Unit 1 Teaching Profession and the Characteristics of a Professional Teacher

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this unit students can:

1. Define the essence of teaching profession.

2. Discuss the characteristics of a professional teacher.

Introduction

Teaching is a profession which requires careful consideration and extra precautions as it

deals with the imparting of life knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to young people. How
it is performed can be very influential to the young people’s lives. In-order to do it properly,
there are certain characteristics a professional teacher should qualify. How morally or
ethically it is done can be referred to as professionalism which teachers and other
professionals define according to the context or nature of their profession.
This unit discusses the essence of teaching, whether it is a profession or not, the
characteristics of a professional teacher and how teachers see the meaning of
professionalism as compared to that of other professionals.

What is teaching?

Teaching is a process of transferring acquired knowledge by the teacher to the pupils so that
the pupils are transformed into better citizens by sharing these knowledge with the society in
which they are brought up (Robinson 1980:168).In other words, teaching is a process by
which knowledge is transmitted to students and skills and attitudes are developed with the
assistance of the teacher for the pupils to use in life. Teaching cannot happen in isolation. It
involves a dual process, which requires an interaction between the teacher and the learner,
where the teacher sends messages (imparts knowledge) and the learner receives these
messages (acquires knowledge) to use in life. Farrant (1980:168) who is in line with this
stated that teaching and learning are opposite sides of the same coin. One cannot function
in the absence of another.

Teaching on the other hand is not only a matter of imparting and acquiring knowledge but
forms the pupils’ characters physically, emotionally and socially by communicating to them
the idea on different subjects of study (Farrant 1980:169 & Robinson 1980:39).Similarly,
students do not learn from teaching alone but from the conduct of the teacher as well.
Therefore, teachers must have an excellent character because they will serve as a guide, a
role model and an inspiration to the young people whose lives will be influenced. The
teacher should watch out on what he/she is doing while teaching because his/her
approaches, language and attitudes are potentially capable of modifying a child. Let us
consider the point raised by Eisner (1979:153) that if you spoil your painting, you can paint a
new one but what if you spoil a child through your practice of teaching and your attitudes?
Research shows that many students after many years speak of some of their former
teachers’ characters and the effects they had upon their lives (Hayes 1999:14 & Jordan
1930:15).

Furthermore, teaching is not as simple as one may think of. It requires careful consideration
and extra precautions because it deals with young people who will be responsible for the
betterment of the next generation. To be involved in teaching, one has to know how to teach,
what to teach and when to judge the effects of teaching and learning(Farrant
1980:168).Teaching cannot be anybody’s job but requires one who has been trained and
has the knowledge and skills of teaching to teach. Farrant (1980:169) and Robinson
(1980:17) stated that a good teacher is one who has a good understanding of what his/her
pupils need to learn and also of their capabilities of learning and that a true teacher is always
imparting to others what he/she knows rather than selfishly keeping it to him/herself.
In summary, teaching is a very respectable job. When you work as a teacher, you gain more
respect from the community you serve and the students you teach. It is not only being a
simple teacher as people address us but that simple teacher does a very complicated job
which takes time to develop confidence, equip and organize the classroom sensibly and to
know how to support the students. Teaching can be performed with such a skill that students
discover end result through action, in a form of human interaction that provides intrinsic
satisfaction.

Is Teaching a Profession?

A profession is a job, occupation, career or a vocation one carries out to provide a service
for pay as there is no service provided free of charge.

Teaching qualifies there and so is surely a profession. However, it is not just a mere
profession but is more than that when comparing with other professions. Teaching
profession is unique in the kind of service it renders. It is a profession which requires careful
consideration and extra precaution as it deals with shaping of attitudes and values and
developing life knowledge and skills of young people. Teaching is a serious profession which
requires a lot of time, effort, commitment and dedication as it involves the future of those we
deal with. It is a profession that offers great reward and satisfaction unlike other professions
(Hayes 1999:14).

Teaching is not a profession that we repeat the same kind of activity ensuring that it is
completed and we move on to the next. With teaching, one may see that we boringly repeat
the same classroom activities day by day but that is not the case. What is actually happening
is that teaching involves totally different situations each day due to the fact that it deals with
a group of students who are all unique and have totally different needs and so present new
demands (Kohl 1976:11).The teacher’s job is to practice in different ways possible to satisfy
each of the different needs of individual students that arises day by day. Since all the
students will be doing the same activities, the faster and slower learners must somehow be
accommodated in a way that they do not get bored. Therefore, Eisner (1979:153) stated
that, teachers must function in an innovative way in order to cope with changes. It is not an
easy task to do that. This is one of the major reasons as to why teaching is said to be more
than just a mere profession. The second major reason is that the teachers’ conducts can
influence the children’s lives.

Therefore, in-order to undertake teaching as a profession, one cannot just get in there and
teach. Prior to that one has to be trained to attain the necessary certificates that will qualify
him/her to teach. Jarvis (1983:75) who is in line with this stated that, professional knowledge;
skills and ability must be acquired before teaching. A teacher who has knowledge without
the skills of teaching and the ability to teach is of no more value than one who has skills and
ability but not the knowledge. Teachers must have the know-how as well as being able to
teach. The knowledge, skills and ability together forms the basis of teaching. The teacher
who is weak in one of these areas is less than a total professional. To provide an effective
service in teaching, the teacher must be knowledgeable, skilful, committed and dedicated in
his/her profession.

Furthermore, teacher training provides the basics to begin with. The teacher learns how to
teach well by practicing it. When we teach we learn at the same time. That’s why teachers
are sometimes referred to as life-long students of learning. The essential of learning to teach
begins when one has the responsibility for a class to teach. Only then, teachers know what
resource are needed, what knowledge is of most worth, what questions need to be
answered, what skills the students need and what are the best ways to teach(Kohl 1976:11).
Characteristics of a Professional Teacher

A teacher has to have certain characteristics to qualify him/her to be a professional teacher.

Basically, he/she attends formal training at teacher training institutions where he/she
acquires teaching skills, knowledge, methods and ways of justifying learning as well as
developing professional attitudes which is required by the code of ethics set by the
professional organization from which he/she is to be a member of.

However, let us consider some of the qualities identified in various literature sources. Platt in
Jordan(1930:14)identified ten qualities of which are sympathy, personal
appearance,address,sincerity,optimism,enthusiasm,scholarship,vitality,fairness and reserve
while Boyce also in Jordan (1930:15) under the heading ‘Personal Equipment’ provides
fourteen qualities and they are appearance, health, voice, intellectual capacity, initiative and
self-reliance, adaptability and resourcefulness, accuracy, industry, enthusiasm, integrity and
sincerity, self-control, promptness, tact and sense of justice.

Hayes (1999:15) under the heading ‘Guiding Principles’ identified more specific qualities of a
professional teacher. He stated that a professional teacher builds a good reputation, sets a
good example to students, impresses parents by his/her conduct, cares about the children,
gives priority to pupils safety, establishes a good working relationship, praise and encourage
children for effort and quality work to enhance self-esteem, provides equal opportunities to
all children and avoids discrimination on any basis.

Farrant who looked more into classroom situation, under the heading ‘Professional skills of a
good teacher’ stated that a professional teacher establishes a truly educational environment,
plans teaching programs carefully, creates an excellent teacher-pupils’ relationship,
incorporate pupils’ ideas as much as possible, praises pupils generously, teaches in a much
more relaxed manner, exercises good class control and discipline, explains ideas to pupils
clearly, includes a varieties of pupils’ activities in lessons and uses appropriate punishment.
When comparing, it appears that some of the characteristics identified are common and are
clear and easy to understand while others differ and requires further explanation for clarity
as complex terms are used. However, the characteristics as provided by Rayes and Farrant
are more specific which reflects the day to day experiences of a professional teacher unlike
what is provided by Platt and Boyce which cannot be understood at first glance. To be more
precise and building on from the sources identified, I should suggest these characteristics. A
professional teacher is;
-trained and has the appropriate professional knowledge, skills and the ability to teach.
-conscious of his/her conduct in his/her appearance, behaviour, attitude and practice.
-abide by the code of ethics and performs his/her duties according to the duty statements
and to the expected standard.

However I wonder how many teachers possess all these qualities. I guess no-one combines
them all in equal degrees. Some are possessed but not others and of those that are
possessed, it is of varying degrees as all teachers are unique. Jordan (1930:16) stated that
characters can be changed, developed, adjusted and adopted. Therefore teachers ought to
examine ourselves and identify our strengths and weaknesses, find out which qualities we
lack and how they affect our teaching and try possible ways to improve up on our
weaknesses. Out of all the qualities/characteristics mentioned, we practice some
consciously but others unconsciously and even still we are not aware of others. Therefore,
teachers need to be made aware of those which we are not sure of by going through the
code of ethics and duty statements through staff development activities such as school
based or cluster in-services.
What does Professionalism mean to Teachers and other Professionals?

Professionalism cannot be defined in isolation because it builds on from the word profession,
professional then to professionalism. In terms of meaning literally, a profession is a job. A
professional is one who has acquired the knowledge and skills, developed attitudes and has
the ability to practice the profession. Professionalism refers to the professional’s conduct
(approach, attitude, behaviour) when practicing the profession. It is about how
knowledgeable, skilful, committed and dedicated one is in performing the profession.
However; different professionals see professionalism differently according to the kind of
service they provide.

Teachers see professionalism as the implementation of good qualities which demands a

moral commitment to a way of service which is about being dedicated to good practices
acceptable in the profession and avoiding bad practices for the betterment of the
clients/students. Teachers are very considerate about professionalism and take extra
precautions because their practices and conducts determine the future lives of the children.
Therefore teachers as much as possible try not to expose what is unethical so that a good
reputation is kept. They try to be loyal to the profession and so do what is right in order to
maintain positive attitude. Teachers deal with the basics of good living and believe in good
conduct to serve. All these can be evident through effective teaching and learning with an
emphasis on proper conduct through self-presentation by means of appearance ,manner of
practice and the interaction that are acceptable to the clients we are serving and other
stakeholders. There is joy (intrinsic value) in the work of the teacher because he serves the
clients in two ways: teaching as well as caring (Jordan 1930).

Other professionals see professionalism as the provision of a quality service without careful
consideration of their conduct. Not much of a moral activity is going on there but involves a
give and take attitude where the professionals’ needs are satisfied .The clients’ needs may
be satisfied but over a demand of payment. The services rendered do not have intrinsic
value meaning that there is not much joy and satisfaction within the provider of the service.
They are more interested in practical rewards for the job done. They have nothing to care
about, in their conduct (attitude, behaviour, approach) because they often deal with matured
adults and their conduct does not influence them as much as possible. They do not deal with
the basics of good living but a way of earning a good living only.

Conclusion

Teaching is a process by which knowledge is imparted by teachers and acquired by learners

who then use, in life. It is a very serious profession. Teaching is not like any other
professions because it deals with shaping of attitudes and values as well as developing life
knowledge and skills of young people. Therefore in order to undertake teaching profession,
one has to qualify in certain characteristics. Some of the basic characteristics for one to
qualify are that a professional teacher should:

 possess the professional knowledge, skills and the ability to teach,

 be conscious of his/her conduct in appearance, behavior, attitude and practice,
 abide by the code of ethics as set down by the professional organization and
 perform his/her duties well according to the duty statements and to the expected
standards.
When comparing professionalism, to teachers it means doing what is ethically right in the
provision of the service since how the service is provided is very influential in the lives of
those who receive it. They deal with the basics of good living with a commitment to serve
that would satisfy the needs of the clients more than the needs of the provider.
To other professionals, it means providing a service without much consideration of ethical
rights .It deals with a commitment to earn a living which satisfies the needs of the provider of
the service more than the client.

Tutorial Questions

1. What is teaching?
2. Why is teaching a profession?
3. What are the basic qualities of a professional teacher?