After reading the “Teacher Professionalism” article, I better understand what it means to be a professional in a classroom setting. In the article, it is stated that the way you act outside of the classroom matters just as much as how you act in the classroom. As teachers, we have the responsibility to be positive role models to the children in our classrooms, the parents of our students, and any other citizen in our communities. As professionals, we also hold the responsibility to keep up to date on our world’s current events and never stop learning. 

When we are asked, “Am I a teacher 24 hours a day?” the answer is we certainly are. As teachers, not only do we never stop learning, but we also never stop teaching. I currently work at a before and after school program, and the kids are constantly sharing new fun facts with me that they are learning in their classrooms. As their instructor, I also share current events with them, such as what a Burgess Shale from 500 million years ago is. 

As a student in the Education program, it is my job to continue furthering my knowledge about current events around me. As an educator, it is also my job to constantly strive towards a better understanding of myself and those around me; my biggest goal is to become a more confident speaker and worry less about things I cannot control. 

The STF code is a crucial part of becoming an educator because it gives us set guidelines on how we should approach situations and how we should be acting in our classrooms and communities. With this set understanding of rules and expectations, educators have better odds of succeeding both inside and outside a classroom.