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.