Teaching - Seven Uniquenesses of the Teaching Profession

No One Can Do What You Do?business to change and enhance lives-uniquely, and
Who can do what you do? The reason aone by one, as needed.
shortage exists in the field of teaching is simplyFifth, teachers are unique because the line of
because few can do what you do. The teachingaccountability in education has many levels and
profession is profoundly unique. In some areas oftangents. This accountability is not necessarily a
the country, a shortage is impacted bybad thing, but it has added to the complexity of
economics; other places are effected byteaching. In one way or another, teachers are
geography and weather. For the most part,impacted by the federal government, a state
metropolitan cities have fewer issues in recruitingdepartment of education, the local school district,
teachers than smaller, less populous locations.and administration at their school. What does this
Nonetheless, the field of teaching is unique andmean for teachers? It means that the results of
shortages prove that few have the calling andclassroom practices go far beyond the classroom,
desire to do what more than 3.1 million public andstudents, parents, and principals. I can't name
private educators are already doing. Let's look atanother career field that has as many
some of the reasons teaching is unique and whyaccountability variables and levels as does the field
shortages are common across the country,of public education. As a teacher-educator, be
specifically in specialized subject areas such asaware that your individual results in the classroom
science, math, and special education.are data and will be analyzed as data and that
There are seven ways in which teachersthose results will be evaluated in ways that are
educators are unique professionals:unique to the field of education. Your successes
First, we've already established the fact thator failures in the classroom, as reflected in the
teachers embrace the field of education as adata, will impact your longevity in the field of
calling not as a job. Let's face it, teaching is a veryeducation.
complex and demanding career that requiresSixth, educators are unique in that no other
teachers to be managers of people, analyzers ofprofessional group manages so many people and
data, and researchers of best practices andis so responsible for individual progress. Teachers
instructional methodologies-and these skills arework with up to one hundred and eighty students
utilized each day. In any other major professionor more each day and are required to ensure
that required the same unique qualifications,that each of those students succeeds
teachers would make significantly more money.academically. Young people, from the ages of four
Undoubtedly, the salaries for teachers must beto twenty, are instructed, counseled, directed,
reexamined and adjusted to reflect thenurtured, motivated, inspired, and coached by
uniqueness of the profession and provide balancedteachers-a cycle that continues until high school
scales for all teachers, whether they work in a biggraduation, in best-case scenarios.
city or a small town or country hamlet.You may be surprised to know that children
Second, teachers are also unique because thespend more time at school than they do awake
profession is now driven by so much data.at home and that children are influenced by more
Teachers must now be statisticians andadults in school than in any other social circle. That
researchers, fully accountable in some form ormakes the public school system the single most
fashion for managing data in the areas ofinfluential force on children-more so even than
assessment, attendance, graduation rates,church. Teaching, then, is a unique career that is
discipline percentages, and gifted and specialfaced with high liability and tremendous
education progress. The administrativeresponsibility-because real lives are dependent on
responsibilities of the teacher have definitelycompetent and professional adults. These
increased, but the resources necessary to makedemands are tremendous, and very few people
the management of these duties efficient arecan meet them successfully.
minimal. The new demand for data is needed, andLastly, teaching is unique because it is the only
critical to enhancing results, but resources areprofession where the federal government has
likewise needed to help teachers be effective andmandated absolute perfection. Specifically, the No
efficient in collecting, examining, and utilizing theChild Left Behind Act requires that all
data.children-that's 100 percent-reach proficiency on
Third, teachers are required to be learning andstate level assessments. Between the lines, this
behavioral specialists and to be able to applylegislation essentially requires teachers to provide
differentiated instruction. Differentiated instructioneffective and rigorous instruction, which will
is a newly celebrated philosophy, and a mandatehopefully translate into providing the necessary
for all teachers, that requires teachers to findskills and information sets so that students can be
effective teaching strategies that will meet theliterate and competent. However, the mandate
needs of students with different learning styles, allthat all students be made to pass assessments is
in the same classroom at the same time.largely unrealistic because of unforeseen and
Teachers must, then, be competent and active incalculable variables that prohibit the attainment of
enlisting the unique resources and skills necessarysuch a goal. Yes, the goal is lofty, but it is worthy.
to meet the needs of kinesthetic, visual, andThe expectation that teachers teach is warranted.
auditory learning styles. Additionally, the specialAt the end of the day, we all know that students
challenges of addressing emotional behavioralmust be able to think and apply their knowledge in
disorders, learning disabilities, and attention deficitreal life. After all, primary and secondary schooling
problems-all in the same classroom-broaden theis a training ground with the ultimate goal of
gap between teachers and managers. Today'spreparing young people to successfully navigate
teachers are practitioners, researchers, andcollege, a profession, and the world of adults. But
change agents; but, none of these unique skills arethe attainment of such an idealistic goal as what is
recognized or rewarded.outlined in No Child Left Behind creates an
Fourth, continuing on the same theme, teachersall-consuming stress that has hurt and will continue
must work with every child, despite theto hurt the teaching profession if not taken in
challenges of that child. In nearly every otherstride.
profession, management is able to pick out theAs this federal policy stands, I expect it to cause
bad product or the poor employee so thatnumerous educators to leave the profession-not
productivity and quality can be increased.one scientist or researcher would ever purport to
Educators do not have that same luxury. Instead,achieve 100 percent accuracy on any research or
public education demands that every child beexperiment due to variables. Even 99.9 percent
given the resources and opportunity to succeed.acknowledges the influence of some variables,
This includes those students who truly want toeven if it is only 0.1 percent. Yet, in the world of
learn and will become good "products" and thoseeducation, teachers must live with and comply to
students who get energized from wreaking havocthat unrealistic federal mandate or find a new line
and chaos in school by fighting, dealing drugs,of business, which could be extremely detrimental
taking part in gang activity, or constantlyto hundreds of districts across the country.
disrupting classes.So, yes, teaching is unique, and it requires
Instead of weeding out the bad students,educators to be multi-faceted and multi-talented.
educators are required to manage all situations, toIt is my strong belief that very few professions
provide alternatives to parents, and to somehowdemand what is required of teachers in the public
effectively guide troubled students through thesector. The demands are not necessarily bad, but
educational process. And teachers realize thatthey are indications of the complex nature of the
they must do so, regardless of social andteaching profession. Those who are cut out for
economic situations and, in some cases, the lackthis unique profession are called, often naturally
of positive parental guidance that might influenceskilled or highly and thoroughly trained, and
the behavior of the student. What becomes mostcommitted to success. And, no, not everyone is
frustrating is recognizing that, if these challengingcut out for a career in the most challenging
students refuse the positive alternatives, theyoccupation on the planet. It also requires an
may end up dead, in jail, or in a hospital orawareness of self. And, it is not for the weary.
wallowing in a continuing cycle of poverty. No oneNo, not everyone can do what teachers do. Join
gets into teaching to celebrate such a potentialthe movement - The Teachers Movement and
loss of lives and potential. Teachers get into themake a difference.