LESSON 5

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
VOCATION - comes from
Latin word "vocare" which
means to call.
- If there is a call, there
must be a caller and
someone who is called.
There must also be a
response.
In Christian teaching, you
realize that the Bible is
full of stories of men and
women who were called
by God to do something
not for themselves but
for others.
1. Abraham -"Father
of all nations"
2. Moses
3. Mary, the mother
of Jesus Christ
I. TEACHING AS YOUR
VOCATION
- From the eyes of those
who believe, it was God who
called you here for you to
teach, just as God called
Abraham, Moses, and Mary,
of the Bible.
MISSION - comes from
the Latin word "misio"
which means "to send".
- you are called to be a
teacher and you are sent
into the world to
accomplish a mission, to
teach.
 II. TEACHING AS
YOUR MISSION
- teaching as your mission
means it is the task
entrusted to you in this
world. If it is your assigned
task then naturally you've
got to prepare yourself for
it.
You have embarked in a
mission that calls for a
continuing professional
education.
- "Once a teacher,
forever a student."
Flowing from your uniqueness,
you are expected to contribute
to the betterment of this
world in your own unique way.
Your unique and most
significant contribution to the
humanization of life on earth is
in the field where you are
prepared for - teaching.
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 the
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
though nobody recognizes
your efforts, it's a
mission.
It's hard to get excited
about a teaching job;

It's 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 a
mission of teaching.
*Adopted fromMinistry or
Job by Anna Sandberg*
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."
 III. TEACHING AS YOUR
PROFESSION
"We cannot give what we do not
have." We can give more if we
have more. Our service to the
public as a professional turns out
to be dedicated and committed
only when our moral, ethical and
religious values serve as our
bedrock foundation.
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.
You must strive for
excellence,
commityourself to moral,
ethical and religious
values and dedicate
yourself to public
service.
 The "pwede na" mentality
vs. excellence
The "striving for
excellence" brings us to
our "pwede na" mentality,
which is inimical to
excellence.
This mentality is expressed
in other way like "talagang
ganyan 'yan", "wala na
tayong magagawa", - all
indicators of defeatism
and resignation to
mediocrity.
 Teaching and a life of
meaning
Teaching may not be a
lucrative position. It cannot
guarantee financial
security. It even means
investigating 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 live for.