What does it mean to be a professional? Am I a teacher 24 hours a day? What does that mean?
What do you think is expected of you as a student in the Faculty of Education?
To be a professional means to act in a way that best represents the community that you serve. The teaching profession is special in that there is a constant sense of pride and responsibility in what you do. You are not simply working for a paycheck; whether you realize it or not, you are constantly setting an example for your student body. Students often look up to teachers as a source of reverence and knowledge. Therefore, acting unprofessionally can give them a false sense of right and wrong. In this sense, we are always teachers 24 hours a day, because we must maintain professional behavior outside the classroom just as much as inside. At the same time, I believe we are also learners 24 hours a day. The knowledge of your students is just as sacred as your own. By listening to them, you may be able to look at a topic from an angle you never thought about before.
As a student in the Faculty of Education, I believe that we are expected to be constantly open to new knowledge. Teaching should never be about staying firm in your beliefs. In order for your kids to grow, you must be willing to grow with them. This process starts in this course, and will continue throughout our entire career.
