The Teaching Profession

The Teaching Profession

Educators have been debating for many years whether teaching is a profession. Teaching must be considered a profession based on the fact that a particular standard of knowledge must be acquired before an individual is allowed to teach. Because this profession has become in such high demand, I am likely to join the National Education Association (NEA) once I am able to practice this profession. I believe that joining the NEA will help to protect my rights and career as a teacher. The word "profession", by definition is "a vocation requiring knowledge of some department of learning or science". A teaching degree requires many hours of schooling, and often a focus in a particular subject or area. As a matter of fact, teaching, in my opinion, is one of the most underappreciated professions in the world today. This profession has become so popular, in fact, that there are now two choices of unions for teachers to join: The NEA and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). The largest professional employee organization in the United States is The National Education Association. It represents and supports public school teachers, retired educators, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities as well as college students who are preparing to become teachers. Some of the benefits that the NEA provides include bargaining teaching contracts and provide tenured teachers with the resources they would need should they be subject to any grievances. The "union" also provides educators with information about the challenges they my face in the educational system, as well as advice on class activities that help make learning and teaching fun. The NEA also helps to improve student learning by granting awards of a certain amount of money that are made to public schools to help economically challenged students to purchase books for school libraries. They are very active in helping to find a solution to the ongoing dropout crisis that has plagued the country in the recent past, and urge parents and teachers to provide children with more attention and to take a more active interest in their education.
In conclusion, I believe that teaching is a profession, as is a doctor or a lawyer, even though not all teachers are required to choose a specific area of expertise. Eventually, when I become a teacher, I will be sure to be a part of the National Education Association. I feel confident that as a future member of the teaching profession, I will have the support of the best and most powerful unions in the country.