If we invested in teacher morale with the same intensity as we do in chasing the next great curriculum or initiative, our schools and students would be far better off.
Is teaching a profession? Here’s the real definition.
A profession is defined by six things:
Specialized training
A unique body of knowledge
Clear standards and ethics
Professional judgment
Service to society
Ongoing development
Teaching meets EVERY ONE of those criteria.
So why do some people act like it’s not a profession?
Because we’ve spent years undermining the very things that make it a profession:
We scripted teachers.
We standardized everything.
We minimized expertise.
We paid professionals inadequately.
We gave more criticism than respect.
But the truth is this:
Teaching is a profession.
In fact, It’s the profession that makes every other profession possible.