Are Teachers Professionals? by Clinton Cruice

Today a debate is going on over whether or not teaching is a profession. Some believe that teaching is not a profession for several reasons. The first of which is that students are not only educated by teachers, they can gain information from television programs, YouTube, and from any other person they meet. Teaching also does not require as much specialized training as other skilled trades. Teachers also do not have much autonomy because what they are required to teach is not decided by the teachers, but instead is designed by others. In the school structure teachers are also the second from the bottom in terms of amount of power, above only students. Teachers cannot refuse to teach certain students, because they are assigned to them, however other professions like doctors and lawyers can refuse to offer their services to clients they do not want to help. Teaching is also a high security, but low paying job, while other professions are low security, high paying jobs. Those who support teaching as a profession give several reasons to give credibility to their position. They say that because professionals are supposed to provide a service to others, teaching is a profession because teachers make many material sacrifices, so that they can be devoted to their service. They also believe that teachers possess a unique set of skills that are required to teach the young. These skills which are passed on to the students are considered essential to operate in modern society. These people also believe that teachers have a large amount of autonomy because they decide which parts of the curriculum they will focus on, and which parts they will only do an overview of. The ways in which the material is taught is also left up to the teacher. And after the first few years of teaching at a school they gain tenure, and are no longer routinely observed. I don't think that it matters whether or not teaching is considered a profession because all it really is is a title. And being able to call yourself a professional does not change anything, it does not help you do your job more effectively, and it does not give you more money. So in my opinion teachers should stop wasting time arguing over whether or not teaching is a profession, and should instead learn to develop more effective teaching techniques.