Am I a teacher 24 hours a day?

In my opinion, being a professional is someone who has full respect for their profession and someone who honours the commitment they have made to their profession. What I mean by that is to follow and respect the rules and guidelines, always. The STF document states, “To act at all times in a way that maintains the honour and dignity of the individual teacher and the teaching profession”. Which always means that you respect and honour the commitment you’ve made to your profession.

Yes, I think that once you commit yourself to being a teacher, you must keep that role on 24 hours a day. I do not mean you can’t go out with your friends or enjoy your days off, but you have that imaginary hat of being a teacher on your head always. You are always a teacher, and you don’t always have to be in the classroom to demonstrate the professionalism of being a teacher, so yes, I think that once committed you are a teacher 24 hours a day.

I think that my responsibility as a student in the Faculty of Education is to become more aware of the rules and guidelines myself and then to execute those rules and guidelines properly and with respect. I also believe that my responsibility is to become a professional within the Faculty and portray the new role I have within the education community with respect.