necessary profession with a significant moral and ethical component, much like nursing, social work, or military service. I think you'd be hard pressed to come up with an argument that it's not a profession at all, seeing as how it is a paid occupation that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification. That being said, to view it as merely a profession would be to shirk the obvious responsibility that a teacher has for his or her students, their families, and society as a whole.
Shiquana:
ReplyDeleteI do view teaching a profession. We are professionals at helping children open up their minds and helping them reach their full potential. Like I said in my previous post, I do not feel that we are the sole contributors to this process because a lot of it boils down to personal choices made by the student. Teaching is a profession because we have been trained and therefore are qualified to teach. We have been taught the strategies and given the tools to teach children effectively. In a way, we could be looked at as the “experts” in our classroom. But in my opinion, any good teacher would not think they are a true expert since we are always learning from our students.
Yes, I do believe that teaching is a profession. Teachers complete coursework required to gain adequate information to educate students and even after becoming licensed, are required to maintain their license with continuing education. This is just as it is in any other profession such as a doctor. Teachers also meet expectations set forth by principals, state officials, as well as federal officials through legal components. Depending on how people in society would describe a professional, this may vary among people who are not fully aware of how much teachers are actually doing for the next generation in society.
ReplyDelete-Shaina Parm
There are ways in which I view teaching as a profession and there are also ways that my view of teaching is both more and less than a profession. A profession is an occupation that requires specific skill and training. Teaching is indeed an occupation that requires specific skill and training to be done well in any classroom, but there are aspects of teaching that are far greater than what can be trained in a university setting. Sure, when I think of the core academics, there are ways in which a teacher must be trained in order to teach those subjects well, but if we think of this as the purpose of teaching and of education, we reduce the importance of the teacher. As a teacher, I will strive to impart that knowledge and that wisdom on my students, but to stop there would be stopping short.
ReplyDeleteHaving considered Ayers words concerning teaching students so they might reach the full measure of their humanity, I must say that teaching is more than a profession. It is what happens in the halls of the school or in the parking lot, it's what happens in the grocery store and on the city streets. We, as teachers, teach our kids more than academics, we teach them how to become people whether we admit it or not. In this way, teaching becomes more than a profession and also less than a profession. It doesn't necessarily take any training to teach a child to tie his shoes, but there is also no training imaginable that will teach us to show a student how to live and how to love. The closest thing to training of that kind is called life.
John Portelle
ReplyDeleteI do not think teaching is a profession. I think being a teacher is a profession. I might be overlooking the wording here but teaching to me can happen at any part of the day between different people or situation. Just this afternoon someone was teaching me something at work. That person was not a profession about teaching or the topic we were talking about.
However I do believe that teachers should be considered professions because our society defines us that way. Teachers require specialized knowledge and intense academic preparation, just like "other profession" in our society.
Being a profession and Ayers statement are two different things. I read Ayers statement as any teaching not just in classroom teaching. Being a profession gives you prior possible knowledge that might help other better but the undertaking of teaching can come from anywhere.