The Profession of Teaching

Description: This week, we were asked to evaluate teaching as a profession and decide whether it is truly a profession or rather an occupation. Although this seems a logical question, I had never considered that teaching might not be a profession. However, I attempted to keep an open mind as I began this assignment. I read the articles that were posted and looked up a few different definitions of the word profession.

Feelings: Ever since I was a child, I have held teachers in high esteem. To me, especially as an elementary schooler, teachers were as important as doctors, as smart as lawyers, and as dedicated as psychologists. When I thought of important jobs, a teacher was almost always the first that sprung to mind. When I received the assignment of evaluating teaching as a profession, I was a bit taken aback. As a future teacher, it really took me off guard that this was even a question. Now, I do not mean that in a bad way. I just had never thought about it as anything else. 

Evaluation: As some of my classmates said in the discussion this week, classifying something as a profession can completely change the way individuals in that line of work approach their jobs. Teaching is something incredibly important, and if teachers are to be the best they can be, I think most teachers should approach teaching as a profession. Reading the articles that were posted did not change my thinking, but I felt like I had not really given it a fair shot. I decided to look up the definition of profession to be sure I was being as objective as possible. Merriam-Webster defines profession as “a type of job that requires special education, training, or skill.” Although I do agree that this is part of what makes up the definition of profession, I feel that this leaves much to be desired. 

Analysis: After looking up the definition, I turned back to the articles. I ended up reading and re-reading the article from The Guardian in which Alan Newland, a seasoned teacher of 20 years, discusses what it means for teaching to be considered a profession. The comparisons he made between teachers and electricians really hit home for me, and I was able to come up with a three-part definition for what it means for something to be a profession. 

Conclusions (general): I finally settle on the following definition of a profession: 1) a type of job that requires special education, training, or skill, 2) a job in which those receiving the services provided by the job holder place a high value on the qualifications of said job holder, and 3) a job in which the job holder’s background and moral standing are important to both the consumers of the services provided and the hiring parties. I know that is a bit long-winded, but I think it is necessary to include all three parts of that definition in order to truly encompass what it means for something to be a profession. If the general public used this definition, it is likely that teaching would be considered a profession by all and that teachers would be held in higher esteem. Ultimately, what matters most is that teachers themselves understand that they are members of a profession and that they must act accordingly in both their professional and personal lives.

Conclusions (specific): I definitely consider teaching to be a profession. It is important to me that I hold this viewpoint because thinking of teaching as anything but a profession would make it seem less important than it really is. The educating of young people is so important to the future of society, and I am honored to be becoming a member of the profession that gets to work with these students. I am glad that, despite not changing my opinion, I took the time to examine teaching as a profession because my conclusions will ultimately guide my approach to teaching for the rest of my career.

Personal action plans: My goal is to do justice to the profession of teaching and to act in a way that allows others to see teaching as a profession as well. Being a teacher is going to be a lot of hard work, but it is going to be incredibly rewarding to have an impact on students’ lives. I hope to set the standard for excellence in my classroom through my approach to teaching, leading by example rather than just expecting my students to work hard without me reciprocating. Approaching teaching as a profession will also push me to continue my education while I teach, honing my skills and staying up to date on the latest research.