Q. 2: Write in detail about professionalization of teaching profession?
Course: Professionalism in Teaching (8612)
Semester: Spring, 2019
Course Code: 8612
Level: B. Ed (1.5 Years)
ASSIGNMENT No. 1
Answer:
Professionalization is a social
process by which any trade or occupation transforms itself into a true
"profession of the highest integrity and competence." The definition of what constitutes a
profession is often contested. Professionalization tends to result in
establishing acceptable qualifications, one or more professional associations
to recommend best practice and to oversee the conduct of members of the
profession, and some degree of demarcation of the qualified from unqualified
amateurs (that is, professional certification). It is also likely to create
"occupational closure", closing the profession to entry from
outsiders, amateurs and the unqualified.
Occupations not fully
professionalized are sometimes called semi professions. Critique of professionalization
views overzealous versions driven by perverse incentives (essentially, a modern
analogue of the negative aspects of guilds) as a form of credentials.
The process of
professionalization creates "a hierarchical divide between the
knowledge-authorities in the professions and a deferential citizenry."
This demarcation is often termed "occupational closure", as it means
that the profession then becomes closed to entry from outsiders, amateurs and
the unqualified: a stratified occupation "defined by professional demarcation
and grade. The origin of this process is said to have been with guilds during
the Middle Ages, when they fought for exclusive rights to practice their trades
as journeymen, and to engage unpaid apprentices. It has also been called credentialism, a
reliance on formal qualifications or certifications to determine whether
someone is permitted to undertake a task or to speak as an expert. It has also been defined as "excessive
reliance on credentials, especially academic degrees, in determining hiring or
promotion policies.". It has been further defined as where the credentials
for a job or a position are upgraded, even though, there is no skill change
that makes this increase necessary.
Professions also possess power,
prestige, high income, high social status and privileges; their members soon come to comprise an
elite class of people, cut off to some
extent from the common people, and occupying an elevated station in society:
"a narrow elite ... a hierarchical social system: a system of ranked
orders and classes."
The professionalization process
tends to establish the group norms of conduct and qualification of members of a
profession and tends also to insist that members of the profession achieve
"conformity to the norm." and abide more or less strictly with the established
procedures and any agreed code of conduct, which is policed by professional bodies,
for "accreditation assures conformity to general expectations of the profession."
Different professions are
organized differently. For example, doctors desire autonomy over entrepreneurship.
Professions want authority because of their expertise. Professionals are encouraged
to have a lifetime commitment to their field of work. Eliot Freidson (1923–2005) is considered one
of the founders of the sociology of professions.
Teacher not only needs to
understand the topic yourself, but you also need to know how to explain it to
another person and work through any disconnections for that learner. Now, add
25 more people to that experience — each with their own needs and realities —
and it’s easy to see why teaching is such a demanding, challenging, and
rewarding profession.
Yet many people don’t see
teaching as a profession; they view it as a job that attracts people who want
summer breaks. But those of us in the industry know that this couldn’t be
further from the truth, and it’s up to us to lend authority to the profession.
Here are four steps you can take
to professionalize teaching:
1. Recognize the importance of your work.
Doctors aren’t the only professionals with bragging rights. The ability to
inspire others to learn can be just as impactful as fixing a broken limb. In
fact, some would argue that it’s more influential.
Start encouraging conversations
about the significance of your work, and explain the challenges of doing it
well. Most people have spent at least one year in the classroom of a teacher
that inspired them to learn, and they would probably agree that this person had
a greater impact on their future than their pediatrician.
2. Use supporting research. There’s plenty of
research that highlights how highly trained, effective teachers are critical to
students’ short- and long-term success.
A study by the RAND Corporation
found that teachers have two to three times the impact on a student’s test
performance in reading and math than any other school-related factor, including
leadership.
Another study by a trio of
economists out of Harvard and Columbia university’s tracked 2.5 million
students for 20 years and found that a “high value-added teacher” provided a
variety of benefits, including an immediate increase in end-of-year test
scores. Students of high value-added teachers are also more likely to attend
college, avoid teen pregnancy, and earn more money. In fact, learning under a
high value-added teacher for just one year can increase a child’s lifetime
income by an average of $80,000.
3. Stress the multifaceted nature of teaching.
As a teacher, you can’t assume you know enough about a subject to teach it to a
room full of students with 100 percent success 100 percent of the time. Much
like other professions, to teach effectively, you need to have experience in a
wide range of topics — often with hands-on experience and in-depth
training.
Additionally, teachers must be
effective communicators, social organizers, problem solvers, and (depending on
the district) school counselors. On top of that, it takes a great deal of innovation
to find the funds — sometimes out of your own pocket — to secure necessary supplies.
4. Contribute to the teaching community at
large. While it can take just one teacher to inspire a student, it’s important to
remember that you’re not the only teacher shaping minds. That being said, it’s
essential to be involved in the general teaching community.
Look for ways to work with
colleagues to create a supportive and successful learning environment and
identify opportunities for improvement and ongoing education about the craft of
teaching. Learning Forward, an association devoted to the advancement of professional
learning for student success, has a number of learning opportunities available,
including conferences, seminars, webinars, e-learning courses, and a training
academy.
But continued education isn’t
always enough. Even the best teachers struggle with putting new learning
approaches into practice, and it can actually take upward of 20 separate
practice teaching exercises to master a new skill. Instituting a mentorship
program at your school to advise teachers before, during, and after a class can
make continued education more worthwhile. If the school becomes a successful
learning environment, you further legitimize the importance of your profession.
Professionalizing the teaching
industry advances the profession as a whole and goes a long way to create
better opportunities for student success. But it also has a significant impact
on attracting more talented people to the profession and retaining the highest
performers, which creates a win-win situation for students and teachers.
