This activity is designed for participants to meet each other by sharing some of your own views about education and teaching. Please post your views using the reply button in response to the questions below:
We look forward to reading your thoughts! Join the conversation by replying to posts you find interesting.
Teaching is a vocation because i have the love to teach children and enhance their learning.
Teaching, in my opinion, is a vocation as it meets the idea of vocation. An educator is equipped and competent to perform her job, and thus enjoys every element of it. I am not an educator, but I was drawn to the career path I have chosen for myself. #courses:ds4oers
Yes, Teacher is a profession, but the longer I’ve been in this field, the more I’ve realized that teacher is more than just a profession. It is Vocation. The passion for teaching, the joy it brings each time I see one of my students achieve their goals and excel in school, makes me believe that teaching is a noble and costly experience. It is not a job where you can simply show up, go through the motions, and collect your pay. Every time you walk into the classroom, you have to give a piece of yourself to it, but you get so much back in return. #courses:ds4oers
I joined this profession because I realized through my experiences with peer-based tutorials (while doing my BA) that there were many little (but hugely important) things that were missed by teachers who were too focused on the curriculum. Little things like how the market worked when we didn’t have a high school background in Economics. I also became acutely aware of the need to use examples that made contextual sense when trying to set these fundamentals. Another reason why I joined this profession was that teachers (especially university lecturers) were very highly respected by the community. It was almost natural that as I went through university, most of my role models were lecturers.
On whether teaching is a profession or a vocation, I believe it is too important to be seen purely as a profession. The transformational role that teachers play - individually, societally, nationally, etc. - needs to be viewed in a wider framework. It is teachers who are internally motivated, who believe that what they are doing is almost a “higher calling”, who are not instrumental in their view of their profession … these are the ones that have my respect and admiration. #courses:ds4oers
In my opinion teaching is a profession. Teaching is a field that requires a person to be equip in many areas and it can only be achieved if training and upgrade of skills is done.
Reason I joined the profession was because I was encouraged by my family to join in.
Excellent point and thanks for sharing! This is why I think teaching is also an art, is more than just skill if you know what I mean?
Yes - I used to have 2 American teachers in the early days who were masters at hitting us on the right psychological wavelength. I think they left a huge impression on me - that’s why I think the way I do about teaching and learning.
In my opinion, teaching is a vocation because it is more than just teaching. You have the love of it and the children you are teaching is precious and their future depends on what you deliberate daily.
In my opinion teaching is a profession but may also be considered a vocation as one is bound by providing quality learning for students to embark on for their future.
Totally agree as great teachers don’t just teach they prepare us for the road ahead.
I joined the vocation because I wanted to pass on my skills and knowledge to younger generations. Providing them with an opportunity for a brighter and better future.
Teaching is an art and teachers should be passionate about their profession hence the profession becomes a vocation. Since things keep changing in terms of technology and the type of learners, as teachers we should also learn throughout life by attending webinars and taking courses like this. Also, I believe in sharing resources with everyone and collaboration and communication amongst teachers nationally and internationally is the way forward for education
I started as an accountant after graduating but found it boring. Later when I joined the profession and became passionate about it since while teaching in a school I was part of a variety of things such as extra curricular activities - sports, dance, art, essay competitions, fundraising, careers, celebration of festivals, international days and the list keeps going. This is indeed a profession that makes other professions and I feel proud to have my students around the world working in various professions
I believe teaching is a vocation, a calling from God to holistically groom up children to become better members of the society and responsible citizens of their country. Teaching is a thankless job which should be conducted passionately without expecting anything in return.
When i took up teaching, i see children under my care as my own and nurture them to become better for i believe education should involve both the mind and the heart to prepare them for the bigger world.Children should be prepared holistically at young age to enable them to swim and not sink when finally out in the outside world.
The core role of teachers is create a knowledge based society, thus making an individual knowledgeable and independent in life. To bring about this, a teacher requires knowledge, skills and experience which could be termed as profession.
Vocation on the other hand, is more of a calling to become a teacher (a professional). The one will share the knowledge and skills acquired with utmost passion, enthusiasm, compassion and dedication.
So in my opinion teaching is a vocation.
Teaching was my dream job and my first preference. Initially, I thought that this was a very highly paid profession and you are highly regarded and respected in the community. But over the years, as I grew in my profession, I realized that it was not so about the salary or the respect from the community but the learners under our umbrella. It was more about shaping their future. So now whatever work I carry out in terms of teaching, the learners become my priority and I do it without any strings attached!! #courses:ds4oers
Bula everyone !
In my opinion teaching is both a vocation and a profession. This is so because taking the role of a teacher is a calling for many of us who have joined this fraternity. A group of individuals with passion of teaching form the fraternity that we call a profession in this era.
I am an educator for over 16years. I joined this fraternity because I love children and love to nurture and see them grow in their talents.
Teaching to me is a profession because it requires training and skills to be qualified and suitable for the job or career of becoming a professional teacher. Where as vocation would be a call for my commitment and ability to carry out the acquired knowledge i have
I joined the vocation of teaching because i do have a heart for working with people. I have just started teaching social work this year and i love to commit my time to working together with people and processing my knowledge where i share with them in our journey.
Teachers should be passionate about their profession hence the profession becomes a vocation. In today’s world technologies and type of learners are changing therefore we should also learn throughout life by attending webinars and taking courses like this. I also believe collaboration and communication amongst teachers nationally and internationally is the way forward for education because teachers need to share ideas to engage students.
Agreed, open licensing combined with the internet provides amazing potential for national and international collaboration among teachers.
That’s funny - I also trained as an accountant in my first life 
Changing to education was the best decision of my career!