The Teaching Profession

[DGS49]

When you look closely at PROFESSIONS (sometimes called "the learned professions"), there are a number of things that stand out.

Professions have a large body of esoteric knowledge, not known to the general public, which must be mastered in order to practice the Profession. And that knowledge is formally TESTED before one can practice in the Profession. If you don't pass the test, you CANNOT practice the Profession. For example, law, medicine, architecture, dentistry. Professionals must MAINTAIN their current knowledge of developments within the profession, usually through attending annual classes throughout their careers. This obligation never ends, as long as you want to retain your license.

Professions are self-regulated, and not controlled by the state. The Professional Associations are formed FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, and not for the benefit of the practitioners. They guarantee TO THE PUBLIC that practitioners are competent, ethical, and up to date. The State can't make you a lawyer. Only the Bar Association can admit you to the practice of law. Same for medicine, professional accounting, professional engineering, and so forth. Obtaining a state license is NOT the same as entry into a Profession.

A professional can "hang up a shingle," and work as an independent entity. Although they sometimes work for a company or a government agency, their membership in the Profession is independent of that employment; they must keep their membership current and their education up to date. If they don't, they will lose their Professional license, and probably that job as well.

As for professional conduct and performing one's professional obligations, Professionals are held to a higher standard than anyone else. Most people who are sued for malfeasance "on the job" are held to a NEGLIGENCE standard - is the act or omission something that a reasonable person would have done or declined to do? A MALPRACTICE standard requires that a Professional conduct himself according to the CURRENT state of the professional art. He must know the latest laws and applicable court decisions, a doctor must know about pharmaceuticals, procedures, and diseases that may not even have existed when he graduated from Med school. A CPA must know the latest tax laws to the minute. It is a much higher standard than any non-Professional practitioner.

A Professional can be disbarred - prevented from working in the Profession - for malfeasance that does not rise to criminality. Improper accounting, for example.

In summary, there are not many professions. Law and medicine, obviously. Architecture. And when an accountant or an engineer chooses to be come a professional, he must meet educational standards, ethical standards, pass one hell of a test, and maintain professional competence throughout his career as a professional.

So, what about Teachers?

There is no objective body of knowledge about teaching that must be mastered. Teaching methods are in fact infinite in number, some successful and some not, and nobody is keeping track. Nor are teachers required to DEMONSTRATE any particular level of competence in their area of teaching expertise. (A semester of "student teaching"? Are you kidding?). Usually a certain number of college credits is sufficient, even in STEM areas, where you would expect competence to be absolutely mandatory.

There is no professional teaching organization that works to benefit the public, or guarantees that teachers are competent, ethical, or up to date. On the contrary, the major teaching organizations are akin to LABOR UNIONS, which function EXCLUSIVELY for the benefit of TEACHERS, and one could strongly argue, AGAINST THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, by protecting lazy or incompetent teachers from ruin.

Teachers are NEVER held to a "malpractice" standard. Indeed, the very idea is laughable. ("My son can't do quadratic equations! I demand that the math teacher be dis-BARred!") They are not even held to a "negligence" standard, and can remain on the job year after year, leaving failure in their wake until their early retirement.

I think you get the idea. Teaching is NOT a Profession. Period. Many teachers display great "professionalism," in doing their work, but the sad fact is that such a standard is not required, and many teachers fall far short of that mark. Ironically, it is when teachers (and their representatives) are acting in the LEAST Professional manner (demanding more money and benefits for less work, year after year) that they DEMAND to be treated AND PAID as "professionals."

It is nauseating. A Good Teacher is a BLESSING to society, but Good Teachers don't have to DEMAND to be treated with respect; they just get it.

 

[Jackson]

When you look closely at PROFESSIONS (sometimes called "the learned professions"), there are a number of things that stand out.

Professions have a large body of esoteric knowledge, not known to the general public, which must be mastered in order to practice the Profession. And that knowledge is formally TESTED before one can practice in the Profession. If you don't pass the test, you CANNOT practice the Profession. For example, law, medicine, architecture, dentistry. Professionals must MAINTAIN their current knowledge of developments within the profession, usually through attending annual classes throughout their careers. This obligation never ends, as long as you want to retain your license.

Professions are self-regulated, and not controlled by the state. The Professional Associations are formed FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, and not for the benefit of the practitioners. They guarantee TO THE PUBLIC that practitioners are competent, ethical, and up to date. The State can't make you a lawyer. Only the Bar Association can admit you to the practice of law. Same for medicine, professional accounting, professional engineering, and so forth. Obtaining a state license is NOT the same as entry into a Profession.

A professional can "hang up a shingle," and work as an independent entity. Although they sometimes work for a company or a government agency, their membership in the Profession is independent of that employment; they must keep their membership current and their education up to date. If they don't, they will lose their Professional license, and probably that job as well.

As for professional conduct and performing one's professional obligations, Professionals are held to a higher standard than anyone else. Most people who are sued for malfeasance "on the job" are held to a NEGLIGENCE standard - is the act or omission something that a reasonable person would have done or declined to do? A MALPRACTICE standard requires that a Professional conduct himself according to the CURRENT state of the professional art. He must know the latest laws and applicable court decisions, a doctor must know about pharmaceuticals, procedures, and diseases that may not even have existed when he graduated from Med school. A CPA must know the latest tax laws to the minute. It is a much higher standard than any non-Professional practitioner.

A Professional can be disbarred - prevented from working in the Profession - for malfeasance that does not rise to criminality. Improper accounting, for example.

In summary, there are not many professions. Law and medicine, obviously. Architecture. And when an accountant or an engineer chooses to be come a professional, he must meet educational standards, ethical standards, pass one hell of a test, and maintain professional competence throughout his career as a professional.

So, what about Teachers?

There is no objective body of knowledge about teaching that must be mastered. Teaching methods are in fact infinite in number, some successful and some not, and nobody is keeping track. Nor are teachers required to DEMONSTRATE any particular level of competence in their area of teaching expertise. (A semester of "student teaching"? Are you kidding?). Usually a certain number of college credits is sufficient, even in STEM areas, where you would expect competence to be absolutely mandatory.

There is no professional teaching organization that works to benefit the public, or guarantees that teachers are competent, ethical, or up to date. On the contrary, the major teaching organizations are akin to LABOR UNIONS, which function EXCLUSIVELY for the benefit of TEACHERS, and one could strongly argue, AGAINST THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, by protecting lazy or incompetent teachers from ruin.

Teachers are NEVER held to a "malpractice" standard. Indeed, the very idea is laughable. ("My son can't do quadratic equations! I demand that the math teacher be dis-BARred!") They are not even held to a "negligence" standard, and can remain on the job year after year, leaving failure in their wake until their early retirement.

I think you get the idea. Teaching is NOT a Profession. Period. Many teachers display great "professionalism," in doing their work, but the sad fact is that such a standard is not required, and many teachers fall far short of that mark. Ironically, it is when teachers (and their representatives) are acting in the LEAST Professional manner (demanding more money and benefits for less work, year after year) that they DEMAND to be treated AND PAID as "professionals."

It is nauseating. A Good Teacher is a BLESSING to society, but Good Teachers don't have to DEMAND to be treated with respect; they just get it.

Excellent post. There are a few points I sgould comment on, however. There are programs in some schools that do mentor new teachers and recommend future contracts or firing afrer one year of monitoring. There is also another program where teachers lacking in the skills are mentored and can be fired as well even if they are under contract.

You are absolutely right about teacher unions. The president of AFT once said, "I'll care about the kids when they pay me my salary." So it is not about improving education or improving teacher skills (usually). It's the almighty dollar. Don't get me wrong. Teacher's do need a voice in wage negotiations, but it's generally not the union that cares about making the best teachers.

 

[bodecea]

Thus speaks those who cannot and will not teach.

 

[Jackson]

Thus speaks those who cannot and will not teach.

Wrong. I was a teacher for 32 years.

 

[Marion Morrison]

Thus speaks those who cannot and will not teach.

Yeah ok Bodey. The saying goes: "Those who can't do...teach!".

The saying is quite common in post-graduate circles.

 

[DGS49]

I taught professional subjects in my area of expertise for many years...groups of purchasing agents, sales people, project managers, and general managers. Never kids.

But having spent many, many years in classrooms from first grade through doctorate, and having many friends and acquaintances who are active and retired teachers, I think I'm qualified to make the comments stated above.

Words mean things, and when people claim falsely to be "professionals," it is sometimes appropriate to correct them, especially when the claim is insidious, as it is with public school teachers. And teachers' unions have done more harm to American education, and stolen more from American taxpayers than any other organized group of people.

In my opinion, of course.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

When you look closely at PROFESSIONS (sometimes called "the learned professions"), there are a number of things that stand out.

Professions have a large body of esoteric knowledge, not known to the general public, which must be mastered in order to practice the Profession. And that knowledge is formally TESTED before one can practice in the Profession. If you don't pass the test, you CANNOT practice the Profession. For example, law, medicine, architecture, dentistry. Professionals must MAINTAIN their current knowledge of developments within the profession, usually through attending annual classes throughout their careers. This obligation never ends, as long as you want to retain your license.

Professions are self-regulated, and not controlled by the state. The Professional Associations are formed FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, and not for the benefit of the practitioners. They guarantee TO THE PUBLIC that practitioners are competent, ethical, and up to date. The State can't make you a lawyer. Only the Bar Association can admit you to the practice of law. Same for medicine, professional accounting, professional engineering, and so forth. Obtaining a state license is NOT the same as entry into a Profession.

A professional can "hang up a shingle," and work as an independent entity. Although they sometimes work for a company or a government agency, their membership in the Profession is independent of that employment; they must keep their membership current and their education up to date. If they don't, they will lose their Professional license, and probably that job as well.

As for professional conduct and performing one's professional obligations, Professionals are held to a higher standard than anyone else. Most people who are sued for malfeasance "on the job" are held to a NEGLIGENCE standard - is the act or omission something that a reasonable person would have done or declined to do? A MALPRACTICE standard requires that a Professional conduct himself according to the CURRENT state of the professional art. He must know the latest laws and applicable court decisions, a doctor must know about pharmaceuticals, procedures, and diseases that may not even have existed when he graduated from Med school. A CPA must know the latest tax laws to the minute. It is a much higher standard than any non-Professional practitioner.

A Professional can be disbarred - prevented from working in the Profession - for malfeasance that does not rise to criminality. Improper accounting, for example.

In summary, there are not many professions. Law and medicine, obviously. Architecture. And when an accountant or an engineer chooses to be come a professional, he must meet educational standards, ethical standards, pass one hell of a test, and maintain professional competence throughout his career as a professional.

So, what about Teachers?

There is no objective body of knowledge about teaching that must be mastered. Teaching methods are in fact infinite in number, some successful and some not, and nobody is keeping track. Nor are teachers required to DEMONSTRATE any particular level of competence in their area of teaching expertise. (A semester of "student teaching"? Are you kidding?). Usually a certain number of college credits is sufficient, even in STEM areas, where you would expect competence to be absolutely mandatory.

There is no professional teaching organization that works to benefit the public, or guarantees that teachers are competent, ethical, or up to date. On the contrary, the major teaching organizations are akin to LABOR UNIONS, which function EXCLUSIVELY for the benefit of TEACHERS, and one could strongly argue, AGAINST THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, by protecting lazy or incompetent teachers from ruin.

Teachers are NEVER held to a "malpractice" standard. Indeed, the very idea is laughable. ("My son can't do quadratic equations! I demand that the math teacher be dis-BARred!") They are not even held to a "negligence" standard, and can remain on the job year after year, leaving failure in their wake until their early retirement.

I think you get the idea. Teaching is NOT a Profession. Period. Many teachers display great "professionalism," in doing their work, but the sad fact is that such a standard is not required, and many teachers fall far short of that mark. Ironically, it is when teachers (and their representatives) are acting in the LEAST Professional manner (demanding more money and benefits for less work, year after year) that they DEMAND to be treated AND PAID as "professionals."

It is nauseating. A Good Teacher is a BLESSING to society, but Good Teachers don't have to DEMAND to be treated with respect; they just get it.

It is readily apparent that you know nothing about the teaching profession because about 90% of what you have posted is incorrect. I would venture to say that you are simply full of shit because you are not suited to carry a teacher's jock strap!

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

When you look closely at PROFESSIONS (sometimes called "the learned professions"), there are a number of things that stand out.

Professions have a large body of esoteric knowledge, not known to the general public, which must be mastered in order to practice the Profession. And that knowledge is formally TESTED before one can practice in the Profession. If you don't pass the test, you CANNOT practice the Profession. For example, law, medicine, architecture, dentistry. Professionals must MAINTAIN their current knowledge of developments within the profession, usually through attending annual classes throughout their careers. This obligation never ends, as long as you want to retain your license.

Professions are self-regulated, and not controlled by the state. The Professional Associations are formed FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, and not for the benefit of the practitioners. They guarantee TO THE PUBLIC that practitioners are competent, ethical, and up to date. The State can't make you a lawyer. Only the Bar Association can admit you to the practice of law. Same for medicine, professional accounting, professional engineering, and so forth. Obtaining a state license is NOT the same as entry into a Profession.

A professional can "hang up a shingle," and work as an independent entity. Although they sometimes work for a company or a government agency, their membership in the Profession is independent of that employment; they must keep their membership current and their education up to date. If they don't, they will lose their Professional license, and probably that job as well.

As for professional conduct and performing one's professional obligations, Professionals are held to a higher standard than anyone else. Most people who are sued for malfeasance "on the job" are held to a NEGLIGENCE standard - is the act or omission something that a reasonable person would have done or declined to do? A MALPRACTICE standard requires that a Professional conduct himself according to the CURRENT state of the professional art. He must know the latest laws and applicable court decisions, a doctor must know about pharmaceuticals, procedures, and diseases that may not even have existed when he graduated from Med school. A CPA must know the latest tax laws to the minute. It is a much higher standard than any non-Professional practitioner.

A Professional can be disbarred - prevented from working in the Profession - for malfeasance that does not rise to criminality. Improper accounting, for example.

In summary, there are not many professions. Law and medicine, obviously. Architecture. And when an accountant or an engineer chooses to be come a professional, he must meet educational standards, ethical standards, pass one hell of a test, and maintain professional competence throughout his career as a professional.

So, what about Teachers?

There is no objective body of knowledge about teaching that must be mastered. Teaching methods are in fact infinite in number, some successful and some not, and nobody is keeping track. Nor are teachers required to DEMONSTRATE any particular level of competence in their area of teaching expertise. (A semester of "student teaching"? Are you kidding?). Usually a certain number of college credits is sufficient, even in STEM areas, where you would expect competence to be absolutely mandatory.

There is no professional teaching organization that works to benefit the public, or guarantees that teachers are competent, ethical, or up to date. On the contrary, the major teaching organizations are akin to LABOR UNIONS, which function EXCLUSIVELY for the benefit of TEACHERS, and one could strongly argue, AGAINST THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, by protecting lazy or incompetent teachers from ruin.

Teachers are NEVER held to a "malpractice" standard. Indeed, the very idea is laughable. ("My son can't do quadratic equations! I demand that the math teacher be dis-BARred!") They are not even held to a "negligence" standard, and can remain on the job year after year, leaving failure in their wake until their early retirement.

I think you get the idea. Teaching is NOT a Profession. Period. Many teachers display great "professionalism," in doing their work, but the sad fact is that such a standard is not required, and many teachers fall far short of that mark. Ironically, it is when teachers (and their representatives) are acting in the LEAST Professional manner (demanding more money and benefits for less work, year after year) that they DEMAND to be treated AND PAID as "professionals."

It is nauseating. A Good Teacher is a BLESSING to society, but Good Teachers don't have to DEMAND to be treated with respect; they just get it.

Excellent post. There are a few points I sgould comment on, however. There are programs in some schools that do mentor new teachers and recommend future contracts or firing afrer one year of monitoring. There is also another program where teachers lacking in the skills are mentored and can be fired as well even if they are under contract.

You are absolutely right about teacher unions. The president of AFT once said, "I'll care about the kids when they pay me my salary." So it is not about improving education or improving teacher skills (usually). It's the almighty dollar. Don't get me wrong. Teacher's do need a voice in wage negotiations, but it's generally not the union that cares about making the best teachers.

Oh, please! Not that old worn out line!

Do truck drivers have the Teamster's Union designing trucks? I guess they don't care about their employment. Unions represent teachers just like the United Mine Workers represents miners. They don't care about the quality of the coal they are mining and how much it impacts global warming.

Why do you morons ascribe duties to teacher's unions that are not expected by any other union?

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Thus speaks those who cannot and will not teach.

Yeah ok Bodey. The saying goes: "Those who can't do...teach!".

The saying is quite common in post-graduate circles.

Only morons repeat that lie.

 

[TheOldSchool]

Thus speaks those who cannot and will not teach.

Wrong. I was a teacher for 32 years.

Thus all the shit test scores

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Thus speaks those who cannot and will not teach.

Wrong. I was a teacher for 32 years.

Thus all the shit test scores

Which test scores would that be?

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Thus speaks those who cannot and will not teach.

Wrong. I was a teacher for 32 years.

Driver's ed doesn't count!

 

[Jackson]

Thus speaks those who cannot and will not teach.

Wrong. I was a teacher for 32 years.

Thus all the shit test scores

My scores were impressive. I had youngsters that were supposed to repeat kdg. but I took them for first grade. I taught the reading and language arts. Every year, I had some of the highest reading scores in the total first grade classes. Two thirds of the children went to a regular second graade the next year and 1/3 went to a regular first grade. During that year, none of the children were tested for special classes.

I was very firm on p;assing only children who were on grade level or above. They have to have a good foundation in reading.

 

[Jackson]

When you look closely at PROFESSIONS (sometimes called "the learned professions"), there are a number of things that stand out.

Professions have a large body of esoteric knowledge, not known to the general public, which must be mastered in order to practice the Profession. And that knowledge is formally TESTED before one can practice in the Profession. If you don't pass the test, you CANNOT practice the Profession. For example, law, medicine, architecture, dentistry. Professionals must MAINTAIN their current knowledge of developments within the profession, usually through attending annual classes throughout their careers. This obligation never ends, as long as you want to retain your license.

Professions are self-regulated, and not controlled by the state. The Professional Associations are formed FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, and not for the benefit of the practitioners. They guarantee TO THE PUBLIC that practitioners are competent, ethical, and up to date. The State can't make you a lawyer. Only the Bar Association can admit you to the practice of law. Same for medicine, professional accounting, professional engineering, and so forth. Obtaining a state license is NOT the same as entry into a Profession.

A professional can "hang up a shingle," and work as an independent entity. Although they sometimes work for a company or a government agency, their membership in the Profession is independent of that employment; they must keep their membership current and their education up to date. If they don't, they will lose their Professional license, and probably that job as well.

As for professional conduct and performing one's professional obligations, Professionals are held to a higher standard than anyone else. Most people who are sued for malfeasance "on the job" are held to a NEGLIGENCE standard - is the act or omission something that a reasonable person would have done or declined to do? A MALPRACTICE standard requires that a Professional conduct himself according to the CURRENT state of the professional art. He must know the latest laws and applicable court decisions, a doctor must know about pharmaceuticals, procedures, and diseases that may not even have existed when he graduated from Med school. A CPA must know the latest tax laws to the minute. It is a much higher standard than any non-Professional practitioner.

A Professional can be disbarred - prevented from working in the Profession - for malfeasance that does not rise to criminality. Improper accounting, for example.

In summary, there are not many professions. Law and medicine, obviously. Architecture. And when an accountant or an engineer chooses to be come a professional, he must meet educational standards, ethical standards, pass one hell of a test, and maintain professional competence throughout his career as a professional.

So, what about Teachers?

There is no objective body of knowledge about teaching that must be mastered. Teaching methods are in fact infinite in number, some successful and some not, and nobody is keeping track. Nor are teachers required to DEMONSTRATE any particular level of competence in their area of teaching expertise. (A semester of "student teaching"? Are you kidding?). Usually a certain number of college credits is sufficient, even in STEM areas, where you would expect competence to be absolutely mandatory.

There is no professional teaching organization that works to benefit the public, or guarantees that teachers are competent, ethical, or up to date. On the contrary, the major teaching organizations are akin to LABOR UNIONS, which function EXCLUSIVELY for the benefit of TEACHERS, and one could strongly argue, AGAINST THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, by protecting lazy or incompetent teachers from ruin.

Teachers are NEVER held to a "malpractice" standard. Indeed, the very idea is laughable. ("My son can't do quadratic equations! I demand that the math teacher be dis-BARred!") They are not even held to a "negligence" standard, and can remain on the job year after year, leaving failure in their wake until their early retirement.

I think you get the idea. Teaching is NOT a Profession. Period. Many teachers display great "professionalism," in doing their work, but the sad fact is that such a standard is not required, and many teachers fall far short of that mark. Ironically, it is when teachers (and their representatives) are acting in the LEAST Professional manner (demanding more money and benefits for less work, year after year) that they DEMAND to be treated AND PAID as "professionals."

It is nauseating. A Good Teacher is a BLESSING to society, but Good Teachers don't have to DEMAND to be treated with respect; they just get it.

Excellent post. There are a few points I sgould comment on, however. There are programs in some schools that do mentor new teachers and recommend future contracts or firing afrer one year of monitoring. There is also another program where teachers lacking in the skills are mentored and can be fired as well even if they are under contract.

You are absolutely right about teacher unions. The president of AFT once said, "I'll care about the kids when they pay me my salary." So it is not about improving education or improving teacher skills (usually). It's the almighty dollar. Don't get me wrong. Teacher's do need a voice in wage negotiations, but it's generally not the union that cares about making the best teachers.

Oh, please! Not that old worn out line!

Do truck drivers have the Teamster's Union designing trucks? I guess they don't care about their employment. Unions represent teachers just like the United Mine Workers represents miners. They don't care about the quality of the coal they are mining and how much it impacts global warming.

Why do you morons ascribe duties to teacher's unions that are not expected by any other union?

It doesn't matter how much you are paid if you turn out a shitty product. I believe in merit pay.

 

[Jackson]

Thus speaks those who cannot and will not teach.

Wrong. I was a teacher for 32 years.

Driver's ed doesn't count!

Tory, you are awfully full of yourself when you don't know anything about the subject being discussed.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

When you look closely at PROFESSIONS (sometimes called "the learned professions"), there are a number of things that stand out.

Professions have a large body of esoteric knowledge, not known to the general public, which must be mastered in order to practice the Profession. And that knowledge is formally TESTED before one can practice in the Profession. If you don't pass the test, you CANNOT practice the Profession. For example, law, medicine, architecture, dentistry. Professionals must MAINTAIN their current knowledge of developments within the profession, usually through attending annual classes throughout their careers. This obligation never ends, as long as you want to retain your license.

Professions are self-regulated, and not controlled by the state. The Professional Associations are formed FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, and not for the benefit of the practitioners. They guarantee TO THE PUBLIC that practitioners are competent, ethical, and up to date. The State can't make you a lawyer. Only the Bar Association can admit you to the practice of law. Same for medicine, professional accounting, professional engineering, and so forth. Obtaining a state license is NOT the same as entry into a Profession.

A professional can "hang up a shingle," and work as an independent entity. Although they sometimes work for a company or a government agency, their membership in the Profession is independent of that employment; they must keep their membership current and their education up to date. If they don't, they will lose their Professional license, and probably that job as well.

As for professional conduct and performing one's professional obligations, Professionals are held to a higher standard than anyone else. Most people who are sued for malfeasance "on the job" are held to a NEGLIGENCE standard - is the act or omission something that a reasonable person would have done or declined to do? A MALPRACTICE standard requires that a Professional conduct himself according to the CURRENT state of the professional art. He must know the latest laws and applicable court decisions, a doctor must know about pharmaceuticals, procedures, and diseases that may not even have existed when he graduated from Med school. A CPA must know the latest tax laws to the minute. It is a much higher standard than any non-Professional practitioner.

A Professional can be disbarred - prevented from working in the Profession - for malfeasance that does not rise to criminality. Improper accounting, for example.

In summary, there are not many professions. Law and medicine, obviously. Architecture. And when an accountant or an engineer chooses to be come a professional, he must meet educational standards, ethical standards, pass one hell of a test, and maintain professional competence throughout his career as a professional.

So, what about Teachers?

There is no objective body of knowledge about teaching that must be mastered. Teaching methods are in fact infinite in number, some successful and some not, and nobody is keeping track. Nor are teachers required to DEMONSTRATE any particular level of competence in their area of teaching expertise. (A semester of "student teaching"? Are you kidding?). Usually a certain number of college credits is sufficient, even in STEM areas, where you would expect competence to be absolutely mandatory.

There is no professional teaching organization that works to benefit the public, or guarantees that teachers are competent, ethical, or up to date. On the contrary, the major teaching organizations are akin to LABOR UNIONS, which function EXCLUSIVELY for the benefit of TEACHERS, and one could strongly argue, AGAINST THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, by protecting lazy or incompetent teachers from ruin.

Teachers are NEVER held to a "malpractice" standard. Indeed, the very idea is laughable. ("My son can't do quadratic equations! I demand that the math teacher be dis-BARred!") They are not even held to a "negligence" standard, and can remain on the job year after year, leaving failure in their wake until their early retirement.

I think you get the idea. Teaching is NOT a Profession. Period. Many teachers display great "professionalism," in doing their work, but the sad fact is that such a standard is not required, and many teachers fall far short of that mark. Ironically, it is when teachers (and their representatives) are acting in the LEAST Professional manner (demanding more money and benefits for less work, year after year) that they DEMAND to be treated AND PAID as "professionals."

It is nauseating. A Good Teacher is a BLESSING to society, but Good Teachers don't have to DEMAND to be treated with respect; they just get it.

Excellent post. There are a few points I sgould comment on, however. There are programs in some schools that do mentor new teachers and recommend future contracts or firing afrer one year of monitoring. There is also another program where teachers lacking in the skills are mentored and can be fired as well even if they are under contract.

You are absolutely right about teacher unions. The president of AFT once said, "I'll care about the kids when they pay me my salary." So it is not about improving education or improving teacher skills (usually). It's the almighty dollar. Don't get me wrong. Teacher's do need a voice in wage negotiations, but it's generally not the union that cares about making the best teachers.

Oh, please! Not that old worn out line!

Do truck drivers have the Teamster's Union designing trucks? I guess they don't care about their employment. Unions represent teachers just like the United Mine Workers represents miners. They don't care about the quality of the coal they are mining and how much it impacts global warming.

Why do you morons ascribe duties to teacher's unions that are not expected by any other union?

It doesn't matter how much you are paid if you turn out a shitty product. I believe in merit pay.

OK, let's see your ideas on merit pay. I had a professor in graduate school who wrote a book after doing years and years of research saying that merit pay is impossible to make fair to the teachers. Someone will always lose.

I finish an assignment tomorrow where the teacher has six classes. One is full of behavior problems and they are far behind the other classes. Another class is a collaborative special ed/regular ed class. They are also far behind the other 4 regular ed classes.

How will you design a system of merit pay to treat that special ed teacher and that regular ed teacher equally?

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Thus speaks those who cannot and will not teach.

Wrong. I was a teacher for 32 years.

Driver's ed doesn't count!

Tory, you are awfully full of yourself when you don't know anything about the subject being discussed.

I don't know the subject? You are so full of shit, I'll bet your eyes are brown!

I was a teacher for 21 years and I am smart enough to say "Fuck it!" and leave the field because I am sick and tired of morons that could not teach a fish to drink water telling me they can do it so much better because of how easy it is!

Most of them would be crying for their Mommas after the first juvenile delinquent tells the go fuck themselves!

 

[Jackson]

When you look closely at PROFESSIONS (sometimes called "the learned professions"), there are a number of things that stand out.

Professions have a large body of esoteric knowledge, not known to the general public, which must be mastered in order to practice the Profession. And that knowledge is formally TESTED before one can practice in the Profession. If you don't pass the test, you CANNOT practice the Profession. For example, law, medicine, architecture, dentistry. Professionals must MAINTAIN their current knowledge of developments within the profession, usually through attending annual classes throughout their careers. This obligation never ends, as long as you want to retain your license.

Professions are self-regulated, and not controlled by the state. The Professional Associations are formed FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, and not for the benefit of the practitioners. They guarantee TO THE PUBLIC that practitioners are competent, ethical, and up to date. The State can't make you a lawyer. Only the Bar Association can admit you to the practice of law. Same for medicine, professional accounting, professional engineering, and so forth. Obtaining a state license is NOT the same as entry into a Profession.

A professional can "hang up a shingle," and work as an independent entity. Although they sometimes work for a company or a government agency, their membership in the Profession is independent of that employment; they must keep their membership current and their education up to date. If they don't, they will lose their Professional license, and probably that job as well.

As for professional conduct and performing one's professional obligations, Professionals are held to a higher standard than anyone else. Most people who are sued for malfeasance "on the job" are held to a NEGLIGENCE standard - is the act or omission something that a reasonable person would have done or declined to do? A MALPRACTICE standard requires that a Professional conduct himself according to the CURRENT state of the professional art. He must know the latest laws and applicable court decisions, a doctor must know about pharmaceuticals, procedures, and diseases that may not even have existed when he graduated from Med school. A CPA must know the latest tax laws to the minute. It is a much higher standard than any non-Professional practitioner.

A Professional can be disbarred - prevented from working in the Profession - for malfeasance that does not rise to criminality. Improper accounting, for example.

In summary, there are not many professions. Law and medicine, obviously. Architecture. And when an accountant or an engineer chooses to be come a professional, he must meet educational standards, ethical standards, pass one hell of a test, and maintain professional competence throughout his career as a professional.

So, what about Teachers?

There is no objective body of knowledge about teaching that must be mastered. Teaching methods are in fact infinite in number, some successful and some not, and nobody is keeping track. Nor are teachers required to DEMONSTRATE any particular level of competence in their area of teaching expertise. (A semester of "student teaching"? Are you kidding?). Usually a certain number of college credits is sufficient, even in STEM areas, where you would expect competence to be absolutely mandatory.

There is no professional teaching organization that works to benefit the public, or guarantees that teachers are competent, ethical, or up to date. On the contrary, the major teaching organizations are akin to LABOR UNIONS, which function EXCLUSIVELY for the benefit of TEACHERS, and one could strongly argue, AGAINST THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, by protecting lazy or incompetent teachers from ruin.

Teachers are NEVER held to a "malpractice" standard. Indeed, the very idea is laughable. ("My son can't do quadratic equations! I demand that the math teacher be dis-BARred!") They are not even held to a "negligence" standard, and can remain on the job year after year, leaving failure in their wake until their early retirement.

I think you get the idea. Teaching is NOT a Profession. Period. Many teachers display great "professionalism," in doing their work, but the sad fact is that such a standard is not required, and many teachers fall far short of that mark. Ironically, it is when teachers (and their representatives) are acting in the LEAST Professional manner (demanding more money and benefits for less work, year after year) that they DEMAND to be treated AND PAID as "professionals."

It is nauseating. A Good Teacher is a BLESSING to society, but Good Teachers don't have to DEMAND to be treated with respect; they just get it.

Excellent post. There are a few points I sgould comment on, however. There are programs in some schools that do mentor new teachers and recommend future contracts or firing afrer one year of monitoring. There is also another program where teachers lacking in the skills are mentored and can be fired as well even if they are under contract.

You are absolutely right about teacher unions. The president of AFT once said, "I'll care about the kids when they pay me my salary." So it is not about improving education or improving teacher skills (usually). It's the almighty dollar. Don't get me wrong. Teacher's do need a voice in wage negotiations, but it's generally not the union that cares about making the best teachers.

Oh, please! Not that old worn out line!

Do truck drivers have the Teamster's Union designing trucks? I guess they don't care about their employment. Unions represent teachers just like the United Mine Workers represents miners. They don't care about the quality of the coal they are mining and how much it impacts global warming.

Why do you morons ascribe duties to teacher's unions that are not expected by any other union?

It doesn't matter how much you are paid if you turn out a shitty product. I believe in merit pay.

OK, let's see your ideas on merit pay. I had a professor in graduate school who wrote a book after doing years and years of research saying that merit pay is impossible to make fair to the teachers. Someone will always lose.

I finish an assignment tomorrow where the teacher has six classes. One is full of behavior problems and they are far behind the other classes. Another class is a collaborative special ed/regular ed class. They are also far behind the other 4 regular ed classes.

How will you design a system of merit pay to treat that special ed teacher and that regular ed teacher equally?

Teachers are being tested using the Praxis system. An evaluator will come in and watch the teacher, Then they would write a report examining how the teacher kept the students focused, provided for individua; differences, performed well with discipline, an array of skills. It was meant to evaluate teachers as well. as finding those teachers whop need more skills.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

When you look closely at PROFESSIONS (sometimes called "the learned professions"), there are a number of things that stand out.

Professions have a large body of esoteric knowledge, not known to the general public, which must be mastered in order to practice the Profession. And that knowledge is formally TESTED before one can practice in the Profession. If you don't pass the test, you CANNOT practice the Profession. For example, law, medicine, architecture, dentistry. Professionals must MAINTAIN their current knowledge of developments within the profession, usually through attending annual classes throughout their careers. This obligation never ends, as long as you want to retain your license.

Professions are self-regulated, and not controlled by the state. The Professional Associations are formed FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, and not for the benefit of the practitioners. They guarantee TO THE PUBLIC that practitioners are competent, ethical, and up to date. The State can't make you a lawyer. Only the Bar Association can admit you to the practice of law. Same for medicine, professional accounting, professional engineering, and so forth. Obtaining a state license is NOT the same as entry into a Profession.

A professional can "hang up a shingle," and work as an independent entity. Although they sometimes work for a company or a government agency, their membership in the Profession is independent of that employment; they must keep their membership current and their education up to date. If they don't, they will lose their Professional license, and probably that job as well.

As for professional conduct and performing one's professional obligations, Professionals are held to a higher standard than anyone else. Most people who are sued for malfeasance "on the job" are held to a NEGLIGENCE standard - is the act or omission something that a reasonable person would have done or declined to do? A MALPRACTICE standard requires that a Professional conduct himself according to the CURRENT state of the professional art. He must know the latest laws and applicable court decisions, a doctor must know about pharmaceuticals, procedures, and diseases that may not even have existed when he graduated from Med school. A CPA must know the latest tax laws to the minute. It is a much higher standard than any non-Professional practitioner.

A Professional can be disbarred - prevented from working in the Profession - for malfeasance that does not rise to criminality. Improper accounting, for example.

In summary, there are not many professions. Law and medicine, obviously. Architecture. And when an accountant or an engineer chooses to be come a professional, he must meet educational standards, ethical standards, pass one hell of a test, and maintain professional competence throughout his career as a professional.

So, what about Teachers?

There is no objective body of knowledge about teaching that must be mastered. Teaching methods are in fact infinite in number, some successful and some not, and nobody is keeping track. Nor are teachers required to DEMONSTRATE any particular level of competence in their area of teaching expertise. (A semester of "student teaching"? Are you kidding?). Usually a certain number of college credits is sufficient, even in STEM areas, where you would expect competence to be absolutely mandatory.

There is no professional teaching organization that works to benefit the public, or guarantees that teachers are competent, ethical, or up to date. On the contrary, the major teaching organizations are akin to LABOR UNIONS, which function EXCLUSIVELY for the benefit of TEACHERS, and one could strongly argue, AGAINST THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, by protecting lazy or incompetent teachers from ruin.

Teachers are NEVER held to a "malpractice" standard. Indeed, the very idea is laughable. ("My son can't do quadratic equations! I demand that the math teacher be dis-BARred!") They are not even held to a "negligence" standard, and can remain on the job year after year, leaving failure in their wake until their early retirement.

I think you get the idea. Teaching is NOT a Profession. Period. Many teachers display great "professionalism," in doing their work, but the sad fact is that such a standard is not required, and many teachers fall far short of that mark. Ironically, it is when teachers (and their representatives) are acting in the LEAST Professional manner (demanding more money and benefits for less work, year after year) that they DEMAND to be treated AND PAID as "professionals."

It is nauseating. A Good Teacher is a BLESSING to society, but Good Teachers don't have to DEMAND to be treated with respect; they just get it.

Excellent post. There are a few points I sgould comment on, however. There are programs in some schools that do mentor new teachers and recommend future contracts or firing afrer one year of monitoring. There is also another program where teachers lacking in the skills are mentored and can be fired as well even if they are under contract.

You are absolutely right about teacher unions. The president of AFT once said, "I'll care about the kids when they pay me my salary." So it is not about improving education or improving teacher skills (usually). It's the almighty dollar. Don't get me wrong. Teacher's do need a voice in wage negotiations, but it's generally not the union that cares about making the best teachers.

Oh, please! Not that old worn out line!

Do truck drivers have the Teamster's Union designing trucks? I guess they don't care about their employment. Unions represent teachers just like the United Mine Workers represents miners. They don't care about the quality of the coal they are mining and how much it impacts global warming.

Why do you morons ascribe duties to teacher's unions that are not expected by any other union?

It doesn't matter how much you are paid if you turn out a shitty product. I believe in merit pay.

OK, let's see your ideas on merit pay. I had a professor in graduate school who wrote a book after doing years and years of research saying that merit pay is impossible to make fair to the teachers. Someone will always lose.

I finish an assignment tomorrow where the teacher has six classes. One is full of behavior problems and they are far behind the other classes. Another class is a collaborative special ed/regular ed class. They are also far behind the other 4 regular ed classes.

How will you design a system of merit pay to treat that special ed teacher and that regular ed teacher equally?

Teachers are being tested using the Praxis system. An evaluator will come in and watch the teacher, Then they would write a report examining how the teacher kept the students focused, provided for individua; differences, performed well with discipline, an array of skills. It was meant to evaluate teachers as well. as finding those teachers whop need more skills.

No, teachers are not being tested using the Praxis system. I knew you were full of shit! I never took a Praxis test and would not recognize one if I tripped over it.

Are you sure you aren't a first year education student, because that is about what you seem to know about the topic?

 

[Jackson]

Thus speaks those who cannot and will not teach.

Wrong. I was a teacher for 32 years.

Driver's ed doesn't count!

Tory, you are awfully full of yourself when you don't know anything about the subject being discussed.

I don't know the subject? You are so full of shit, I'll bet your eyes are brown!

I was a teacher for 21 years and I am smart enough to say "Fuck it!" and leave the field because I am sick and tired of morons that could not teach a fish to drink water telling me they can do it so much better because of how easy it is!

Most of them would be crying for their Mommas after the first juvenile delinquent tells the go fuck themselves!

If competent teachers would not pass on students who did not master the subjects taught that year, that wouldn't happen.

Screw you. you couldn't do the job. You did not establish a rapport with the students and failed to make a difference in their lives.