The Teaching Profession? pt. 1

The excitement at Franklin Junior High School was palpable. The new technology that offices had been using for years had finally arrived. Teachers looked forward to using the new photocopier to make copies of tests and worksheets. Instead of trying to decipher the faded and smeared ditto copies of the past, students might actually be able to read the photocopies made by this new technological wonder. Alas, it was not to be. Only the school secretary was allowed to make copies; requests for copies had to go to her; the requests had to be given to her days in advance; only a certain number of copies was allowed, etc. Unsaid but heard anyway was “teachers cannot be trusted to use the copier appropriately,” “teachers will waste paper,” “teachers don’t know how to use it,” and “teachers have a ditto machine and that is good enough.” Teachers were not happy and made themselves heard. Their main point was that teachers are professionals and professionals are competent enough to “push the button.” After lengthy discussions, teachers were allowed to use the copier if they received the special button pushing training.

Change photocopier to the Internet and this story still has relevance today. Teachers tell me they cannot get to resources they need because their district blocks access. Technology directors tell me of teachers who would spend all day on eBay if they could. I think the basic question is how much control a professional should have regarding school equipment (computers and Internet) used for teaching and learning. The answer is probably more than they have. However, if so, the question becomes, “What is a professional teacher?” It is more than just having a teaching certificate. True professionals holds themselves to higher standards. Professional teachers are lifelong learners. They attend professional development classes, they work on higher degrees, and they implement new technologies in the classroom. This includes knowing enough about the Internet to effectively use it and how to teach students how to filter information from it. Ideally a professional teacher would not need Internet filters because they would know how to use effective instruction to keep students from going to inappropriate sites. They have to learn how to “push the button.”

To get to this level, however, teachers have to reach a point where the teaching profession monitors and improves itself. Lawyers and doctors have self-monitoring boards. Teachers must be engaged in improving their profession. In the latest issue of Phi Delta Kappan, Randy Hitz has an article on this issue entitled, “Can the Teaching Profession be Trusted?” Stay tuned for a synopsis of his article.

By the way, the copier incident is a true story. I was there and yes, eventually, I not only got to “push the button,” but ended up as the resident copier expert. That means I got to fill it with toner and paper as well as fix the constant jams. I suppose that was the beginning of my technology career.