March 1993 | Volume 50 | Number 6

The Professional Teacher Pages 12-17

Why Teachers Must Become Change Agents

Michael G. Fullan
Teacher education programs must help teaching candidates to link the moral purpose that
influences them with the tools that will prepare them to engage in productive change.
Teaching at its core is a moral profession. Scratch a good teacher and you will find a moral purpose. At
the Faculty of Education, University of Toronto, we recently examined why people enter the teaching
profession (Stiegelbauer 1992). In a random sample of 20 percent of 1,100 student teachers, the most
frequently mentioned theme was to make a difference in the lives of students. Of course, such
statements cannot be taken at face value because people have a variety of motives for becoming
teachers. Nonetheless, there is a strong kernel of truth to this conclusion.
What happens in teacher preparation, the early years of teaching, and throughout the career, however, is
another story. Those with a clear sense of moral purpose often become disheartened, and those with a
limited sense of purpose are never called upon to demonstrate their commitment. In an extensive study of
teacher burnout, Farber (1991) identifies the devastating effects of the growing sense of
inconsequentiality that often accompanies the teacher's career. Many teachers, says Farber, begin their
careers with a sense that their work is socially meaningful and will yield great personal satisfactions.
This sense dissipates, however, as the inevitable difficulties of teaching ... interact with personal issues
and vulnerabilities, as well as social pressure and values, to engender a sense of frustration and force a
reassessment of the possibilities of the job and the investment one wants to make in it (1991, p. 36).

A Natural Alliance
Certainly calls for reestablishing the moral foundation of teaching are warranted, but increased
commitment at the one-to-one and classroom levels alone is a recipe for moral martyrdom. To have any
chance of making teaching a noble and effective professionand this is my theme hereteachers must
combine the mantle of moral purpose with the skills of change agentry.
Moral purpose and change agentry, at first glance, appear to be strange bedfellows. On closer
examination they are natural allies (Fullan 1993). Stated more directly, moral purposeor making a
differenceconcerns bringing about improvements. It is, in other words, achange theme. In addition to
the need to make moral purpose more explicit, educators need the tools to engage in change
productively. Moral purpose keeps teachers close to the needs of children and youth; change agentry
causes them to develop better strategies for accomplishing their moral goals.
Those skilled in change appreciate its volatile character, and they explicitly seek ideas for coping with and
influencing change toward some desired ends. I see four core capacities for building greater change
capacity: personal vision-building, inquiry, mastery, and collaboration (see Senge 1990 and Fullan 1993).
Each of these has its institutional counterpart: shared vision-building; organizational structures, norms,

and practices of inquiry; the development of increased repertoires of skills and know-how among
organizational members; and collaborative work cultures.
But we are facing a huge dilemma. On the one hand, schools are expected to engage in continuous
renewal, and change expectations are constantly swirling around them. On the other hand, the way
teachers are trained, the way schools are organized, the way the educational hierarchy operates, and the
way political decision makers treat educators results in a system that is more likely to retain the status
quo. One way out of this quandary is to make explicit the goals and skills of change agentry. To break the
impasse, we need a new conception of teacher professionalism that integrates moral purpose and
change agentry, one that works simultaneously on individual and institutional development. One cannot
wait for the other.

Personal Vision-Building
Working on personal visions means examining and re-examining why we came into teaching. Asking
What difference am I trying to make personally? is a good place to start.
For most of us, the reasons are there, but possibly buried. For the beginning teacher, they may be
underdeveloped. It is time to make them front and center. Block emphasizes that creating a vision forces
us to take a stand for a preferred future (1987, p. 102). To articulate our vision of the future is to come
out of the closet with our doubts about the organization and the way it operates (p. 105).
Personal vision comes from within. It gives meaning to work, and it exists independently of the
organization or group we happen to be in. Once it gets going, it is not as private as it sounds. Especially
in moral occupations like teaching, the more one takes the risk to express personal purpose, the more
kindred spirits one will find. Paradoxically, personal purpose is the route to organizational change. When it
is diminished, we see in its place group-think and a continual stream of fragmented, surface changes
acquired uncritically and easily discarded.

Inquiry
All four capacities of change are intimately interrelated and mutually reinforcing. The second oneinquiry
indicates that formation and enactment of personal purpose are not static matters but, rather, a
perennial quest. Pascale (1990) captures this precisely: The essential activity for keeping our paradigm
current is persistent questioning. I will use the term inquiry. Inquiry is the engine of vitality and selfrenewal(p. 14, emphasis in original).
Inquiry is necessary for forming and reforming personal purpose. While the latter comes from within, it
must be fueled by information and ideas in the environment. Inquiry means internalizing norms, habits,
and techniques for continuous learning. For the beginner, learning is critical because of its formative
timing. Lifelong learning is essential because in complex, ever-changing societies mental maps cease to
fit the territory (Pascale 1990, p. 13). Teachers as change agents are career-long learners, without which
they would not be able to stimulate students to be continuous learners.

Mastery

Mastery is a third crucial ingredient. People behave their way into new visions and ideas, not just think
their way into them. Mastery is obviously necessary for effectiveness, but it is also a means for achieving
deeper understanding. New mind-sets arise from mastery as much as the reverse.
It has long been known that expertise is central to successful change, so it is surprising how little attention
we pay to it beyond one-shot workshops and disconnected training. Mastery involves strong initial teacher
education and career-long staff development, but when we place it in the perspective of comprehensive
change, it is much more than this. Beyond exposure to new ideas, we have to know where they fit, and
we have to become skilled in them, not just like them.
To be effective at change, mastery is essential both in relation to specific innovations and as a personal
habit.

Collaboration
There is a ceiling effect to how much we can learn if we keep to ourselves (Fullan and Hargreaves 1991).
The ability to collaborate on both a small- and large-scale is becoming one of the core requisites of
postmodern society. Personal strength, as long as it is open-minded (that is, inquiry-oriented), goes handin-hand with effective collaborationin fact, without personal strength collaboration will be more form than
content. Personal and group mastery thrive on each other in learning organizations.
In sum, the moral purpose of teaching must be reconceptualized as a change theme. Moral purpose
without change agentry is martyrdom; change agentry without moral purpose is change for the sake of
change. In combination, not only are they effective in getting things done, but they are good at getting
the right things done. The implications for teacher education and for redesigning schools are profound.

Society's Missed Opportunity

Despite the rhetoric about teacher education today, there does not seem to be a real belief that investing
in teacher education will yield results. With all the problems demanding immediate solution, it is easy to
overlook a preventive strategy that would take several years to have an impact.
Currently, teacher educationfrom initial preparation throughout the careeris not geared toward
continuous learning. Teacher education has the honor of being the worst problem and the best solution in
education. The absence of a strong publicly stated knowledge base allows the misconception to continue
that any smart person can teach. After visiting 14 colleges of education across the U.S., Kramer (1992)
concludes:
Everything [a person] needs to know about how to teach could be learned by intelligent people in a single
summer of well-planned instruction (p. 24).
In a twisted way, there is some truth to this observation. It is true in the sense that many people did and
still do take such minimal instruction and manage to have a career in teaching. It is true also that some
people with a strong summer program would end up knowing as much or more as others who take a
weak yearlong program. In her journey, Kramer found plenty of examples of moral purposecaring
people, committed to social equality. What she found wanting was an emphasis on knowledge and

understanding. Caring and competence are of course not mutually exclusive (indeed this is the point), but
they can seem that way when the knowledge base is so poorly formulated.
Teacher education institutions themselves must take responsibility for their current reputation as laggards
rather than leaders of educational reform. I will not take up the critical area of recruitment and selection in
the profession (for the best discussion, see Schlechty 1990, chapter 1). In many ways an if you build it,
they will come strategy is called for. It is self-defeating to seek candidates who turn out to be better than
the programs they enter. What is needed is a combination of selection criteria that focus on academics as
well as experience (related, for example, to moral purpose), sponsorship for underrepresented groups,
and a damn good program.
Teacher educators like other would-be change agents must take some initiative themselves. Examples
are now happening on several fronts. At the University of Toronto, we embarked on a major reform effort
in 1988. With a faculty of some 90 staff and 1,100 full-time students in a one-year post-baccalaureate
teacher certification program, we piloted a number of field-based options in partnerships with school
systems (see University of Toronto, Making a Difference Video, 1992a). In 1991 I prepared a paper for our
strategic planning committee, taking as a starting point the following premise: Faculties of Education
should not advocate things for teachers or schools that they are not capable of practicing themselves.
Using a hypothetical best faculty of education in the country metaphor, I suggested that such a faculty
would:
1.

commit itself to producing teachers who are agents of educational and social improvement,

2.

commit itself to continuous improvement through program innovation and evaluation,

3.

value and practice exemplary teaching,

4.

engage in constant inquiry,

5.

model and develop lifelong learning among staff and students,

6.

model and develop collaboration among staff and students,

7.

be respected and engaged as a vital part of the university as a whole,

8.

form partnerships with schools and other agencies,

9.

be visible and valued internationally in a way that contributes locally and globally,

10. work collaboratively to build regional, national, and international networks (Fullan 1991).

To illustrate, consider items 3 and 6. It would seem self-evident that faculties of education would stand for
exemplary teaching among their own staff. Faculties of education have some excellent (and poor)
teachers, but I would venture to say that hardly any have effective institutional mechanisms for improving
their own teaching. Regarding item 6, many faculties of education advocate collaborative work cultures for
schools, and some participate in professional development schools. This leads to two embarrassing
questions. First, to what extent are teacher preparation programs designed so that student teachers
deliberately develop and practice the habits and skills of collaboration? Even more embarrassing, to what

extent do university professors (arts and science, as well as education) value and practice collaboration in
their own teaching and scholarship?

Key Images for Teacher Preparation

With such guiding principles, and some experience with them through our pilot projects, we at the
University of Toronto have recently begun redesigning the entire teacher preparation program. Our
Restructuring Committee has proposed that:
Every teacher should be knowledgeable about, committed to, and skilled in:
1.

working with all students in an equitable, effective, and caring manner by respecting diversity in relation to ethnicity,
race, gender, and special needs of each learner;

2.

being active learners who continuously seek, assess, apply, and communicate knowledge as reflective
practitioners throughout their careers;

3.

developing and applying knowledge of curriculum, instruction, principles of learning, and evaluation needed to
implement and monitor effective and evolving programs for all learners;

4.

initiating, valuing, and practicing collaboration and partnerships with students, colleagues, parents, community,
government, and social and business agencies;

5.
6.

appreciating and practicing the principles, ethics, and legal responsibilities of teaching as a profession;
developing a personal philosophy of teaching which is informed by and contributes to the organizational,
community, societal, and global contexts of education (University of Toronto, B.Ed. Restructuring Committee,
1992b).

We are now developing the actual program, curriculum, and teaching designs. Everything we know about
the complexities of change applies in spades to the reform of higher education institutions. Nonetheless,
after four years, we have made good progress and look forward to the next four years as the ones when
more comprehensive and systematic reform will be put into place (see also Goodlad 1991, Howey 1992,
and the third report of the Holmes Group, forthcoming).
To summarize: Faculties of education must redesign their programs to focus directly on developing the
beginner's knowledge base for effective teaching and the knowledge base for changing the conditions
that affect teaching. Sarason puts it this way: Is it asking too much of preparatory programs to prepare
their students for a `real world' which they must understand and seek to change if as persons and
professionals they are to grow, not only to survive (in press, p. 252, my emphasis). Goodlad (1991) asks
a similar question: Are a large percentage of these educators thoroughly grounded in the knowledge and
skills required to bring about meaningful change? (p. 4). The new standard for the future is that every
teacher must strive to become effective at managing change.

Redesigning Schools
One of the main reasons that restructuring has failed so far is that there is no underlying conception that
grounds what would happen within new structures. Restructuring has caused changes in participation, in
governance, and in other formal aspects of the organization, but in the majority of cases, it has not

affected the teaching-learning core and professional culture (Berends 1992, Fullan 1993). To restructure
is not to reculture.
The professional teacher, to be effective, must become a career-long learner of more sophisticated
pedagogies and technologies and be able to form and reform productive collaborations with colleagues,
parents, community agencies, businesses, and others. The teacher of the future, in other words, must be
equally at home in the classroom and in working with others to bring about continuous improvements.
I do not have the space to elaborateindeed many of the details have not been worked out. The general
directions, however, are clear. In terms of pedagogy, the works of Gardner (1991) and Sizer (1992)in
developing approaches to teaching for understandingexemplify the kinds of knowledge and skills that
teachers must develop and enlarge upon throughout their careers.
Beyond better pedagogy, the teacher of the future must actively improve the conditions for learning in his
or her immediate environments. Put one way, teachers will never improve learning in the classroom (or
whatever the direct learning environment) unless they also help improve conditions that surround the
classroom. Andy Hargreaves and I developed 12 guidelines for action consistent with this new conception
of interactive professionalism:
1.

locate, listen to, and articulate your inner voice;

2.

practice reflection in action, on action, and about action;

3.

develop a risk-taking mentality;

4.

trust processes as well as people;

5.

appreciate the total person in working with others;

6.

commit to working with colleagues;

7.

seek variety and avoid balkanization;

8.

redefine your role to extend beyond the classroom;

9.

balance work and life;

10. push and support principals and other administrators to develop interactive professionalism;
11. commit to continuous improvement and perpetual learning;
12. monitor and strengthen the connection between your development and students' development (Fullan and
Hargreaves 1991).

We also developed eight guidelines for principals that focus their energies on reculturing the school
toward greater interactive professionalism to make a difference in the educational lives of students.
However, as important as principals can be, they are a diversion (and perhaps a liability) as far as new
conceptions of the professional teacher are concerned. In a real sense, what gives the contemporary
principalship inflated importance is the absence of leadership opportunities on the part of teachers (Fullan
1993).

A New Professionalism

Teacher professionalism is at a threshold. Moral purpose and change agentry are implicit in what good
teaching and effective change are about, but as yet they are society's (and teaching's) great untapped
resources for radical and continuous improvement. We need to go public with a new rationale for why
teaching and teacher development are fundamental to the future of society.
Above all, we need action that links initial teacher preparation and continuous teacher development based
on moral purpose and change agentry with the corresponding restructuring of universities and schools
and their relationships. Systems don't change by themselves. Rather, the actions of individuals and small
groups working on new conceptions intersect to produce breakthroughs (Fullan 1993). New conceptions,
once mobilized, become new paradigms. The new paradigm for teacher professionalism synthesizes the
forces of moral purpose and change agentry.

References
Berends, M. (1992). A Description of Restructuring in Nationally Nominated Schools. Paper presented at
the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco.
Block, P. (1987). The Empowered Manager. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Farber, B. (1991). Crisis in Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Fullan, M. (1991). The Best Faculty of Education in the Country: A Fable. Submitted to the Strategic
Planning Committee. Faculty of Education, University of Toronto.
Fullan, M. (1993). Change Forces: Probing the Depths of Educational Reform. London: Falmer Press.
Fullan, M., and A. Hargreaves. (1991). What's Worth Fighting for in Your School? Toronto: Ontario Public
School Teachers' Federation; Andover, Mass.: The Network; Buckingham, U.K.: Open University Press;
Melbourne: Australian Council of Educational Administration.
Gardner, H. (1991). The Unschooled Mind. New York: Basic Books.
Goodlad, J. (1991). Why We Need a Complete Redesign of Teacher Education.Educational
Leadership 49, 3: 410.
Holmes Group. (In press). Tomorrow's Colleges of Education. East Lansing, Mich.: Holmes Group.
Howey, K. R. (1992). The Network of Fifteen. Columbus: Ohio State University.
Kramer, R. (1992). Ed School Follies. New York: Foss Press.
Pascale, P. (1990). Managing on the Edge. New York: Touchstone.
Sarason, S. (In press). The Case for a Change: The Preparation of Educators. San Francisco: JosseyBass.
Schlechty, P. (1990). Reform in Teacher Education. Washington, D.C.: American Association of Colleges
of Education.
Senge, P. (1990). The Fifth Discipline. New York: Doubleday.
Sizer, T. (1992). Horace's School: Redesigning the American High School. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Stiegelbauer, S. (1992). Why We Want to Be Teachers. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the
American Educational Research Association, San Francisco.
University of Toronto, Faculty of Education. (1992a). Making a Difference Video, Toronto, Ontario.

University of Toronto, Faculty of Education. (1992b). B.Ed. Restructuring Committee Report, Toronto,
Ontario.

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar93/vol50/num06/WhyTeachers-Must-Become-Change-Agents.aspx

Professional development: teacher

development and confidence
By Gerardo Valazza

Level: Starter/beginner, Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper intermediate,

Advanced Type:Reference material

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Advice and suggestions on how teachers can improve their personal

development and confidence.
I am a teacher of college and I want to know how one teacher can enhance her or his confidence
in this field and how to build the best teaching ability of teaching.
Posted by Mariam
Introduction
Gaining confidence in their teaching skills and developing their teaching ability in general are not just the
concern of teachers who are new to the profession, but also of experienced teachers when they meet new
challenges which seem to threaten their long-standing values and beliefs about learning and teaching,
especially if these may imply changes to their teaching practices. Just think of how many times you have asked
yourself the following questions when you have had to face a new task: Can I do that? Will I be able to do it
well? After a while you may find yourself asking: How can I do better?
Confidence, teaching ability and teacher development
In my opinion, gaining self-confidence and developing your teaching ability are closely related, and working on
either concern leads to improvement on the other. The more you develop your teaching ability, the more
confident you will become in your teaching. In the same way, the more confident you become in your teaching
skills, the better prepared you are to move on to the next level, i.e. deepen your understanding of learning and
teaching, find out about the latest learning and teaching theories, and try out new teaching practices, thus
developing your teaching ability. In other words, answering one of the questions may help us to answer the
other question as well.

But where do the answers to Mariams questions lie? It seems to me that finding ways to gain confidence in
what you do and improve your teaching skills are different aspects of the same concern, i.e. how can we
develop as a professional teacher? Underhill (1986:1) describes teacher development as the process of
becoming the best kind of teacher that I personally can be. Rossner (1992:4) argues that teacher
development is not just to do with language or even teaching: its also about language development, counseling
skills, assertiveness training, confidence-building (my italics), computing, meditation, cultural broadening
almost anything, in fact. Both descriptions of teacher development seem to take account of Mariams
concerns. Therefore, in order to answer Mariams questions we can perhaps look into the theory of teacher
development.
Teacher development and a model of teaching
Freeman (1989:37) regards teacher development and teacher training as the two main teacher education
strategies. In order to distinguish between them he proposes a model of teaching which characterizes it as a
decision-making process based on the categories of knowledge, skills, attitude, and awareness (ibid:27).
Whereas teacher training addresses the more trainable aspects of teaching based on knowledge and skills,
teacher development is concerned with generating change with regard to the more complex constituents of
teaching, i.e. awareness and attitude.
I believe Freemans model of teaching can help us to impose some order on the wide range of options which
are available for teachers aiming to gain confidence in their teaching and develop their teaching ability in
general. In the sections that follow I make reference to each of the aforementioned constituents of teaching in
turn and discuss what teachers can do in each of these respects in order to develop professionally. These are
not exhaustive lists and readers will very likely have their own ideas to add to them.

Self-confidence, teaching ability and KNOWLEDGE

As far as knowledge is concerned there seem to be different ways in which teachers can develop confidence
and improve their general teaching ability:

The subject matter Above all, teachers should aim to develop their knowledge of the subject matter
they teach. If this is English, teachers can study the language to further their understanding of how it works,
they can enroll in language development courses, and they can seek opportunities to practise and develop their
ability to listen to, read, speak and write in English, for example, by not missing the opportunities they have to
interact orally with native speakers, subscribing to EFL/ESL magazines, and participating in synchronic or
asynchronic discussions on the Web. (Ed - such as the onestopenglish forum)
Theories about learning and teaching Teachers should also aim at deepening their understanding
of the theories underpinning learning and teaching practices. This can be achieved by reading about teaching
and learning, attending seminars and workshops regularly, and enrolling on methodology courses which will
enable them to reconstruct their knowledge of the background to language learning and teaching.
The students The more teachers know their students, the more effective their teaching will be.
Teachers can get to know students better by giving them opportunities to talk about themselves, really listening
to what they have to say, encouraging them to give teachers feedback on anything and everything that
happens in the classroom, showing a real interest in them and above all, by teachers just being themselves,
i.e. not pretending to be somebody they are not.
The workplace Finally, it is important that teachers know the context in which they work very well.
This involves academic aspects such as syllabuses, assessment procedures, and knowledge of the
supplementary materials they can count on, as well as more practical concerns like the use of audio, video or
computer equipment.
Self-confidence, teaching ability and SKILLS

In addition to knowing about the subject matter, theories of learning and teaching, the students, and the
workplace, teachers should aim at improving their ability to put all this knowledge into practice and becoming
more skilful at teaching. This can be achieved by having a daring and exploratory attitude towards teaching
which involves trying out different methods, techniques and activities again and again, reflecting on their
effectiveness, and capitalizing on these experiences in order to make the necessary changes to their teaching
habits.
Trying out new ideas in the classroom has the additional benefit of making the activity of teaching much more
interesting. Having an exploratory attitude towards teaching helps to prevent the feeling of being stuck in a rut,
i.e. working on the same teaching points in the same way year after year.
Becoming more skilful at a certain activity has a lot to do with being aware of ones own strengths and
weaknesses, which is the aspect that is discussed in the next section.

Self-confidence, teaching ability and AWARENESS

Teachers can develop further by increasing their self-awareness. What kind of teachers are they? How are they
perceived by their students and colleagues? What are the strengths they should capitalize on and the
weaknesses they should be working on? Self-awareness can be raised in a number of ways:

Teachers can make audio or video recordings of their lessons and watch, analyze and reflect on the
recordings afterwards.
They can invite a colleague to sit in while they teach and ask them for feedback after the lesson.
Observing other teachers teach can be very enlightening. It helps teachers to compare different
teaching styles, practices, etc. and become more aware of what kind of teachers they are, or they are not.
The students themselves can provide teachers with very valuable feedback on their performance.
Implementing instances for the collection of this kind of feedback regularly can be very valuable.
Teachers can benefit from whatever evaluation system is implemented at their workplace if they regard
it as an awareness-raising opportunity leading to professional development.
Self-confidence, teaching ability and ATTITUDE
Finally, teacher development has much to do with developing and sustaining a positive attitude towards the
activity of teaching and oneself as a teacher. Teachers must plan their lessons regularly, aim at being better
informed about their profession, obtain a teaching certificate, diploma or degree, and respect themselves, their
colleagues and their students.
In addition, teachers should try not to allow personal problems to affect their teaching or feel discouraged when
facing new challenges which at first may seem insurmountable. They should enjoy themselves when teaching,
treat themselves to something nice when they achieve their aims, and take a well-deserved rest when they
have the opportunity to do so.
Conclusion
Mariams questions are not easy to answer and some of the solutions that have been suggested may not be
simple to implement. Neither is the aforementioned list of options and exhaustive account of what teachers can
do to develop professionally. However, I hope the present article has shed some light on some of the possible
ways in which teachers can face the problems of developing self-confidence and their teaching ability.

Bibliography
Freeman, D (1989): Teacher Training, Development, and Decision Making: A Model of Teaching and Related
Strategies for Language Teacher Education in TESOL Quarterly 23/1: 27 - 45.
Underhill, A (1986): Editorial in Teacher Development Newsletter 9: 4
Rossner, R (1992): Where theres a will facilitating teacher development in Teacher Development
Newsletter 18: 4 - 5

http://www.onestopenglish.com/methodology/methodology/professionaldevelopment/professional-development-teacher-development-andconfidence/146473.article

Overview / What Do You Mean, Professional?

Ron Brandt
Several weeks ago I had an angioplasty, a procedure by which a balloon-like gadget is inserted through a
vein to unclog an artery in the heart. I never doubted that my doctors knew exactly what they were doing;
they are well-trained professionals. My daughter, a nurse, tells me that this sophisticated procedure was
devised in the 1960s and used more widely in the '70s. No one would be surprised that it is now standard
practice; we have come to expect such technological progress in medicine.
Education is not like medicine, of course, but my experience made me think about the similarities and
differences between the two occupations. In a recent newsletter from the Center on Teaching and
Learning Mathematics at the University of Wisconsin, Judah Schwartz (1993) of the Harvard Educational
Technology Center described a workshop in which algebra teachers tried out a new type of algebra
curriculum, one thatthanks to computersrepresents functions graphically as well as symbolically. In
short, the teachers reported understanding quite a lot about algebra that they had never grasped before.
The story illustrates for me the enormous changes that must take place if we are to have the level of
education we aspire to. Nearly all current reform effortsdefining outcomes and standards, strengthening
curriculum, using more powerful teaching and learning practices, redesigning assessment, changing
decision-making structuresdepend to some degree on the knowledge and capabilities of teachers.

Unless teachers are able to use high-quality materials and more effective strategies, unless they can hold
students to higher performance standards, schools will continue as they are. We must have teachers who
are fully professional.
But what does professional mean when applied to teachers? The word can mean somebody who does
something for a living: a professional baker, a professional golfer. It can mean anyone who does an
especially good job: You're a real pro. More formally, it means a member of an occupation with
recognized professional status.
Educators have yearned to be recognized as professionals for generations, but the current drive for
professionalization originated in the mid-1980s, when it became apparent to policymakers that mandates
by themselves were not going to bring substantially higher achievement. Minimum competency tests and
stiffer graduation requirements may have affected the quantity of students' education, but
its quality depended on the quality of their instruction, and that depended on their teachers.
What could be done, the policymakers wondered, to increase the number of excellent teachers? One
obvious answer was to make the job more attractive by raising pay and improving working conditions. So
we had merit pay plans, career ladders, and mentor teacher programs, some of which continue. In many
states there were hefty budget increases, most of which have by now been eclipsed by recession.
But if teachers were to be paid more, they had to be worth it. So there were initiatives to improve teacher
education by prestigious universities belonging to the Holmes Group. There was the Carnegie Forum
report, A Nation Prepared (1986), with its call for lead teachers. And, as recommended in that report, the
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards was created so that the best teachers in the country
could be recognized through national certification (see Barringer, p. 18).
Now, when state and local cupboards are bare, and when many teachers are getting furloughs rather than
raises, it seems paradoxical that only a few years ago politicians were proclaiming their determination to
make teaching more attractive by rewarding good teachers. Nevertheless they were right; circumstances
may have changed, but professionalization remains a fundamental goal.
Professionalization means not only higher pay, of course, but several other things, all interrelated: high
admission standards, excellent undergraduate and graduate preparation, continuing education on the job,
and desirable working conditionsincluding adequate supplies and equipment, opportunities to interact
with colleagues, and reasonable latitude in making decisions.
These changes will not be achieved overnight. But if and when they are achieved, the cumulative effect
will be a cadre of teachers better qualified than most current educatorsnot necessarily more committed

or humane, but better qualified professionallyto give students the kind of education that is the
foundation for a world-class society.

References
Schwartz, J. L. (1993). The Teachers and Algebra Project, NCRMSE Research Review, 2, 1.
Task Force on Teaching as a Profession (1986). A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century. New
York: Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy.

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar93/vol50/num06/WhatDo-You-Mean,-%E2%80%9CProfessional%E2%80%9D%C2%A2.aspx

The Qualities of a Truly Professional Teacher

Have you ever wondered what the qualities of a really professional teacher are? I know
that all teachers want their students to like them, but being liked isn't the be-all and endall really, is it? I mean teachers have to make some unpopular decisions sometimes.
Teachers can be popular just because they are friendly and helpful, but to be truly
professional and effective they need other qualities. Students may not be able to put
their finger on just why one teacher is more effective than another but we need to be
able to identify the skills and behavior we require in a true professional.
A professional teacher needs to be confident without being arrogant. Nobody can
expect to have all the answers, so if a student asks a real stinker, the professional
teacher should be able to admit defeat but offer to find out more for the student. And
they must carry that promise out.
Proper preparation is another crucial requirement of professionalism. When the teacher
enters the classroom s/he should have all the required materials and the lesson plan
ready. Nothing is more sloppy than poor preparation.
Interaction with the group needs professional standards of behavior: polite, firm and fair
just about sum it up. And in orchestrating the class the teacher must give everyone their
chance to contribute and should be flexible enough to modify lessons if they are
obviously not going to plan. Indeed a fall-back position is part of good planning.

It stands to reason also that teacher must observe punctuality and appropriate tidiness
and dress: it is not possible to demand such behavior from students if the teacher
doesnt set the standards. Indeed I can remember occasions on which students have
complained to me about scruffy teachers.
The last thing I would mention is that teachers should be able to feel that their
professionalism entitles them to back-up from the school directors. If a teacher has a
problem class or student then the school should have procedures for handling the
difficulties. The teacher should not have to feel alone and vulnerable if a difficult
situation arises. So, yes, professionalism cuts both ways: in the standards we demand
of teachers and the framework we have for giving them support.
http://www.eslemployment.com/articles/the-qualities-of-a-truly-professionalteacher-413.html

Skills to Become a Professional Teacher

by Mark Applegate

Today's teachers have many challenges unknown even a few generations ago. The rise of
technology, the decline of the nuclear family, federal and state regulations, and a host of other
challenges have transformed the profession. Nevertheless, a teacher must have certain skills to
navigate the sometimes choppy waters of modern education.

Subject Matter Depth

You must have a measure of subject matter knowledge to be an effective educator. In secondary
and postsecondary education, while you have a set of subjects to teach, you'll also need skills in
other disciplines to help your students apply the facts. Science teachers often assist in reading
comprehension. Math teachers may assist in science or technology. In preschool and primary
education, you'll likely teach all core subjects, sometimes with the help of specialists or aides.
Creating engaging lesson plans is challenging if you have no interest or knowledge in the topic.

Communication
Communication skills are used from before the first bell until well after school is finished for
the day. In a technology-saturated world, parents may communicate through email or social
media before and after hours. The challenges of communicating with parents is often cited as a
reason why some teachers leave the occupation. Classroom instruction requires you to
communicate both facts and applications to your students in a way that shares information and
teaches them to learn on their own. Teachers share lesson plans and presentations within a school
district and at conferences on a regular basis. Teachers must also communicate effectively with
administration about job expectations and methodologies.

Flexibility
Flexibility in teaching is sometimes overlooked. Teaching standards and methodologies change
frequently. There are often fads in teaching led by successful educators in conferences or
seminars, but these can be very hard to duplicate in your unique situation. The mark of a flexible
teacher is that she can apply the good parts of these fads and discard the bad. Flexibility is also

important since every student is an individual and responds differently to teaching styles and
methods. While some students memorize, others require hands-on, personal attention.
Standardized testing highlights the need for flexibility since material and expectations change
frequently.

Classroom Management
A teacher who knows the subject and how to teach and apply it, but can't maintain order in the
classroom, will not be an effective teacher. He must use discipline when necessary, while not
forgetting to offer praise when deserved. He must set clear expectations and rules early in the
school year and must be consistent in executing the rules to the end. He must gain the respect of
students and address disrespectful ones quickly.

Technology
Technology saturates teaching. While many schools offer technology classes, students in most
classrooms use technology to research, organize and present material. Interactive whiteboards,
laptops and projectors are essential "tools of the trade" for many teachers. Most schools require
teachers to update an electronic gradebook program that allows parents to see student grades in
real time. A professional teacher must support technology teachers and parents in teaching the
benefits and dangers of using computers.
http://oureverydaylife.com/skills-become-professional-teacher-3348.html

How to be a Professional Teacher

Without Being Distant
The road to becoming an effective teacher is not a smooth one. It has many potholes
into which we can fall and roadblocks that we must overcome.
Few things will trip up a teacher more quickly than trying to be their students friend. The
teacher may have good motives, desiring to be someone that their students can come
to for advice. But this good intention is misguided. Yes, we teachers should want to be
approachable, but we are mistaken when we think that we have to be our students
friends in order for them to seek us out. If we try to be friends, our classrooms will suffer,
and as a result, our students will suffer. We simply will not be as effective as we could
be.

Thankfully, its not an either-or situation. We can be professional, effective teachers

while also being personable and approachable.

Being a professional teacher does not mean that you have to be uncaring or
boring if you keep in mind these three principles:
1.

See yourself as the students mentor, not their friend. Effective teachers care
about their students and want to be involved in their lives, but they also realize that they
must take the role of mentor, not friend. A mentor steers and guides his students without
acting like their peer.

2.

Be friendly, not familiar. Be friendly and open in your interactions with students,
but avoid being familiar. For example, if a student shares with you that they got to go
snorkeling on their recent vacation, a friendly response may sound like this: Wow,
Adam, it sounds like you and your family had a great time! I love snorkeling. Did you get
to see any turtles? On the other hand, an unprofessional, familiar response would be,
Dude, thats sweet! Im so jealous! Although I betcha you were scared of sharks,
huh?

3.

Care more about being effective than being liked. While everyone has an
innate desire to be liked, you cannot let this natural inclination control you as a teacher.
If you worry about whether or not your students like you, you wont be professional, and
your classroom will become very difficult to control. Instead, focus on your desire to be
an effective teacher whom the students can respect.
The teacher who is caring yet professional will be much more effective, and ultimately
much more influential, than the familiar, unprofessional teacher.
For more thoughts on this topic, download my new e-book Create Your Dream
Classroom, in which we discuss professionalism in more detail.

http://teach4theheart.com/2013/07/08/how-to-be-a-professional-teacher-withoutbeing-distant/

Top 10 Qualities of a Great Teacher

A great teacher is one a student remembers and cherishes forever. Teachers have long-lasting impacts on
the lives of their students, and the greatest teachers inspire students toward greatness. To be successful,
a great teacher must have:
1.
2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

An Engaging Personality and Teaching Style

A great teacher is very engaging and holds the attention of students in all discussions.
Clear Objectives for Lessons
A great teacher establishes clear objectives for each lesson and works to meet those specific
objectives during each class.
Effective Discipline Skills
A great teacher has effective discipline skills and can promote positive behaviors and change in the
classroom.
Good Classroom Management Skills
A great teacher has good classroom management skills and can ensure good student behavior,
effective study and work habits, and an overall sense of respect in the classroom.
Good Communication with Parents
A great teacher maintains open communication with parents and keeps them informed of what is
going on in the classroom as far as curriculum, discipline, and other issues. They make themselves
available for phone calls, meetings, and email.
High Expectations
A great teacher has high expectations of their students and encourages everyone to always work at
their best level.
Knowledge of Curriculum and Standards
A great teacher has thorough knowledge of the school's curriculum and other standards they must
uphold in the classroom. They ensure their teaching meets those standards.
Knowledge of Subject Matter
This may seem obvious, but is sometimes overlooked. A great teacher has incredible knowledge of
and enthusiasm for the subject matter they are teaching. They are prepared to answer questions and
keep the material interesting for the students.
Passion for Children and Teaching
A great teacher is passionate about teaching and working with children. They are excited about
influencing students' lives and understand the impact they have.
Strong Rapport with Students
A great teacher develops a strong rapport with students and establishes trusting relationships.

http://teaching.org/resources/top-10-qualities-of-a-great-teacher
9 Useful Skills for Teachers
While teaching can certainly be a challenge, it is also one of the most rewarding careers out
there. Check out some of the useful skills for teachers to see if there are any areas you need to
work on before you become one:
Patience
This is likely the single most important skill. Kids these days are stubborn, and many lack the
inherent respect for authority that we were taught at a young age. Spending a single day in a
room full of raucous teenagers is enough to send any human being to the looney bin, which is
why every good teacher needs patience in order to find a way to work with his students and
earn their respect.
Adaptability
Different kids learn in different ways, and some lessons need unique teaching tools. Good
teachers know how toadapt their lesson plan to their students, so that all the kids learn
optimally. This trait can take some experience and practice in a classroom setting, so give it
time.
Imagination
Whether you teach high school chemistry or kindergarten, nothing is a more effective tool than
using your imagination to create new and interesting ways for your students to learn. You
may be inspired by the work of another teacher, mentor or a TV commercial - it doesn't matter.
All that matters is that you take the initiative to find new ways for your kids to learn the
material.
Teamwork
Teachers could have a hard time without a wide variety of support staff around them. If you feel
alone, your school principal, administrative staff, parent-teacher committee, and more are often
available to provide you help. By working as a team, you may have an easier time increasing
your students' ability to learn and have fun.
Risk Taking
Sometimes to get the big reward, you may need to take a risk. Being a teacher is about finding
a way to get kids to learn, and sometimes these new learning methods can be risky. Stick to it
and you'll soon find that others are following your teaching example.

Constant Learning
You can never know too much when you are a teacher, especially when it comes to the best
way to teach your students. Great teachers are constantly looking for ways to expand their
horizons with courses, workshops, and seminars. Make sure you don't become stagnant by
taking courses to keep the content fresh in your mind.
Communication
No teacher will succeed if they don't have good communication skills. Clear, concise, and to the
point - the better your communication skills are, the easier your lessons will be. There are
many different types of classes available to help some teachers who may need help improving
their skills.
Mentoring
Teachers need to always remember that, aside from parents, they are one of the most
consistent mentors in a child's life. That means setting a good example, at all times.
Teachers may also have students that they spend extra time with being a mentor, which means
that being a good role model is even more important.
Leadership
One of the other most important skills each teacher must have (besides patience) is leadership.
Your students need someone to guide them, to be in charge, and set the tone of the class.
Leadership is a difficult skill, meaning you may want to get outside help if you feel that you could
use more work on this particular skill, or any other for that matter.

http://www.teachercertification.org/a/9-useful-skills-for-teachers.html

What Makes You a Professional

Teacher
Updated on October 15, 2011

An article based on a true work experience

Have you ever asked yourself What makes me a successful and a professional teacher?
Well, as we all know , teaching is not easy but it is very interesting job . It may seem easy to study at
a university and prepare yourself to be a teacher , but when it is the time t practice it may not look as
easy as it was expected . There are some important things you should keep as a good teacher . I am
going to mention here the most important ones I have experienced through my work period .
Well, the most thing you should have to be a successful teacher is to know your students and their
needs well . Classes , especially at universities , are heterogeneous ,i.e your classes have many
students with different backgrounds , education knowledge, learning strategies , needs, and may be
culture . It is very important to know your students before starting work . If you teach grammar and
structure , for example, ask your students to write a short paragraph about themselves . You can
collect their work and check it later . Their work will tell you their background and knowledge of
grammar rules and sentence structure . So, getting an idea about the entire needs of your students
is the most important factor in being a professional teacher .
Along with , professional teachers are always patient and organized . they never rush their students
or explain randomly . So, to move one stair upwards success, plan everything before you go to class
. Set all things according to a logical order and introduce your lesson step by step taking into
consideration your students learning strategies . Besides, a successful teacher shows an interest in
the subject as well as the students . So, be patient with and show a great interest in your students .
Further more, professional teachers enjoy their job and vary their roles in the class .You may want to
be the person who provides the students information , but besides being information deliverer , you

can be a close friend of them , a parent , a promoter , .. . You can enjoy and vary your role in the
class in a way that interests both , your students and you . You never can better when you enjoy
your job . Creating a relaxed environment helps you successfully cover a great amount of the
content . Besides,you will realize better participation of your students with time and therefore
learning will happen .
One thing more, students have different learning strategies , so successful and professional
teachers vary their teaching techniques . Using the same method every time does not help reaching
the goal . Some of your students can not react to a specific method but they can do much better with
another one . From the other hand , the used method can be suitable for a specific content of a
lesson but not for another one . Using the GTM or Direct method , for example, can be good in a
lesson but not in another . Some students may react to TPR while others may not show clear
reaction or great interest in the method . Choosing good activities or practice tasks is another factor
here . Think carefully how you can assess your students new language and set the best activity for
that . You can use pair or group work one time , and oral discussion other time , and many more
activities .
To sum up, being a good and successful teacher is not a talent , but a skill you learn and acquire
through time . The list bellow shows the most important features of professional teachers :
Professional teachers:
- Know their students well .
- Vary their role in the class .
- Enjoy their job .
- Joke with their students and create relaxed class environment
- Are always patient with students .
- Plan every thing before they come to the class .
- Never waste time .
- Vary and use different teaching techniques .
- Look for the most suitable activities for students .
- Show interest in students and subject .
- Give their students enough time to learn and practice .

- Focus on the goal .

http://hubpages.com/education/What-Makes-You-a-Professional-Teacher

Teaching professionalism Why, What and How

S.R. Cruess and R.L. Cruess
Author information Copyright and License information

This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.

Abstract
Teaching professionalism is not so much a particular segment of the curriculum as a defining
dimension of medical education as a whole (Sullivan WM, 2009, p. xi).
Go to:

Why teach Professionalism?

The past half century has seen major changes in the practice of medicine. The explosion of
science and technology, as well as the development of multiple specialties and sub-specialties,
has made the profession both more diverse and disease oriented (Starr, 1984). The increased
complexity of care and its cost have brought third party payers, either governments or the
corporate sector, into the business of health. Society has also changed. Starting in the 1960s all
forms of authority were questioned, including the professions (Krause, 1996; Hafferty &
McKinley, 1993). Medicine in particular was seen as self serving rather than promoting the
public good and was felt to self-regulate poorly with weak standards applied irregularly. There
was a feeling that the professions did not deserve the trust or their privileged position in society.
As a result medicine began to examine the threats to its professionalism and, starting in the mid1990s, realized that if professionalism was to survive, action would be required. It was
concluded that one important step would be to teach professionalism explicitly to students,
residents, and practicing physicians (Cruess & Cruess, 1997a; Cruess & Cruess, 1997b; Cohen,
2006). In many western countries this has become a requirement for accreditation of medical
schools and training programs. There has been an amazing increase in the medical literature on
professionalism and medicines social contract with society, as well as how best to teach and
evaluate professionalism (Cruess et al., 2009; Stern, 2005; Hodges et al., 2011).

Go to:

The Challenges
There are several challenges inherent in teaching professionalism (Cruess et al., 2009; Cruess &
Cruess, 2006). The first is to obtain agreement on a definition. The next is how best to impart
knowledge of professionalism to students and faculty. Of great importance is how to encourage
those behaviors characteristic of a professional (developing a professional identity). Traditionally
professionalism was taught by role-models (Wright et al., 1998; Kenny et al., 2003; Cruess et al.,
2008). This is still an essential method but it is no longer sufficient. Both faculty, many of whom
are role-models, and students should understand the nature of contemporary professionalism. In
the literature there are two approaches to teaching professionalism; to teach it explicitly as a
series of traits (Swick, 2000) or as a moral endeavor, stressing reflection and experiential
learning (Coulehan, 2005; Huddle, 2005). Neither alone is sufficient. Teaching it by providing a
definition and listing a series of traits gives students only a theoretical knowledge of the subject.
Relying solely on role modeling and experiential learning is selective, often disorganized, and
actually represents what was done in the past. Both approaches must be combined in order that
students both understand the nature of professionalism and internalize its values (Ludmerer,
1999).
The first step to be taken in teaching professionalism is to teach its cognitive base explicitly.
(Cruess et al., 2009; Cruess & Cruess, 2006) This will allow both faculty and students to have
the same understanding of the nature of professionalism and share the same vocabulary as they
reflect upon it. A medical institution should therefore select and agree on the definition of a
profession and its attributes. There is some confusion in the literature on the exact nature of the
words profession and professionalism, with some believing that it is difficult to define
professionalism as it is too complex and context driven. There are however several definitions
available, and all contain similar content (Stern, 2005; Swick, 2000; Steinert et al., 2007;
Sullivan and Arnold, 2009; Todhunter et al., 2011). There are also attributes, drawn from the
literature, which outline what is expected of a medical professional and these can form the basis
of identifying the behaviors which reflect these attributes (Cruess et al., 2009).
Go to:

Profession and Professionalism

The literature contains many definitions which can serve as the basis of the teaching of
professionalism. While the arrangement of the words may vary, the content of these definitions is
remarkably similar. The International Charter on Medical Professionalism (Brennan et al., 2002),
the Royal College of Physicians of London (2005), Swick (2000), Stern (2005) and others have

published acceptable definitions. We developed and published the following definition of

profession which has served us well in our teaching programs (Cruess et al., 2004).
Profession: An occupation whose core element is work based upon the mastery of a complex
body of knowledge and skills. It is a vocation in which knowledge of some department of
science or learning or the practice of an art founded upon it is used in the service of others. Its
members are governed by codes of ethics and profess a commitment to competence, integrity
and morality, altruism, and the promotion of the public good within their domain. These
commitments form the basis of a social contract between a profession and society, which in
return grants the profession a monopoly over the use of its knowledge base, the right to
considerable autonomy in practice and the privilege of self-regulation. Professions and their
members are accountable to those served, to the profession and to society.
Professionalism as a term is obviously derived from the word profession. The definition provided
by the Royal College of Physicians of London is useful for teaching (2005).
Professionalism: A set of values, behaviors, and relationships that underpins the trust that the
public has in doctors.
We believe that physicians serve two separate but interlocking roles as they practice medicine,
those of the healer and the professional (Figure 1). While they cannot be separated in practice,
for teaching purposes it is useful to distinguish them (Cruess et al., 2009). The healer has been
present since before recorded history and the characteristics of the healer appear to be universal.
In every society those who are ill wish healers to demonstrate competence, caring and
compassion, and treat them as individuals. While the word profession has been used since the
time of Hippocrates, the modern professions arose in the guilds and universities of medieval
England and Europe (Starr, 1984; Hafferty & McKinley, 1993). The medical profession had little
impact on society until science provided a base for modern medicine and the Industrial
Revolution provided sufficient wealth so that health care could actually be purchased. At this
time, society turned to the pre-existing professions and organized the delivery of healthcare
around them by granting licensure. This provided a monopoly over practice, considerable
autonomy, the privilege of self-regulation, and financial rewards. The attributes of the healer and
of the professional are shown in Figure 2. Together, they outline societal expectations of
individual physicians and the medical profession under medicines social contract.

Fig. 1
The healer and the professional have different origins and have evolved in
parallel but separately. As shown on the left, all societies have required
the services of healers. The western tradition of healing began in Hellenic
Greece and is the part of ...

Fig. 2
The attributes traditionally associated with the healer are shown in the
left hand circle and those with the professional on the right. As can be
seen, there are attributes unique to each role. Those shared by both are
found in the large area of overlap...

The definitions and list of attributes which serve as the basis of the cognitive base should be
taught as early as possible in the curriculum and expanded in later sessions to reinforce the
knowledge base and provide experience in using the vocabulary. As students gain experience, the
concept of the social contract between society and medicine (Cruess & Cruess, 2008) can be
introduced. Sociologists tell us that society uses professions to organize the essential complex
services that it requires, including those of the healer. It has been described by Klein (2006) as a
bargain in which medicine is granted prestige, autonomy, the privilege of self-regulation and
rewards on the understanding that physicians will be altruistic, self-regulate well, be trustworthy,
and address the concerns of society. Although it is not a written contract with deliverables, there
are reciprocal expectations and obligations on both sides. The concept of the social contract
assists in introducing the obligations of a physician arising from the contract and provides a
justification for their presence. In addition, as medicine and society change, the contract, as well
as the professionalism which is linked to it, must evolve.
Go to:

Developing professional identity

As experience in teaching professionalism has been gained, the realization has grown that the
educational objective is to assist students as they develop a professional identity, a process that
we are only beginning to understand. Identity can be defined as: A set of characteristics or a
description that distinguishes a person or thing from others (Oxford Dictionary, 1989). Students

enter medicine with an established identity and wish to acquire the identity of a physician.
Professional identity formation is an evolving process that involves a combination of experience
and reflection on experience (Hilton & Slotnick, 2005).
Professional identity develops through socialization which isthe process by which a person
learns to function within a particular society or group by internalizing its values and norms
(Oxford Dictionary, 1989). Students must understand the identity they are to acquire and must be
exposed to the experiences necessary for the formation of this identity (Hafferty, 2009). Finally,
they require time to reflect on these experiences in a safe environment. Fundamental to the
process is the presence of role models who demonstrate the behaviors characteristic of the healer
and the professional in their daily lives. Finally, the learning environment must be supportive of
the development of a professional identity. Teaching institutions are responsible for providing
this environment, something that requires them to pay attention to the formal, the informal and
the hidden curricula.
Go to:

General principles
When an institution initiates a program of teaching professionalism, experience has shown that
there are some general principles that are useful to follow (Cruess & Cruess, 2006).
Institutional Support
It is difficult to initiate a major teaching program without the support of the Deans office and of
the Chairs of the major departments. As many bodies accrediting teaching and training programs
now require professionalism to be taught and evaluated, administrative and financial support is
becoming somewhat easier to obtain. Time must be mobilized in the curriculum, although
experience has shown that the amount of additional time required is often not great. Most
faculties already have activities taking place whose objective is to develop the professionalism of
its students. These can frequently be reorganized into a coherent course to which can be added
new learning experiences. In addition some administrative and financial support is almost always
required.
Allocation of responsibility for the program
Someone must be responsible for the program and accountable for its performance. Ideally a
respected member of the faculty is chosen to lead the design and implementation of the
professionalism program and be its champion. In addition the program can benefit from the
presence of an advisory committee with broad representation from the faculty. It must be

remembered that professionalism crosses departmental lines and ideally exposure to it should
come within the context of many departmental activities.
Continuity
The definition, attributes, and behaviors serve as the basis for instruction at all levels
undergraduate, postgraduate, and practicing physician. Ideally they should inform the admission
policies of the medical school, be used for teaching students, residents, and faculty, and for
continuing professional development. The unifying theme is a common understanding of nature
of professionalism. How it is taught and evaluated will vary depending upon the educational
level. There is general agreement that stage appropriate educational activities, including
assessment, should be devised and that they should represent an integrated entity throughout the
continuum of medical education.
Incremental Approach
A comprehensive program for teaching professionalism is difficult to implement at all levels
simultaneously. One should start with those activities devoted to the teaching of professionalism
that are already in place. New programs often represent a combination of these activities and new
learning experiences developed to complement what was previously taught. Once the objectives
for the program on teaching professionalism have been developed, the program can be designed
and introduced in incremental fashion.
The Cognitive Base
It is important to outline precisely what is to be taught. Thus, the cognitive base requires special
attention. The definitions and attributes of the professional, which are to be the foundation of the
teaching program, should be developed within the institution and general agreement on the
educational approach to the subject obtained. Both the medical school and its teaching hospitals
should participate in this process as all share the responsibility to understand and articulate what
is expected of both students and faculty. The cognitive base must be taught explicitly and often,
with increasing levels of sophistication appropriate to the students level of learning.
Experiential learning and Self-Reflection
The introduction of the cognitive base provides learners with both knowledge of the nature of
professionalism and its value system. Medicines values must then be internalized so that they
can serve as the foundation of a professional identity (Hafferty, 2009). There is wide consensus
that students must experience situations in which these values become relevant or challenged as a
necessary first step in the process of internalization. Learners must also have opportunities and

time to reflect upon these experiences in a safe environment (Schon, 1987; Epstein, 1999).
Teaching programs should ensure that students are exposed to the wide variety of experiences
necessary to encompass knowledge of professionalism. The majority of these encounters will be
true clinical situations, but in many instances they can be supplemented with reflection on
experience from simulated clinical situations, small group discussions, clinical vignettes, role
plays, film and video tape reviews, narratives, portfolios, social media, or directed reading
(Cruess & Cruess, 2006).
The experiences used in teaching professionalism should be appropriate to the level of the
student (Rudy, 2001). Reflection can be during the experience, on the experience, or after it has
occurred, considering how action might differ in similar situations in the future.
Role Modeling
Role models must understand what aspects of professionalism they are modeling and be explicit
about what they modeling (Cruess & Cruess, 2006; Wright et al., 1998; Kenny et al., 2003).
Faculty development is often required to provide role-models with knowledge of the cognitive
base of professionalism (Steinert et al., 2007). The role-modeling of faculty should be assessed
and there must be positive or negative consequences to the evaluation (Cruess et al., 2008). Rolemodels should be supported and good role-models rewarded, poor ones remediated, and those
who have demonstrated that they cannot be a good role model removed from teaching.
Evaluation
Both the cognitive base and the behaviors reflective of professional attributes must be evaluated,
obviously using different methods. Knowledge can be tested in the traditional ways, including
multiple choice questions, essays, short answers etc. It has become clear that professional
attitudes and values cannot be reliably evaluated. It is therefore necessary to develop a series of
observable behaviors which reflect the attitudes and values of the professional that can be
evaluated (Stern, 2005; Hodges et al., 2011). It has also been recognized that only by carrying
out multiple observations by multiple observers can reliable and valid results be obtained. Tools
have been developed in order to accomplish this, and they should be used to evaluate students,
residents, and faculty.
The evaluation of behaviors should be formative as this supports the learning process (Sullivan
& Arnold, 2009). Summative evaluation must also be done on students and residents as it is the
responsibility of the profession to protect the public from unprofessional practitioners. The
professionalism of faculty members must also be assessed (Todhunter et al., 2011). It is a
universal complaint of students that they are encouraged to behave professionally but frequently

are exposed to unprofessional conduct on the part of their teachers (Brainard & Bilsen, 2007).
Assessment of faculty performance offers a possible means of correcting this.
The Environment
The environment in which learning takes place can have a profound positive or negative impact
on learning. There are three major components to this environment: the formal, the informal, and
the hidden curricula (Hafferty & Franks, 1994; Hafferty, 1998). The formal curriculum consists
of the official material contained in the mission statement of an institution and its course
objectives. It outlines what the faculty believes they are teaching. The informal curriculum
consists of unscripted, unplanned, and highly interpersonal forms of teaching and learning that
takes place in classrooms, corridors, elevators - indeed any place where students and faculty have
contact. It is here that role models exert their positive or negative influence. Finally, the hidden
curriculum functions at the level of the organizational structure and culture of an institution.
Allocation of time to certain activities, promotion policies and reward systems, that, for example,
rewards research rather than teaching, can have a profound impact on the learning environment.
This impact is felt disproportionately in the area of professionalism, which is so heavily
dependent upon values. As a part of the establishment of any teaching program on
professionalism, all elements of the curriculum must be addressed in order to ensure that they
support professional values.
Faculty Development
Faculty development is fundamental to the establishment of a program of teaching
professionalism (Steinert et al., 2007). It promotes institutional agreement on definitions and
characteristics of professionalism. It allows the faculty to develop methods of teaching and
evaluation and, properly used can lead to substantial changes in the curriculum. Most
importantly, it helps to ensure the presence of skilled teachers, group leaders, and hopefully role
models.
Go to:

The McGill Experience

In 1997 McGill instituted the teaching of professionalism and over the next six years, in an
incremental fashion, developed a four year program on Physicianship (Cruess & Cruess, 2006;
Boudreau et al., 2011; Boudreau et al., 2007). The concept includes the separate but overlapping
roles of physicians as healers and as professionals. Through a series of faculty development
workshops the faculty agreed upon the definitions to be used and the attributes to be taught and

evaluated (Steinert et al., 2007). These became the basis for 1. the selection of students 2. the
content of teaching and 3. of the evaluation of students, residents, and faculty.
Go to:

Student selection
McGill changed its student selection process to one utilizing the multiple mini interview process
(MMI) (Razack et al., 2009). The mini-interviews take place in a simulation center using actors.
There are 10 stations, with each station designed to demonstrate the presence in the applicant of
the behaviors found in a model physician. The purpose is to identify those candidates who
already demonstrate the attributes of the healer and the professional and, importantly, to publicly
indicate the importance of these attributes. For those students who are granted an interview, the
MMI score contributes 70% of the candidates final ranking on the admission scale. Unpublished
data indicates that the MMI scores correlate with clinical performance during medical school.
There are three major aspects to the undergraduate program; whole class activities on both the
healer and the professional; unit specific activities in various departments; and a mentorship
program. The faculty first identified those components that were already being taught (ethics,
professionalism, narrative medicine, end-of-life care) and added the others as they were
developed.
Go to:

Whole class activities

In the undergraduate curriculum, a longitudinal course on Physicianship that the students are
required to pass was developed and implemented (Cruess & Cruess, 2006; Boudreau et al., 2007;
Boudreau et al., 2011). It contained two separate but overlapping blocks on the healer and the
professional.
Whole class activities include lectures on the nature of professionalism. Of symbolic
significance, the first lecture on the first day of class is a didactic session on professionalism
which presents the definitions and vocabulary which will be used. This is followed by small
group sessions with trained faculty that examines vignettes demonstrating good and poor
professional behavior. The objective is to identify the attributes present in each, familiarizing
students with the vocabulary and the use of the concept. Ethics lectures are given and are always
followed by small group discussions. Communication skills are taught using the CalgaryCambridge format (Kurtz & Silverman, 1996). The subjects covered in the bloc on the Healer are
physician wellness, the perspective of both the doctor and patient in the doctor-patient

relationship, working with members of the health care team, and analyzing the nature of
suffering. Great emphasis is placed upon reviewing narratives of the experiences of both patients
and physicians. Other whole class activities include the introduction to the cadaver as the
students first patient as well as a body donor service developed by students to show appreciation
for the donors of the bodies. There is a white coat ceremony given prior to entry into the clinical
years. Palliative care is felt to emphasize the healer role and there are special reflective
experiences in this domain with mentors. In the last year students attend seminars with the goal
of uniting the healer and professionalism roles. Students are given a fuller exposure to the
concept of medicines social contract with society and encouraged to reflect on which of the
public expectations of the profession they will find difficult to fulfill and how they might
overcome these difficulties. These discussions are guided by their mentors (Osler Fellows) who
have been with them for all four years.
Go to:

Unit specific activities

Each department is encouraged to develop unit specific activities on the roles of the healer and
the professional. Departmental rounds are devoted to the subject, bedside discussions of conflicts
in professionalism take place, and the professionalism of students is assessed on ongoing basis.
Of necessity, there is less structure to unit-specific activities than is present in whole class
activities, but they are of extreme importance in providing experiences upon which students
reflect with their mentors.
Go to:

Osler Fellows
A mentorship program was established with the mentors being given the title of Osler Fellows.
They were selected from a list of nominations by students and faculty of those recognized as
being outstanding teachers, practitioners and role models. Each Osler Fellow mentors six
students throughout their medical school career. They are an important part of the teaching of
professionalism as they have a series of mandated activities which must be carried out. A
portfolio is instituted, with an emphasis on professionalism, and narratives are produced and
reviewed. There are of course a host of unscheduled encounters during which the student and
mentor establish a relationship. The Osler Fellows have a dedicated faculty development
program to familiarize them with their roles (Steinert et al., 2010).
Go to:

Postgraduate education
During postgraduate training, residents have several half day recall sessions each year (Snell,
2009). At one of these there is a review of the cognitive base of professionalism as many
residents are from diverse backgrounds. It is important to provide a common vocabulary for use
in training and practice. The review is followed by small group sessions including residents from
different specialties who discuss their experiences of professionalism during residency with an
emphasis on how they will meet their responsibilities to society. Residents are involved as group
leaders for the undergraduate sessions, participate in the assessment of the professionalism of
students and faculty, and sessions are held to assist them in understanding their roles as teachers
and role-models. The subjects covered in other half-day sessions that relate to professionalism
are ethics, malpractice, risk management, teamwork, communication skills, and their own
wellness.
Go to:

Conclusion
Teaching professionalism requires that each teaching community agree on the cognitive base - a
definition of profession, the attributes of the professional, and the relationship of medicine to the
society which it serves. These should be taught explicitly. The program should extend throughout
the continuum of medical education and passing should be obligatory for progression to the next
level. The substance of professionalism must become part of each physicians identity and be
reflected in observable behaviors. Professionalism should be taught as an Ideal to be pursued
rather than as a set of rules and regulations (Cruess et al., 2000).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3987476/

15 Characteristics of a 21st-Century Teacher

RELATED TAGS: Technology Integration, Professional Development, Teacher Development, All Grades

Recent technological advances have affected many areas of our lives: the way we communicate,
collaborate, learn, and, of course, teach. Along with that, those advances necessitated an expansion of
our vocabulary, producing definitions such as digital natives, digital immigrants, and, the topic of this post
-- "21st-century teacher."
As I am writing this post, I am trying to recall if I ever had heard phrases such as "20th-century teacher" or
"19th-century teacher." Quick Google search reassures me that there is no such word combination.

Changing the "20th" to "21st" brings different results: a 21st-century school, 21st-century education, 21stcentury teacher, 21st-century skills -- all there! I then searched for Twitter hashtags and Amazon books,
and the results were just the same; nothing for the "20th-century teacher" while a lot for the "21st":
#teacher21, #21stcenturyskills, #21stCTeaching and no books with titles #containing "20th century" while
quite a few on the 21st-century teaching and learning.
Obviously, teaching in the 21-century is an altogether different phenomenon; never before could
learning be happening the way it is now -- everywhere, all the time, on any possible topic, supporting any
possible learning style or preference. But what does being a 21st-century teacher really mean?
Below are 15 characteristics of a 21st-century teacher:

1. Learner-Centered Classroom and Personalized Instructions

As students have access to any information possible, there certainly is no need to "spoon-feed" the
knowledge or teach "one-size fits all" content. As students have different personalities, goals, and needs,
offering personalized instructions is not just possible but also desirable. When students are allowed to
make their own choices, they own their learning, increase intrinsic motivation, and put in more effort -- an
ideal recipe for better learning outcomes!
2. Students as Producers
Today's students have the latest and greatest tools, yet, the usage in many cases barely goes beyond
communicating with family and friends via chat, text, or calls. Even though students are now viewed as
digital natives, many are far from producing any digital content. While they do own expensive devices with
capabilities to produce blogs, infographics, books, how-to videos, and tutorials, just to name a few, in
many classes, they are still asked to turn those devices off and work with handouts and worksheets.
Sadly, often times these papers are simply thrown away once graded. Many students don't even want to
do them, let alone keep or return them later. When given a chance, students can produce beautiful and
creative blogs, movies, or digital stories that they feel proud of and share with others.
3. Learn New Technologies
In order to be able to offer students choices, having one's own hands-on experience and expertise will be
useful. Since technology keeps developing, learning a tool once and for all is not a option. The good news
is that new technologies are new for the novice and and experienced teachers alike, so everyone can
jump in at any time! I used a short-term subscription to www.lynda.com, which has many resources for
learning new technologies.
4. Go Global

Today's tools make it possible to learn about other countries and people first hand. Of course, textbooks
are still sufficient, yet, there is nothing like learning languages, cultures, and communication skills from
actually talking to people from other parts of the world.
It's a shame that with all the tools available, we still learn about other cultures, people, and events from
the media. Teaching students how to use the tools in their hands to "visit" any corner of this planet will
hopefully make us more knowledgable and sympathetic.
5. Be Smart and Use Smart Phones
Once again -- when students are encouraged to view their devices as valuable tools that support
knowledge (rather than distractions), they start using them as such. I remember my first years of teaching
when I would not allow cell phones in class and I'd try to explain every new vocabulary word or answer
any question myself -- something I would not even think of doing today!
I have learned that different students have different needs when it comes to help with new vocabulary or
questions; therefore, there is no need to waste time and explain something that perhaps only one or two
students would benefit from. Instead, teaching students to be independent and know how to find answers
they need makes the class a different environment!
I have seen positive changes ever since I started viewing students' devices as useful aid. In fact,
sometimes I even respond by saying "I don't know -- use Google and tell us all!" What a difference in their
reactions and outcomes!
6. Blog
I have written on the importance of both student and teacher blogging. Even my beginners of English
could see the value of writing for real audience and establishing their digital presence. To blog or not to
blog should not be a question any more!
7. Go Digital
Another important attribute is to go paperless -- organizing teaching resources and activities on one's own
website and integrating technology bring students learning experience to a different level. Sharing links
and offering digital discussions as opposed to a constant paper flow allows students to access and share
class resources in a more organized fashion.
8. Collaborate
Technology allows collaboration between teachers & students. Creating digital resources, presentations,
and projects together with other educators and students will make classroom activities resemble the real
world. Collaboration should go beyond sharing documents via e-mail or creating PowerPoint
presentations. Many great ideas never go beyond a conversation or paper copy, which is a great loss!
Collaboration globally can change our entire experience!

9. Use Twitter Chat

Participating in Twitter chat is the cheapest and most efficient way to organize one's own PD, share
research and ideas, and stay current with issues and updates in the field. We can grow professionally and
expand our knowledge as there is a great conversation happening every day, and going to conferences is
no longer the only way to meet others and build professional learning networks.
10. Connect
Connect with like-minded individuals. Again, today's tools allow us to connect anyone, anywhere,
anytime. Have a question for an expert or colleague? Simply connect via social media: follow, join, ask, or
tell!
11. Project-Based Learning
As today's students have an access to authentic resources on the web, experts anywhere in the world,
and peers learning the same subject somewhere else, teaching with textbooks is very "20th-century"
(when the previously listed option were not available). Today's students should develop their own driving
questions, conduct their research, contact experts, and create final projects to share all using devices
already in their hands. All they need from their teacher is guidance!
12. Build Your Positive Digital Footprint
It might sound obvious, but it is for today's teachers to model how to appropriately use social media, how
to produce and publish valuable content, and how to create sharable resources. Even though it's true that
teachers are people, and they want to use social media and post their pictures and thoughts, we cannot
ask our students not to do inappropriate things online if we ourselves do it. Maintaining professional
behavior both in class and online will help build positive digital footprint and model appropriate actions for
students.
13. Code
While this one might sound complicated, coding is nothing but today's literacy. As a pencil or pen were
"the tools" of the 20th-century, making it impossible to picture a teacher not capable to operate with it,
today's teacher must be able to operate with today's pen and pencil, i.e., computers. Coding is very
interesting to learn -- the feeling of writing a page with HTML is amazing! Even though I have ways to go,
just like in every other field, a step at a time can take go a long way. Again, lynda.com is a great resource
to start with!
14. Innovate
I invite you to expand your teaching toolbox and try new ways you have not tried before, such as teaching
with social media or replacing textbooks with web resources. Not for the sake of tools but for the sake of
students!

Ever since I started using TED talks and my own activities based on those videos, my students have been
giving a very different feedback. They love it! They love using Facebook for class discussions and
announcements. They appreciate novelty -- not the new tools, but the new, more productive and
interesting ways of using them.
15. Keep Learning
As new ways and new technology keep emerging, learning and adapting is essential. The good news is:
it's fun, and even 20 min a day will take you a long way!
As always, please share your vision in the comment area! Happy 21st-century teaching!

https://www.edutopia.org/discussion/15-characteristics-21st-century-teacher

Attributes of a Professional Teacher

Bla Bla Writing

Attributes of a Professional Teacher

Every teacher wants to be a good teacher, but what is this myth about being a good
teacher? Who is it? What are the characteristics of a good teacher? And how can you
become a good teacher?
Teaching jobs are often worthwhile and satisfying for people who love to teach. I am a
teacher (tutor) too, though I do not think myself as a very good teacher, but I know one
thing that majority of my students (tutees) do love me, and I guess this is the point
where good things start to happen.

I was thinking about what are the characteristics of a good teacher and how can I
become a good teacher or which characteristics and qualities should a good teacher
possess?
I know that all teachers want their students to like them, but being liked isnt the be-all
and end-all really, is it? I mean teachers have to make some unpopular decisions
sometimes.

Teachers can be popular just because they are friendly and helpful, but to be truly
professional and effective they need other qualities. Students may not be able to put
their finger on just why one teacher is more effective than another but we need to be
able to identify the skills and behavior we require in a true professional.
I believe if a teacher possesses the following characteristics and qualities, he/she can
become a professional teacher with a lot of fan base too.
1. Personality, Values and Attitude
A good teacher has a very good personality; there is no second thought about it.
Students always get attracted to teachers with good personality and characteristics
which leads to better communication, understanding and ultimately good results.
Everyone can have a good, decent, likable and presentable personality. Just dress
sensibly good, smell good, and be a little gentle and kind. Thats all. Teachers are
models of values. Whether conscious of them or not, values are exhibited implicitly and
explicitly. Values connote standards, code of ethics and strong belief.
Open-mindedness is basic in promoting respect and trust between teachers and
students. Students are encouraged to consider one anothers findings and explanations.
Free exchanges of suggestions develop a respectful attitude among them.
Fairness and impartiality in treating students eliminate discrimination. Teachers must be
unbiased and objective in judging their work and performance. Fairness inculcates selfconfidence and trust among students.
Sincerity and honesty are values exhibited in words and actions. Teachers interact with
students every minute. Their mannerisms, habits and speech are watched and at times
imitated. Teachers must show their real self. Sincerity dictates that they stick to the
truth, to the extent of accepting what they do not know about the lesson.
Professionalism is highly treasured in the teaching profession. Teachers are adjudged
professional if they are knowledgeable, skilled and value-laden. They catch students
attention and keep them focused on the topic, to soothe their feelings away from tension
and to develop a sense of humor among themselves.
2. Confidence

A professional teacher needs to be confident without being arrogant. Nobody can

expect to have all the answers, so if a student asks a real stinker, the professional
teacher should be able to admit defeat but offer to find out more for the student. And
they must carry that promise out.
3. Passion
Being passionate about his/her subject and work makes an ordinary teacher a
professional teacher. Passion often makes the difference between teaching and
equipping people for life. The love for the subject and for her work is infectious, filling
the students with similar passion and enthusiasm. Passion for teaching is a compelling
force that emerges from teachers love for children. Passionate teachers exude
spontaneity in ministering to the needs of the students especially those experiencing
learning difficulties. It is a passion for teaching that drives them to care for their students
corrected with appropriate reformative action.
4. A Good Communicator
One of the very important characteristics of a professional teacher is his communication
skills. He should be a very good speaker. This characteristic will benefit a teacher in
several ways. For example: i) If his communication skills are good, he can convey his
lectures with better skill and results. ii) If a teacher is a good speaker, his class strength
increases automatically. People love to hear a person who he can speak well enough.

There is always a shortage of good speakers in the world

Teacher shares with others in a manner that encourages effective two-way
communication. He communicates personal thoughts and feelings on a wide spectrum
of issues and can listen to students in an empathetic manner, assuring each that
conversations will be held in confidence.
5. A Good Listener
Apart from being a good communicator, a professional teacher should also have the
characteristic of being an even better listener. As there is Turkish proverb: If speaking is
silver; then listening is gold.

Remember, a good listener will always have many friends and fans. Because people do
not want to hear every time, they need persons who can listen to them as well. And
when a good teacher develops this patient quality in himself, he starts to become a
great teacher.
6. Good sense of humor
A professional teacher should also have the quality and characteristic of having a good
sense of humor. It is a logical fact, that a person generally teaches the next generation
and as they are younger than the teacher, they are expected to have more fun in the
class too. So, a good teacher is the one who can cope up with his sense of humor, and
with his strong communication skills and personality, can also maintain the discipline of
the class. Students look forward to a class which is managed by a teacher who is
serious but has a sense of humor. A professional teacher knows how to take the tension
out of tight situations. He uses humor, spontaneously, in a tasteful manner. He builds
togetherness in the classroom, through the use of humor.
7. Skilled-leader and Knowledgeable
A professional teacher is a skilled leader. Different from administrative leaders, effective
teachers focus on shared decision-making and teamwork, as well as on community
building. This professional teacher conveys this sense of leadership to students by
providing opportunities for each of them to assume leadership roles. A professional
teacher possesses a control of the knowledge base of teaching and learning and use of
his knowledge to guide the science and art of his/her teaching practice. Professional
teacher is in a constant quest for knowledge. Keeps up in his or her specialty areas, and
has the insight to integrate new knowledge. Takes knowledge and translates it to
students in a way which is comprehensible to them, yet retains its originality.
In conclusion, it takes more to be a teacher than just being an expert in your area of
specialization. While teaching is a gift that seems to come quite naturally for some,
others have to work overtime to achieve great teacher status. Yet the payoff is
enormous for both teachers and students. Imagine students thinking of you as
teacher when they remember that great teacher they had in preschool, elementary, high
school and college. A teacher who would go beyond the call of duty to teach children to
perform to their best potential while instilling in them values of good living is not only a

good teacher, but a great human being who gives to the world a great generation with
an excellent future
http://blablawriting.com/attributes-of-a-professional-teacher-essay

A teacher: Pros and cons of

their career

Bla Bla Writing

A teacher: Pros and cons of their career

Have you ever thought of becoming a teacher? If so, you should know that
this job requires many qualities such as kindness, knowledge, tenderness,
understanding, love, etc. Teaching can be a rewarding career, but it certainly
isnt for everyone. It requires to have patience and to be able to relate
information in an interesting way to your students. Moreover, you have to be
a good psychologist to deal with people and to understand them. Before
deciding to become a teacher it is worth considering the pros and cons, so
that you can be sure youre making the right career decision for you.
Following list of pros and cons of being a teacher probably will help you to
understand better whether you want to be a teacher or not. Among the
advantages we can find. Firstly,consonant communication with people.
There is one condition- you should love children and communication with
people in general. Secondly,feeling of fulfillment. What can be better for
teacher than to see how your students progress and become wiser.
Thirdly,rewarding job. If you like explaining smth. to smb. And it brings you
pleasure- this job is for you. Another benefit of teaching is that you generally
have long holidays, especially in the summer and at Christmas. Thus, you
may not be on a high salary, but you can enjoy the fact that you have plenty
of time off. For the most part, teachers are well-respected in society..
Teachers are generally treated well because of the responsibilities they have
to educate the future. Finally, government subsidies benefit.

Not sure about your essay?

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Nevertheless there are some disadvantages of being a teacher too. Firstly,

consonant stress. Work with people is always connected to some sorts of
conflicts. Therefore, conflicts lead to stresses. Its important to be patient.
Secondly, salaries are not always high, especially in public schools. In private
schools there is usually more opportunity to earn. Thirdly, working with big
audience. Its hard to speak when no one is even trying to listen. Teacher
must become an authority among students to make them listen to him/her.
Finally,you have to deal with irate parents, school bullies and misbehaved
children.
http://blablawriting.com/a-teacher-pros-and-cons-of-their-career-essay