Teaching as a Profession Essay -- essays papers

Teaching as a Profession Individuals who enter the field of education reply to the question why teach with various answers. There is beauty, joy, and fulfillment in this profession, and these spirit-lifting emotions are the result of watching annually as a new group of children enter to learn and leave with the knowledge to achieve. Richard Dufour (2000), author of Why Teach expressed his views on the profession first by stating that teaching is not the career for everyone. He goes on to say, that the education profession has the ability to present the â€Å"unique opportunity† for individuals to cast a positive influence upon others (Why Teach, 2000, p.1). The smiles received from a room full of students when as a whole their individual needs, both educational and personal have been catered to, prompts a burst of passion in every teacher. Those who look to the profession as a career would need to nourish these perceptions in order to prevail over the negative aspects that surround the profession. The process of teaching goes far beyond the presentation of facts, it includes the dedication of both heart and time. While compensation and working conditions are the main downfalls in teaching, there are many other situations that cause individuals to turn away from the profession. Teaching is obviously a hard complex job and the individuals who answer the call, encounter many frustrations. They are required to first develop goals for classroom instruction and with these goals develop lesson plans, while implementing effective classroom management (appropriate discipline). They must also monitor and nourish the special needs of every child, and stay current on educational advancements and topic knowledge. Imagine trying to su... ...nt in the future knowledge and the chance for a humane society. President George Bush’s â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act† fails to focus on the recruitment and diversity within the profession. He sets a goal for the year 2005 for every classroom to have a quality teacher but no goal for retaining these teachers. The improvement of the profession requires a national step-by-step effort. The purpose of this paper was to gather and explore information on the teaching profession and with it explore the shortage within in order to educate and strike up reform. It is clear, that reform will require a lot of time and money. The end product however, will show success within the profession thereby equaling success in the classroom. Success comes when present in the classrooms are caring and committed teachers, all with the goal of education and diversity is among them. .