MABINI COLLEGES, INC.

Daet, Camarines Norte

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
1st Sem., S.Y.2021-2022

Prof. Ed. 4 – The Teaching Profession

Title: Teaching as Your Vocation, Mission and Profession

After completing this module, students must have:

 Explained the meaning of teaching as a profession
 Described the personal qualities and competences of effective classroom teachers; and
 Enumerated the professional characteristics of pre-service and practicing teachers

LECTURE NOTES
Read this…

Etymology of the word “vocation”

Vocation comes from the Latin word “vocare” which means to call. Based on the etymology of the word,
vocation therefore , means a call. If there’s a call,there’s must be caller and someone who is called. There must also be a
response. For Christians, the Caller is God Himself. For our brother and sister Muslims, Allah. Believers in the Supreme
being will look at this voiceless call to have a vertical dimension. For non-believers, the call is also experienced but this
may viewed solely along a horizontal dimension. It is like man calling another man, never a Superior being calling man.

The Christians among you realize that the Bible is full of stories of men and women who were called by God to
do something not for themselves but for others. We know of Abraham, the first one called by God, to become the father
of a great nation, the nation of God’s chosen people. We recall Moses who called while in Egypt to lead God’s chosen
people out of Egypt in order to free them from slavery. In the New Testament, we know of Mary who was also called by
God to become the mother of the Savior, Jesus Christ. In Islam, we are familiar with Muhammad, the last of the
prophets to respond positively to God’s call. Buddha must have also heard the call to abandon his royal life in order to
seek the answer to the problem on suffering.

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. From the eyes of those who
believe, it was God who called you here for you to teach, just as God called Abraham, Moses, and Mary, of the Bible.
Like you, these biblical figures did not also understand the events surrounding their call. But in their great faith, they
answered YES. The fact the you are now in the College of Education signifies that you said YES to the call to teach.
Perhaps you never dreamt to become a teacher! But here you are now preparing to become one! Teaching must be your
vocation, your calling. May this YES response remain a YES and become even firmer through the years.

Teaching as a profession
In the words “professional manner,” “gawang propesyunal”, “professional fee for expert services rendered” the
world “professional” implies one who possesses skill and competence/ expertise. ““Highly professional”
“unprofessional… to act that way” imply a code of ethics by which a professional person abide. In short, a professional is
one who conforms to the technical or ethical standards of a profession. So, two elements of a profession are
competence and a Code of Ethics.
 The other elements of a profession are:

1. Initial Professional Education – Professionals generally begin their professional lives by completing a university
program in their professional lives by completing a university program in their chosen fields – teacher education,
engineering, nursing, accountancy. This means long and arduous years of preparation. Take note this is just initial, which
means only the beginning because a professional is expected to learn endlessly.

2. Accreditation – University programs are approved by a regulatory body like the Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) in the Philippines to ensure that graduates from these recognized programs start their professional
lives with competence.

3. Licensing – Licensing is mandatory, not voluntary and is administered by a government authority. In the
Philippines, this government authority is the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

4. Professional Development
This is an ongoing professional education that maintains or improves professionals’ knowledge and skills
after they begin professional practice. In the Philippines this is Continuing Professional Development mandated by RA
10912, otherwise known as the CPD Act of 2016.

5. Professional Societies
Professionals see themselves as part of a community of like-minded individuals who put their
professional standards above the individual self-interest or their employer’s self-interest. These professional societies
put dedication to the public interest and commitment to moral and ethical values.

Professional societies define certification criteria, manage certification programs, establish accreditation
standards and define a code of ethics and disciplinary action for violations of this code.

6. Code of Ethics
Each profession has a code of ethics to ensure that its practitioners behave responsibly. The code states
what professionals should do. Professionals can be ejected from their professional societies or lose their licenses to
practice for violating the code of ethics.

The teaching profession is governed by the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers. Violation of the
Code of Ethics for professional teachers is one of the grounds for the revocation of the professional teacher’s Certificate
of Registration and suspension from the practice of the teaching profession ( Sec., RA. 7836)

Knowing the Quality Teacher

The Teacher as a Person and as a Professional

What is really like to be a teacher? Why is being a Teacher considered as one of the most respected
professionals in the Philippines? What makes a teacher differently better than any other profession? What characterize
a teacher as a person and as a professional?

Personal Qualities of Filipino Teachers

To be a teacher in the Philippines is a challenging profession. Teachers serve the country just like any other hero.
To be a teacher requires a lot of personal and professional qualities. These qualities make an excellent Filipino teacher
an exceptional professional.
First, the teacher must have innate qualities or attributes that are exemplary and are fitted to be teachers. These
are natural tendencies of a person. Here are some of the qualities and attributes that distinctly characterize a teacher.

Personal Qualities of Teachers and the Descriptors

Personal Qualities
Lives with dignity that exemplifies self-respect,
integrity and self-discipline
Takes care one’s physical, emotional and mental
well-being
Lives a life inspired by spiritual principles and
beliefs
Exhibits deep knowledge and understanding
across disciplines
Recognizes own strength with humility
Perseveres in challenging situation
Demonstrates a natural action to work together
with others
Not everyone has these qualities, hence not everyone can be a good teacher. As the old saying goes: “Teachers
are born but good teachers are both born and made.”
What the Teacher IS and DOES
This teacher is honest, has integrity, self-respect
and self-discipline. Likewise, respected by
students, peers and the community.
This teacher is physically, emotionally and
mentally healthy. Clean and neat, dresses
appropriately and pleasant in words and in
action.
This teacher behaves according to the personal
spiritual beliefs that are not contrary to the
norms, mores and tradition of the community.
This teacher is mentally alert, makes correct
decision, intelligent to be able to acquire new
knowledge, skills, and values needed in order to
teach. She/he has the ability to learn new things,
re-learn knowledge, skills and values that are no
longer applicable to the current times.
This teacher sets high goals for himself/herself,
but remains humble and willing to share success.
He/she is confident of doing task but does not
consider self to be better than others all the time.
This teacher is calm in the midst of chaos,
remains steadfast under pressure, does not easily
give up and adjusts to different situations.
This teacher volunteers tasks for others , always
willing to share, extends help willingly, accepts
responsibility, tolerant of other people, and gives
up time for the group.

Professional Competences of Filipino Teachers

Going to teacher training institutions and earning a teaching degree mean developing a professional teacher like
you. You can only become a professional teacher if you earn a degree to teach in either elementary level or high school
level. You should also earn a license to teach by passing a licensure examination for teachers. While studying in college
you are learning the ropes of a professional teacher. You learn the content courses including the major or specialization
and the professional courses including the pedagogy courses.

So what are the professional competencies that every teacher should have? You will find these in the matrix that
follow.

Professional Competencies of Filipino Teachers

Professional Competencies What the teacher DOES

Abides by the code of ethics for the profession
Masters the subject matter to be taught
Updates oneself on educational trends, policies
and curricula
This teacher practices the rules and conduct of
professional teachers.
This teacher masters and updates himself/herself
with subject matter content to be taught
This teacher keeps abreast with educational
trends, policies and curricula by taking up
graduate studies, attending seminars and
workshops.
Uses teaching methods to facilitate student
learning
Builds rapport network with parents and
community
Demonstrates knowledge , understanding of the
characteristics and needs of diverse learners
Plans, prepares and implements school
curriculum responsibly
Designs, selects and utilize appropriate
assessment strategies and tools
Provides safe, secure, fair physical and
psychological learning environment that supports
learning.
Serves beyond call of duty
This teacher practices different ways of teaching
appropriate to the learners and the subject
matter.
This teacher engages the cooperation of parents
and stakeholders in educating the learners.
This teacher has substantial knowledge of the
characteristics and needs of the learners.
This teacher plans, prepares, implements and
innovates the day-to-day curriculum with the
view in mind that learners will learn.
This teacher designs, selects, and uses
appropriate assessment tools for, as,and of
learning.
This teacher arranges the classroom to provide
safe, secure psychological environment that
supports and encourages learning.
This teacher does task and works even beyond
the official time when needed.

Teaching as a Mission
Teaching is also a mission. The word mission comes from the Latin word “misio” which means to “send”. You are
called to be a teacher and you are sent into the world to accomplish a mission, to teach. The Webster’s New Collegiate
Dictionary defines mission as “task assigned”. You are sent to accomplish an assigned task.
Teaching is your mission means it is the task entrusted to your 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! You training/ pre-
service preparation will equip you with the knowledge, skills, attitude to become an effective teacher. However, never
commit the mistake of culminating your mission preparation at the end of your training. You have embarked in a mission
that calls for a continuing professional education. As the saying goes “once a teacher, forever a student.”

TASK:

(Note: Your answers here should be handed in or submitted to the “assignment” post in the G-Class). Word should be
typed in Word doc or Google doc. For the graphic organizer, use PDF or simply handwritten.

1. By the use of a graphic organizer, present the elements of a profession.

2. Why does a profession like teaching require long years of initial professional education and continuing professional
development after that long, arduous initial professional education?
3. By way of an acrostic, explain the elements of a profession.
P
R
O
F
E
S
S
I
O
N