TEACHING AS YOUR

VOCATION, MISSION and

PROFESSION
“One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers,
but with gratitude to those who touched our human
feelings…”
– Carl Jung
“
”
TEACHING AS YOUR
VOCATION.
 TEACHING AS YOUR
VOCATION.
E

It comes from the Latin word “vocare” which means “to

call”.

Teaching is more than a noble profession. It is a vocation…a

calling.
 “If there’s a call there must be a caller and someone
who is called. There must also be a response.”

Christians • caller is GOD

Muslims • caller is ALLAH

• Believers in the SUPREME BEING will look at his voiceless call to have a vertical dimension.

• Non-believers. The call is experienced but viewed solely along a horizontal dimension . It is
like man calling another man, never a Superior being calling man.
Vocation is a strong feeling of suitability for a
particular
career or occupation.

Unlike any other profession, teaching requires dedication and

service in order for an individual to be considered as a real
teacher.
EXAMPLE

Teacher Mark is treated as a teacher for teaching his students the

lessons every day. He teaches everything he knows, showing off his
mastery of the subject, but not even considering the feelings of his
students towards difficult topics. On the other hand, a volunteer
named Joy is addressed as a teacher for teaching and serving the
children of a far rural community. She travels almost 20 kilometers
everyday for the sake of her students learning and development.

What is the difference between the teaching practices of Teacher Mark and Joy?

– The main difference lies in their dedication to the service.

 When someone practices teaching as a vocation, they teach with
dedication.

 In summary, Vocation is only for some who are really dedicated

not just to work but also to serve other people.
TEACHING AS YOUR
MISSION.
It comes from the Latin word “misio” which means
“to send”.

We are sent into the world to accomplish an mission.

TEACHING AS YOUR
MISSION.
• Teaching is your mission means it is the task entrusted
to you in this world.

• Every teacher has its own unique mission, purpose, or

objective that they need to accomplish.

• We are expected to contribute to the betterment of this

world in your own unique way.
 “What exactly is the mission to teach?”

• Alfred North Whitehead

Is it to help the child become the “man of culture and of
expertise”?
• Bertrand Russell
Is it to provide opportunities for the child’s growth and to
remove hampering influences?
• To teach is to influence every child
entrusted in your care to become better
an happier because life becomes more
meaningful.
• To teach is to help child become more
human.
Dear Teacher:
I am a survivor of a concentration camp.
My eyes saw what no man should witness.
− Gas chambers built by learned engineers.
− Children poisoned by educated physicians.
− Infants killed by trained nurses.
− Woman and babies shot and burned by high school
and college graduates.

So I am suspicious of education.
My request is: Help your students become human.
Your efforts must never produce learned monsters,
skilled psychopaths, and Eichmann’s.

Reading, writing, arithmetic are important only if

they serve to make our children more human.
Some teachers regard teaching as just a
job. Others see it as their mission.

What’s the difference?

 TEACHING: MISSION and/or JOB?

If you are doing it only because you are paid for it, it’s a job.
If you are doing it not only for the pay but also for service, it’s a mission.

If you quit because your boss or colleague criticized you, it’s a job;
If you keep on teaching out of love, it’s a mission.

If you teach because it does not interfere with your other activities, it’s a job.
If you are committed to teaching even if it means letting go of other activities, it’s a
mission.
 If you quit because no one praises or thanks you for what you do, it’s a job.
If you remain teaching even though nobody recognizes your efforts, it’s a mission.

It’s hard to get excited about a teaching job;

Its almost impossible not to get excited about a mission.

If our concern is success, it’s a job;

If our concern is success plus faithfulness, it’s a mission.

An average school is filled by teachers doing their teaching job;

A great school is filled with teachers involved in mission of teaching.
So what exactly is our mission?
It is to be an effective educator or facilitator of
learning, imparting knowledge that is not just what
written in books but also in life. Our mission is to
touch hearts and mind while leading children to be a
better individual who have a strong desire to
contribute to the betterment of the society and
serve the country.
“ TEACHING AS
YOUR
PR
PROFESSION ”
.
 TEACHING AS YOUR
PROFESSION.
ELEMENTS OF A PROFESSION:
The element of a Profession “The term professional is one of
the most exalted in the English language, denoting as it does,
long and arduous years of preparation, a striving for excellence, a
dedication to the public interest, and commitment to moral and
ethical values.”
– Hon. Hermogenes P. Pobre
• Why does a profession require “long and arduous years
of preparation” and a “striving for excellence”?
 For us to be able to be able to give more (service),
which is the end goal of a profession, continuing
professional education is a must.

“We cannot give what we do not have - do more, have more

in order to be more.”
• You must strive for excellence, commit yourself to moral,
ethical and religious values and dedicate yourself to
public service
• If you take teaching as your profession, this means that
you must be willing to go through a long period of
preparation and a continuing professional development.
• End goal of profession is service
“PWEDE NA” mentality vs. EXCELLENCE

• Striving for excellence – another element of profession.

• This element brings us to the issue of “pwede na”
• “Pwede na” is inimical to excellence
• It is expressed in other ways like “talagang ganyan ‘yan”,
“wala na tayong magagawa”, etc.
• All of these are indicators of defeatism and mediocrity.
• If we stick to this complacent mentality, excellence would not be
within reach.

“DON’T SETTLE FOR LESS! STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE!”

TEACHING AND A LIFE OF MEANING

TEACHING may not be a lucrative position.

It can not guarantee financial security.
It even means investing your personal time , energy, and resources.
Sometimes it means disappointments, heartaches, and pains.
But touching the hearts of people and opening the minds of children can
give you joy and contentment which money could not buy.
These are the moments I teach for.
These are the moments I live for.

-Dr. JosetteT. Biyo 1st Asian Teacher, Intel Excellence in Teaching award