A
profession according to the Oxford
Dictionary, is a type of job that needs
special training or skill especially one that needs a high level of education.
Professionalism assumes that we expect from a person who is well trained in a particular job, a high
standard.
The
professional responsibilities of a
teacher usually involves the following:
*
Thinking about ones own teaching and being on the look out for ways of
improving it.
*Keeping
a clear record of the work of ones own
student.
*Communicating
with the parents and the institutional authorities the performance of the
students, one is assigned to teach.
*Contributing
positively both to the institution one
is working and the community.
*Demonstrating
professionalism includes:
a. Working
for the best interests of ones students;
b.Ensuring that all students are valued and
helped in ones institution;
c. Making decisions that benefit the
institution rather than oneself;
d.
Maintaining a positive and healthy
relationship with the students and the staff.
During the recently concluded International Conference of ELTAI held at Chennai, one session was devoted to a Panel Discussion on ‘How I Became a Professional’
An erudite scholar Dr. Chellapan one of
the panellists, had this to say:
* A teacher rediscovers knowledge.
* Teaching can focus on the Universal
and the Particular...on the Cognitive and the Affective...That is, it must be sensitive to Knowledge and Art. A teacher must be academically sound and
artistically perfect in communication.
*Beauty may be aesthetic...but Duty is
ethical... The teacher ought to have a human obligation... a commitment and a
passion for knowledge... the right kind of passion... and a commitment to
inquiry and practice.
* Making others learn by teaching is
actually impossible...Ideally teaching should be in the form of a dialogue...
We are familiar with drilling in the Structural Approach:
This is a book
This is a book
This is a book
This is a book
This is a book
...Such drilling may help in memorising
... but the moment the pattern changes:
Learner: This is a book...This is a
book...This is a book..
Teacher: Why?
Now learning happens... Students begin
to think...
* It is imperative for every teacher to
evolve his/her own identity.
* Teachers need to draw on Literature,
Language and Art. Teaching would involve:
1.Knowledge for Practice
2. Knowledge of Practice
3.Knowldege through Practice
It is worth recalling
Gandhiji...Education for life...Education through life...Education throughout
life...
I
particularly liked an anecdote which Dr. Chellappan narrated: Some thirty years ago, Dr. Faustus was being
screened in a cinema theatre in Chennai. As he was teaching the same play, he asked
his students to see the film. A couple of days later when Dr. Chellappan inquired about the
acting in the film... his students had only one thing to say: “ Sir..
Dr. Faustus’ description of Helen’s face “ ...Is this the face that
launched a thousand ships” lacked the passion
which you showed when you
enunciated the lines in the class!” To
this Dr. Chellappan had this to say to his students: “ Well... in the film,
Richard Burton was addressing his wife... and in the class I was
addressing an imaginary Helen!”
From the note that I made from Dr. Chellappan’s talk don’t you think he
is a true professional?....Wouldn’t you like to be one too??
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