Becoming a teacher is not an easy task, there are plenty of reminders to consider when paving a path as a teacher. The STF document (nd) stated that its members are “bound by a social contract in which the public gives the profession independence and responsibility… in return for the profession’s commitment to high professional standards of conduct and competence.” These contracts include being prepared, professional, and committed with the work while making sure that all relationships are ethical, and that knowledge and flexibility are implemented for students to learn the best. To be a professional, one must possess the skills and knowledge in their work ethic. One thing to consider is how to put those skills into good use. A person may have the skills for teaching, but their techniques are not always applicable to every student as well as their colleagues. For instance, the STF document (nd) states that “the Federation’s codes and standards… [is] a starting point for members to think about their own conduct and competence as teachers,… what teaching should involve and what, if anything, they should change in their practice to meet students’ learning needs.” A professional teacher is the one that can provide the best learning experience for students while being hands-on with the codes and standards of the Federation.
The question, “Am I a teacher 24 hours a day?” is quite an intriguing one. I think it means that as a teacher, do I take my role 24/7? Even after school? What about during vacation? As much as the STF states in the document that “teachers have a responsibility to act at all times in a manner that is worthy of this public trust and consistent with the teaching profession’s expectations,” I think that teachers deserve a little character break. Being a teacher 24 hours a day must be very exhausting, but it has its benefits: we get to build our professional relationship with our students and colleagues even outside of school/work, we can help students outside of class for any questions and/or concerns, and lastly, we get to stay on task with work. Being a teacher 24 hours a day also has its negatives: we think of school even after classes, we have “homework,” and our work could sometimes interfere with our personal life. Despite all, I think that we are teachers 24 hours a day, but I think being a teacher is not just about “teaching” and “grading” or whatever it may be. Teaching is about guiding the students to their future selves and help them to be successful with life.
As a student in the Faculty of Education, my responsibility is to be professional around my classmates and teachers for they will be my colleagues someday. Furthermore, educating our fellow classmates is also a responsibility of an education student because it can be viewed as a practice for teaching and building relationships just like the STF stated. By doing this, we are fulfilling our role as students and future educators.