PrEd 125 Lesson 1.1 Teaching as a Profession PDF

For instructional purposes only 1st Semester SY 2020-2021 3 Lesson 1.1: Teaching as a Profession Lesson Summary This lesson defines what is teaching as a profession. It includes the elements of a p...

For instructional purposes only 1st Semester SY 2020-2021 3 Lesson 1.1: Teaching as a Profession Lesson Summary This lesson defines what is teaching as a profession. It includes the elements of a profession, meaning of teaching, dimensions of the teaching profession, characteristics of a profession, and hallmarks of the teaching profession. Teaching is a profession. It requires long years of initial professional education, the attainment of a college/university degree recognized by a regulatory body (CHED), a licensure examination called the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET), Continuing Professional Development, and adherence to the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers. Learning Outcomes 1. explain the meaning of teaching as a profession 2. create a career statement highlighting the reason/s for choosing teaching as a profession Motivation Question Using the following scale, how do you assess the attractiveness of the teaching profession in the Philippines? Why?  Very attractive profession  Attractive profession  Moderately attractive profession  Not-attractive profession  A very not-attractive profession ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ Discussion Teaching as a Profession In words "professional manner," "gawang propesyonal," "professional fee for expert services rendered," the term "professional" implies one who possesses knowledge and skill competency. "Highly professional," "unprofessional…to behave in that manner," means an ethical code that a professional person abides. In short, a professional is one who conforms to a profession's technical or ethical standards. So two elements of a profession are competence and a Code of Ethics. Page 3 of 42 Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation. Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge TP-IMD-02 V0 07-15-2020 and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment. No. DTE-051-IM  4 PrEd125: The Teaching Profession The other elements of a profession are: 1. Initial Professional Education Professionals typically start their professional life by completing a university program in their chosen fields – teacher education, engineering, nursing, and accounting. That means long and arduous years of planning time. Take notice that this is the only primary, which means just the beginning, as assumed that a professional can know without end. Figure 2. A college degree graduate. 2. Accreditation University programs are approved by regulatory bodies like the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in the Philippines to ensure the graduates from these recognized programs start their professional lives with competence. Figure 4. Diploma 3. Licensing Licensing is mandatory, not voluntary, and administered by government authority. In the Philippines, the government authority is the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). Figure 3. License Card 4. Professional Development There is an ongoing professional education that can retain or develop the knowledge and skills of professionals after they begin professional practice. In the Philippines, this is Continuing Professional Development mandated by RA 10912, otherwise known as the CPD Act of 2016. Figure 5. Meeting Conference 5. Professional Societies Professionals see themselves as part of a group of like-minded individuals, who put their professional values above the individual self-interest of the employee or the self-interest of the employer. Many specialist associations placed responsibility on the public interest and to social and ethical values. Professional societies define certification criteria, manage certification programs, establish accreditation standards, and define a code of ethics Figure 6. DTE Faculty and disciplinary action for violations of that code. 6. Code of Ethics Every profession has an ethical code for ensuring that its practitioners behave responsibly. The code states what professionals should do. Professionals may be expelled from their professional societies, or lose their licenses to practice violations of the code of ethics. Figure 7. Code of Ethics Page 4 of 42 Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation. Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge TP-IMD-02 V0 07-15-2020 and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment. No. DTE-051-IM  For instructional purposes only 1st Semester SY 2020-2021 5 Meaning of Teaching A layman defines teaching in simple terms. He sees teaching as merely helping someone to learn something. To some, this definition is insufficient, because teaching is more than this. For this reason, different scholars provide numerous definitions of teaching. The varying definitions imply that teaching is perceived differently, even by educators themselves. As this is the case, consider the following definitions as a take-off point for discussion: 1. Teaching is an interpersonal interaction between a more mature and less mature person intended to advance the latter’s education. 2. Teaching is described as an interactive process, involving primarily classroom conversation that takes place between teacher and pupil and occurs during certain definable activities. 3. Teaching is a series of behavior involving an individual, an end in mind, and a circumstance, including two sets of variables-those about which the individual has little influence (class size, classroom size, pupil's physical characteristics, among others), and those which can be changed, such as the way to ask questions or gleaned ideas. 4. Teaching is a teacher's task performed to make a child develop. 5. Teaching is a process that makes learning easier. The teacher has an important part to play, as he serves as a catalyst and actively promotes learning. 6. Teaching is a set of activities noted about teachers, explaining, deducting, questioning, inspiring, attending, maintaining job records, learners’ progress, and background information. One can surmise from the previous definitions that teaching is both a process and an end. As a process, it requires a procedure to undertake it. As an end, there is a purpose or reason for conducting it. Dimensions of the Teaching Profession The scope of the teaching profession is enormous, and this makes teaching a multi-dimensional profession. The following constitutes the different dimensions of the teaching profession: 1. The Why of Teaching (Entering the Profession) The reasons for choosing teaching as a career are diverse, ranging from the most profound to the most incomprehensible. One may be motivated to become a teacher because he/she loves children, or he/she likes to make a big difference in the lives of these children. It may also happen that one likes to enjoy more vacation time as teachers enjoy two-month summer leave – a privilege that is not enjoyed by other professionals. 2. The Who of Teaching (Learners) Learners are the reasons for the existence of teachers, schools, and school administrators. Without learners, none of these would exist. Teachers must have a good grasp of the nature of the learners, such as their differences, motivations, learning styles, intelligence, socio-cultural backgrounds, and academic performance. Page 5 of 42 Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation. Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge TP-IMD-02 V0 07-15-2020 and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment. No. DTE-051-IM  6 PrEd125: The Teaching Profession 3. The When of Teaching (Evolution of Teacher Education in the Philippines) Teaching is an evolving profession. It has its early beginning, and it is continually changing across time. The 21st century presents a different social landscape for learners, and this necessitates changing the mindset of pre-service teachers in determining what to teach, how to teach, and where to teach. 4. The How of Teaching (Pedagogy) Teachers are required to find means and ways to enhance learners’ learning. Applying different teaching strategies is the professional identity of teachers. Since the teachers possess varied techniques and principles of teaching, they present and discuss things differently. They also present their subject matter creatively and uniquely because of the diverse and wide-ranging strategies and approaches they utilize. Interestingly, the use of creative, enjoyable, and learner-centered strategies and teaching approaches constitute the teachers’ professional identity. 5. The What of Teaching (Curriculum) The curriculum constitutes the educational content, goals, intended outcomes, and competencies to be taught and developed among the learners. The curriculum is the roadmap of all the activities in school and the ultimate measure of the results of instruction. 6. The Where of Teaching (Field Placement) The place for teaching and learning is evolving. Teaching no longer takes place under one roof or done through a face-to-face counter between teachers and learners. Learners are no longer confined in the four walls of the classroom. Today, classrooms are structured differently equipped with the most recent and sophisticated technology. Characteristics of a Profession Professional Autonomy It is the right and freedom of professions (e.g., teachers, lawyers, accountants, doctors) to determine their actions and behavior because they are capable of governing their members to submit to the principles and laws that they altogether committed to practicing their professions. Highly developed theoretical or specialized knowledge A profession founded on an extensive period of training and education. Usually, this training or education ranges from four to ten years and is obtained basically in a university or college. Through rigorous and lengthy training, the prospective professionals learn the body of professional knowledge and skills that are distinct to their profession. Control of Training, certification and licensing of new entrants A new entrant undergoes control of training, certification, and licensing. Typically, aspiring professionals are initially required to Page 6 of 42 Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation. Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge TP-IMD-02 V0 07-15-2020 and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment. No. DTE-051-IM  For instructional purposes only 1st Semester SY 2020-2021 7 enroll in an institutionalized training, for example, in a university or college where knowledge and skills in the field are standardized. It is where they learn specific and practical experience as trainees. Self-governing and self-policing authority, especially about professional ethics Typically, all professions have professional bodies. The professional association acts as an interest group enhancing the status of their members and controlling the entry requirements to the field. Professional bodies’ professional goal is to self-regulate by asserting their independence from governmental interference, especially in setting professional standards. Hallmarks of the Teaching Profession Many factors make teachers happy. These factors are the reasons for staying longer in their profession, and they are as follows:  Ability to make a difference in the lives of learners Teaching is not teaching unless teachers make a big difference in the lives of their learners. Making a difference in the lives of learners means changing their lives for the better. There is no other profession in this world as influential in shaping the young’s minds and character.  The joy of working with learners Working with learners is a double-bladed experience. Some teachers find working with children and teens as a challenging and stressful task. However, to some, this is an opportunity to touch young lives and contribute to their formation and transformation. Successful teachers testify that partaking in learners’ success brings bliss, which cannot be quantified in monetary terms.  Watching learners rise to the challenge of the subjects Observing that the learners are enjoying and progressing in their level of competency (knowledge, skills, and attitude) is the greatest and ultimate joy of teachers. They find happiness when learners can hurdle challenging tasks, written works, and performance tests required in the subject.  The joy of working with people in general and youth in particular One thing unique in the teaching profession is its clientele. These clienteles are young people in the formative stage, i.e., they are still building their mental, social, cultural, physical, and spiritual self. In this case, the teachers’ contribution is excellent in building the learners’ personality, character, and life skills.  Love of the subject matter Teachers teaching different learning areas have a deeper understanding, appreciation, and love for their fields of specialization. They become passionate about the subject matter and the concepts they teach; thus, they are more likely to form basic advocacies in life. Page 7 of 42 Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation. Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge TP-IMD-02 V0 07-15-2020 and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment. No. DTE-051-IM