Teaching Is a Vocation

TEACHING AS A VOCATION, MISSION AND PROFESSION

INTRODUCTION To enable development of youth first and foremost, the teacher’s love for teaching is essential, with teaching as the soul of the teacher. The teacher must realize that they are responsible for shaping not just students but ignited youth who are the most powerful resource under the earth, on the earth and above the earth.
With their full commitment to the great mission of teaching, the teacher transforms himself or herself as a great teacher only when he or she is capable of elevating the average student to high performance. The teacher conducting himself or herself in a noble way itself is a lifetime message for students. They should encourage the students and children to ask questions and develop the spirit of enquiry, so that they blossom into creative enlightened citizens. They should treat all the students equally and should not support any differentiation on account of religion, community or language and continuously upgrade the capacities in teaching so that they can impart quality education to the students. They should realize by being a teacher, they are making an important contribution to the efforts of national development. The teachers must constantly endeavour to fill their mind, with great thoughts and spread the nobility in thinking and action among the students. Teacher should celebrate the success of the students.

BODY “VOCATION”
Vocation comes from the Latin Word “vocare” which means to call. Based on the etymology of the word, vocation therefore, means a call.

Teaching as a Vocation Perhaps you never dreamt to become a teacher! But here you are now preparing to become one! How did it happen? From the eyes of those who believe, it was God who called you here for you to teach, just a God called Abraham, Moses and Mary of the Bible.

“MISSION” Teaching is also a mission. The word mission comes from the Latin word “missio” which means “to send”. You are called to be a teacher and you are sent into the world to accomplished a mission, to teach. The Webster’s Dictionary defines mission as “task assigned”. You are sent by God to accomplish an assigned task.

Teaching as a Mission Teaching is your mission means it is the task entrusted to you in this world. If it is your assigned task then naturally you’ve got to prepare yourself for it. From now on you cannot take your studies for granted! Your four years of pre service preparation will equip you with the knowledge, skills and attitude to become an effective teacher.

“PROFESSION”

The Elements of Profession Teaching like engineering, nursing, accounting and the like is a profession. A teacher like an engineer, nurse or and accountant is a profession. According to Hermogenes P. Pobre, the term professional is one of the exalted in the English language, denoting as it does, long and arduous years of preparation, a striving for excellence, a dedication to the public interest, and commitment to moral and ethical value.

Teaching as a profession Why does profession require “long and arduous years of preparation” and “striving for excellence?” Because the end goal of a profession is service and as we have heard many times “we cannot give what we do not have.” We can give more if we have more. Our service to the public as a professional turns out to be dedicated and committed only when our moral, ethical and religious values serve as our bedrock foundation. The same moral ethical and religious convictions inspire us to embrace continuing professional education.

Teaching and a life of meaning Want to give your life a meaning? Want to live a purpose driven life? Spend it passionately in teaching, the most noble profession. CONCLUSION/SUMMARY
Teaching is more than a noble profession. It is a vocation, a calling. The teacher is the most important person in any civilization, as on him depends the molding of the nation. There are not many born teachers, but there are those who love teaching, and there are those who enter it as an occupation. The chief qualification for a teacher is his or her love for children; from there can follow the training by good teachers and professors of techniques and principles. Good teacher-pupil relationship is very important.
A teacher must know that he or she is teaching, not only a subject, but a child. A teacher must know each child in his or her charge – especially in his early years – his temperament, his academic capability, his health, his bent, his home background and anything that may be hindering him from doing his best. This will equip teachers and help them to educate. Each child must taste success at the beginning by beginning with the simple to the complex, the concrete to the abstract, the known to the unknown and to develop at its own rate. This will give him confidence. A good teacher, by his/her methods will be able to motivate the pupil, awaken his interest, and arouse his curiosity. Teachers can make learning pleasant. They must exhibit energy, enthusiasm and cheerfulness, and never cease to learn themselves. A teacher who ceases to learn becomes irrelevant.
Here I wish to make a comment on the role of the Head teacher or Principal. He must at all times give valuable support to his teachers. He, himself, must be a good teacher and his relationship with his teachers and parents must be good at all times. He must be able to command respect and, with his influence, get his staff to work as a team and, together, rally the support of parents. A vibrant Parent-Teacher Association is a necessity as it will help in the child’s interest, and also in the education of the parent.
If an individual is well educated; if he is given the right information; if he is trained according to his bent; if he has a right sense of values, if he has learnt to think positively, to make good judgments, and if he is able to realize his uniqueness in the mosaic which is indivisible humanity – he will be well on his way to make this world a better place for himself and others.