Chapter 2 - Development of the Profession

The first thing that caught my attention reading this chapter was the following quote: "Teaching is a work of the most demanding sort, for teachers must make dozens of decisions daily, command a wide body of knowledge and skill, learn to react instantly, and be disposed to act wisely in difficult situations." Teachers are very tough people; mentally, physically and emotionally. They can handle a lot and must know how to work well with kids. In this chapter, I learnt the requirements of a profession, the factors working to improve the professionalization of teaching, the professional development for teachers, the evaluation of teacher performance and the professional organizations for teachers. I learnt about the Code of Ethics and also found out that teachers have a high degree of autonomy. One statistic that I found quite interesting was that 80% of teachers believe they could make a difference in their students life. Personally, from experience, I believe that as a role model, you can make a difference in their life. The National Board Certification is a great way to be recognized as a teacher. Two ways to really help out teachers (new and old!) is by having mentoring programs as well as self-renewal programs. Every teacher needs a break sometimes!! This chapter contained a lot of important information and this is only the beginning of our great adventure on becoming a teacher!!