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Teacher and Teaching Profession


Teacher and teaching profession is considered an important and sacred profession in every society. When I reflect on my society, I feel and observe that teacher and teaching profession is considered a very ordinary thing. Becoming a teacher in our society is a small thing. When a person does not find any job, he or she moves towards this profession, even if he or she does not know any thing about teaching profession. Why is it so? Why it is considered to be so easy and low profession. While it is a sacred profession, which deals with soul, moral, spirit, faith, intellect and psychology of a child and dealing with these things according to the age level, needs and mentality of the children, is not an easy job as it is considered. It demands skills, experiences, knowledge and other qualities. Teacher needs to play a role in different forms, as John Dewey a great philosopher and educationist presents teacher in different forms like Mother, Teacher, Servant, Builder, Gardener, Engineer, Artist, physician, leader and Composer. It means that Teacher should have different qualities and skills to deal with a child and to build his or her personality, other wise he or she is going to damage the child’s personality. To become a teacher is not a small thing; it is a big responsibility and a difficult job. Teacher should be all rounder and skillful and he or she should have different qualities to develop children holistically. Teacher with less qualities and skills can not be able to teach children according to their needs, level, psychology and mentality. Teacher should present himself or herself in different forms according to the situation. Teacher should put himself or herself in the shoes of any type of teacher, which John Dewey is mentioning. To put oneself in any type of teacher’s shoes is not an easy job. It needs hard work, sacrifice and courage. To develop such kind of skills and qualities, on the one hand teacher himself or herself should struggle and develop his or her skills and on the other hand teacher, teaching profession should be given due respect by the society and high authority. In this way teacher can be encouraged towards improving his or her knowledge and teaching skills. As a teacher I think that we as a nation should think and reflect on the existing system and plan to make this profession more valuable and attractive. It must be prerequisite to get a high professional degree before entering the teaching profession. Pre service trainings and skills development programmes should arrange, so that skilful teachers can be inducted in the system. If these things are taken in to the consideration then children educational standard can be enhanced. I have been constantly thinking that why this profession was dealt and treated so badly in our society? Why this profession is not valued in our society? Why it is considered as a last choice? Why competent and talented people do not prefer this profession? I think our society has failed to give due respect and importance to this profession as other developed societies have given importance and value to this profession. Teacher is getting lowest salary in our society, while teacher in other developed society is getting highest salary. Teachers are living below poverty level in our society, while in other society teachers are living among the richest people. This profession is valued in that society that is why the most caliber and highly educated and experienced people are joining this profession. They need to get three to four years professional degree for teaching from any University and without it no one can join the teaching profession. It shows that how teaching profession is valued and how children education is being valued. On the contrary if we see our educational system where no such professional degrees and trainings are needed to join this sacred profession, because of its low status and low salary. Everyone can join this profession any time for the sake of job that is why our educational system does not improve. If we want to be an educated and developed nation then we will have to value our teaching profession and teachers by giving them better incentives and respect in the society and educational system. Giving value and importance to teacher, is giving importance and value to children. If teachers are valued then they will value the children.

Atai karim
Student
AKU-IED Karachi