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EDUC-012-Lesson-2

Teaching is portrayed as both a vocation and a mission, emphasizing the profound impact teachers have on shaping individuals and society. It requires dedication, love for children, and a commitment to fostering a meaningful learning environment. The ultimate goal of teaching is to help students develop into better, more humane individuals, transcending mere academic instruction.

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18 views3 pages

EDUC-012-Lesson-2

Teaching is portrayed as both a vocation and a mission, emphasizing the profound impact teachers have on shaping individuals and society. It requires dedication, love for children, and a commitment to fostering a meaningful learning environment. The ultimate goal of teaching is to help students develop into better, more humane individuals, transcending mere academic instruction.

Uploaded by

Miles Escaro
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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LESSON 2

Teaching as a Vocation and Mission

Learning Outcomes:
1. explained why teaching is a vocation and mission.
2. reflected on the importance of excellent mission preparation and accomplishment.

Introduction

Teaching is more than a noble profession. The teacher is the most important person in
any civilization, as on him depend the molding of the nation. There are not many born teachers,
but there are those who love teaching, and there are those who enter it as an occupation. The
chief qualification for a teacher is his or her love for children; from there can follow the training
by good teachers and professors of techniques and principles. Good teacher-pupil relationship
is very important.

Teaching as a Vocation

Vocation comes from the Latin word “vocare” which means “to call”. Based on the
etymology of the word, vocation, therefore, means a call. If there is a call, there must be a caller
and someone who is called. There must also be a response.

We consider teaching a vocation because of the dedication that one exerts to provide
quality learning atmosphere to their students. A teacher spends most of his or her time teaching
inside and outside the four walls of the classroom. Even if he or she goes home, teaching is
always in his or her mind because of the need to prepare for the activities of the coming days
unlike in other professions where the activities end up inside the four walls of their offices or in
their places of work.
We consider teaching as a vocation because it worthy. Those who have gained degrees
in their chosen fields look back to their teachers as the one who molded them the most to
become what they are now. It is the bragging right of teachers that at least, they could
contribute to the life success of their students. For us teachers, it is more fulfilling when our
students give us the thumbs up for guiding them to adhere to what is right.

As the second parents of students, teachers play a key role in instilling the right
discipline in the students and for them to start young the practice of good manners and right
conduct which they carry in their lifetime, even as they become full-fledged professionals. We
remember our teachers for the way they imposed disciplinary actions on us when we were
young and that is the same feeling we teachers seem to pass on to the present and future
generations, as we were also the beneficiaries of our teachers’ efforts.

Teaching as a Mission

Teaching is also a mission. The word “mission” comes from the Latin word “missio”
which means “to send.” The Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines mission as “task
assigned.” You are sent to accomplish an assigned task.

What exactly is the mission to teach? Is it merely to teach the child the
fundamental skills or basic r’s of reading, writing, arithmetic, and right conduct? Is it to help the
child master the basic skills so he can continue acquiring higher-level skills in order to become a
productive member of society? Is it to deposit facts and other information into the “empty
minds” of students to be withdrawn during quizzes and tests? Or is it to “midwife” the birth of
ideas latent in the minds of students? Is it to facilitate the maximum development of his
potential not only for himself but also for others?

To teach is to do all of these and more! To teach is to influence every child entrusted in
your care to become better and happier because life becomes more meaningful. To teach is to
help the child become more human.

Teaching is indeed your mission:

- If you are doing it not only for the pay but also for service;
- If you keep on teaching out of love;
- If you are committed to teaching even if it means letting go of other activities;
- If you remain teaching even though nobody recognizes your efforts;
- If it makes you get excited;
- If your concern in teaching is success plus faithfulness in the job.
(Adapted from Ministry or Job by Anna Sandberg)

Teaching and a Life of Meaning


Want to give your life a meaning? Want to live a purpose-driven life? Spend it
passionately in teaching, the most noble profession. Consider what Dr. Josette T. Biyo, the first
Asian teacher to win the Intel Excellence in Teaching Award in an international competition, said
in a speech delivered before a selected group of teachers, superintendents, DepEd officials and
consultants, to wit:

“Teaching may not be a lucrative position. It cannot 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.”

One of our most fundamental human needs is to have a sense of significance (Maslow,
1943). We need to know that our work is important and that we are having a positive influence
on others, and this impact is one of the great strengths of our profession.

The Humanizing Mission of Teaching

Read this letter given by a private school principal to her teachers on the first day of a
new school year. It may make your humanizing mission in teaching crystal clear:

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.
- Women 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 Eichmanns.

Reading, writing, arithmetic are important only if they serve


to make our children more human.

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