essay about profession occupation

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Profession Vs Occupation Essay Samples

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Profession , Nursing , Breastfeeding , Professionalism , Job , Occupation , Wellness , Exercise

Published: 12/05/2021

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A profession refers to something that an individual is while occupation is the things that an individual does. Nursing is a practice profession and it represents what an individual is while occupation refers to the everyday activity. A profession is an occupation that has a mix of qualities ranging from self-sufficiency, skill, obligation, and duty. The nursing profession is a free profession that provides benefits that improve individual ability to deliver on the three pillars of care, cure and co-appointment in professional nursing. Nursing takes into consideration the aversion of disease, advancement of wellbeing and consideration of the unwell, and the handicapped. In addition, nurses focus on legitimacy of moral processes that facilitate the conveyance of medical services that this acts as evidence that nursing is a profession and not an occupation (Huston, 8-10). It is critical that nurses acquaint themselves with the latest nursing procedures and be all round educated to face any professional challenge that they may be presented with. It can also be noted that recently, nursing has been considered to be a science that works on inventive methodologies that better individual wellbeing. Professional status is achieved when individuals commit themselves to not only focusing on the job but also being committed to their work. Essentially, individuals need to familiarize themselves with the critical professional elements that can help them keep up with professionalism. It is imperative that nurses understand that the inspiration for nursing is care that requires the engagement of the nursing profession. The purpose of nursing should be created and reinforced from inside the professional realms through both training and clinical practices (Finkelman & Kenner, 17). In conclusion, nursing is a profession that cannot be distinctively be separated from occupation. However, the fact that it has benchmarks and code of morals make it one of the most exceptional professions.

Comparison of Attitudes: Occupation, Career and My Practice

Source: (Finkelman & Kenner, 17)

Finkelman, A., & Kenner, C. (2010). Professional nursing concepts. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Huston, C. J. (2013). Professional issues in nursing: Challenges and opportunities. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

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Essay on Career for Students and Children

500+ words essay on career.

Career is a very important thing in one’s life. Whatever career path you choose to follow, it will impact your life greatly. Your career will define your status in a society in addition to your lifestyle. In other words, your career will determine your social circle and relationships.

Therefore, it is extremely important to choose the correct career path . From a very young age, we aspire to be something or the other. While someone aims to be a doctor, some wish to become a painter. Our career choices depend on a lot of things. Thus, it is important to consider all factors before choosing a career path.

How to Choose your Career?

You must consider a number of factors before deciding on your career. Each factor plays a significant role in your choice. Firstly, always assess yourself thoroughly. You must understand your area of interest to choose a career. For instance, someone who dances well can surely become a doctor, but his interest will always be in dance. Thus, ensure that you have the caliber to perform well in the field you choose. This will come from your area of interest itself.

After that, you look for the opportunities available as per your area of interest. Now that you are aware of what you like and dislike, you can easily look for occupations matching your passion. Make a list of the occupations you can get into following your interests. Furthermore, shorten the list you have prepared. You must do so as per what suits you best. Consult with your seniors and parents to make informed decisions.

Most importantly, acquire the skills for the career option you are interested in. Ensure you earn the qualifications and degrees for it. Try taking training programs to enhance your skills. This will give you an upper hand in knowing whether you are correct in choosing the specific career plan. Furthermore, create an impressive resume which can help you get the right opportunities.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to Achieve your Career Goal?

There are steps you need to take before achieving your career goal. As they say, success doesn’t come overnight. You must work along the way to accomplish your goals. There is always hope if you have the will. Firstly, create profiles on different job portals to attract the employer’s attention. When you maintain your profile well, you will be able to get good career opportunities.

Moreover, always maintain your network. Build a solid network and create sources in the field. This way you can update yourself with the latest happenings in the industry. In addition, try to attend the related seminars and workshops that happen related to your career choice. You will meet influential people of the same field who can broaden your thinking.

In short, always remember to stay determined. You can easily achieve your career goal if you set your mind to it. In other words, people usually distract themselves easily. You must not do so and focus on your career path to achieve your goals efficiently.

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Essays on Profession

In your profession essay, you may define profession as a person’s career or occupation, which required prior education, training, or both. Profession derived from Latin "professio", which means “official occupation”. Some writers of profession essays define profession as a relatively wide type of work activity, which requires certain knowledge and work skills. Essays on profession teach us that choosing a profession not just means choosing a job, but accepting ethical norms, rules, principles, values , and lifestyle that come with it. Profession, chosen by a person in accordance with their calling, inclinations, and abilities becomes a source of inspiration, satisfaction, and joy, and also of great benefit to society as a whole. Our profession essay samples will teach you all you need to know about the topic – view the best essay samples below.

The proponents of making master’s degree the entry level for RT practice put forth several arguments to support their standpoint. For instance, they state that advanced degrees enable health professionals to adapt to the ever-changing health information and therefore relate better to the complexities presented by the therapeutic process. This...

The master of healthcare administration program has provided crucial insights that will help me achieve success in the health care industry. First, this curriculum has taught me how to make well-informed contributions and enabled me to educate my colleagues and even supervisors about the health care system. In essence, combining...

Dr. Danielle Ofri on the Importance of Effective Doctor-Patient Communication Dr. Danielle Ofri is correct to state that the single most powerful diagnostic tool remains the doctor/patient effective communication. Speaking at Mayo Clinic in 2017, on closing the gap between a doctor and a patient, she insists that in order for...

Choosing career at the earliest stage in life is one of the aspects that determine the future. Notably, there are various factors that determine one’s career choice such as passion, employment prospects, and advice from career educators, counselors or family members. Critical to underscore is that the need to make...

Words: 1996

Teaching as a Profession Teaching is a profession that requires persistence and patience. The teacher requires training from the initial stage to the final step. This makes teaching a continuous process. It involves learning new things and applying the same to the learners. Attitude, belief and disposition is mandatory to ensure...

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Forensic psychologists are professionals who specialize in applying their knowledge in psychology to legal matters. Forensic psychologists work in public service, academia, and the private sector. Some routine engagements include the application of clinical skills such as evaluation and treatment in different forensic settings such as juvenile detention centers, courthouses,...

Words: 2097

Communication and how patient-doctor interact is important in modern diagnosis of patients. Both verbal and non-verbal communication is important during treatment session. Ability to decode such expression help doctors relate well and give best treatment to patients. In this short essay, we look at the interaction of Dr. Drossman with...

Over the last fifty years, the methods in which doctors and physicians approach medical decisions have changed significantly. The medical choices for many generations have always been left exclusively for doctors and patients if they chose to be part of it, but they still had little say in the final...

Words: 1426

In various occasions, graduates have been faced with challenges of deciding the field of career to pursue. After earning relevant training from the institutions of higher learning, many people find it hard to venture into professions due to the high level of qualifications and experience that is required by the...

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Ethics in Engineering Ethics refer to the general code of conduct or principles required in a specific field or that which a person has set to govern their lives. Just like any other field of study, engineering also requires specific set of rules to ensure that there is proper sailing in...

The term vocation is derived from a Latin word vocare, which means “calling.” Calling signifies the grand purpose of one’s life. It involves unseen forces that influence individual choices in career. The invisible force guides people in making critical career decisions that lead to fulfilling one’s destiny (Buechber, 2017). In...

Words: 1250

Essay On profession

Table of Contents

Short Essay On profession

A profession is a type of work that requires specialized education, training, and skills. It is a career that is held in high regard by society and is considered a calling or vocation. Some common examples of professions include doctors, lawyers, engineers, architects, and teachers.

A profession requires a great deal of commitment, discipline, and hard work. Professionals must continually update their knowledge and skills in their respective fields in order to stay current and maintain their expertise. This helps ensure that they are providing the highest quality of service to their clients or patients.

Professions play a critical role in society as they provide essential services that improve the quality of life for individuals and communities. Doctors, for example, work to diagnose and treat illnesses, while lawyers work to protect the rights of their clients and ensure that justice is served. Engineers design and build infrastructure that improves the functioning of society, and teachers educate the next generation of leaders and citizens.

In addition to the important services that professionals provide, pursuing a profession can also bring personal fulfillment and satisfaction. It allows individuals to use their unique skills and abilities to make a positive impact in the world, and provides a sense of purpose and direction in life.

However, the pursuit of a profession can also be challenging, especially in highly competitive fields. Many professionals work long hours, and the demands of their work can be mentally and physically taxing. In addition, the high level of responsibility that comes with many professions can also be stressful.

In conclusion, a profession is a calling or vocation that requires specialized education, training, and skills. It plays a critical role in society by providing essential services and can bring personal fulfillment and satisfaction. However, it can also be challenging and demanding.

Long Essay On profession

With so many different career paths to choose from, it can be difficult to decide on the right profession for you. In this essay, we discuss the importance of researching and understanding the different professions available in order to make an informed decision on which one is right for you. Read on to understand how to make the best choice when it comes to picking your profession.

Introduction to the topic

A profession is an occupation undertaken for a prolonged period of time, usually with the intention of securing financial independence and stability. It is often considered to be a prestigious or respected position in society. Many people choose their profession based on their skills, interests, and values. Some professions require extensive training and education, while others can be entered into with little more than on-the-job experience.

The word “profession” comes from the Latin word “professio,” which means “to declare publicly.” This root word gives us some insight into the nature of a profession: it is an occupation that is declared or announced to the public. When we think of someone declaring their profession, we might think of a doctor or lawyer declaring their oath to do no harm or to uphold the law, respectively. A declaration is not just a statement made to others; it is also a commitment that the person making the declaration intends to uphold.

A profession is not just an occupation; it is also a way of life. People who enter into a profession are expected to uphold certain standards of conduct and ethics. They are also expected to continuously develop their skills and knowledge in order to keep up with the latest changes in their field. Professionals are typically held in high esteem by society because they have dedicated themselves to mastering their craft.

While many people choose their profession based on what they are good at or what they enjoy doing, there are also many practical considerations that come into play when selecting a profession. For example, some professions offer higher salaries than others; some offer more stability and predictability; and some are more likely to lead to career advancement. Ultimately, the individual must decide what type of profession is the best fit for them based on their interests, skills, and values.

Different Types of Professions

There are many different types of professions out there. Some people may think that all professions are the same, but there are actually quite a few differences between them. Here are just a few examples of the different types of professions:

-Doctors and surgeons: These professionals save lives on a daily basis. They have years of schooling and training before they are able to practice medicine.

-Lawyers: These professionals help people navigate the legal system. They may work in private practice or for a law firm.

-Teachers: These professionals shape the minds of future generations. They work in schools and universities, teaching students about a variety of subjects.

-Engineers: These professionals design and build structures and systems. They use their knowledge of math and science to make our world a better place.

-Artists: These professionals create works of art that can be enjoyed by everyone. They may work in painting, sculpture, music, or any other form of art.

Pros and Cons of Having a Profession

There are both pros and cons to having a profession. On the plus side, having a profession can give you a sense of purpose and direction in life. It can also provide you with a stable income and a path to upward mobility. Having a profession can also give you a sense of pride and accomplishment. On the downside, having a profession can be stressful and demanding. It can also be inflexible, leaving little room for personal or family time.

The Impact of Profession on Society

A profession is an occupation that requires a specific set of skills and knowledge. The most common professions include doctors, lawyers, engineers, and teachers. However, there are many other occupations that can be considered professions, such as dentists, accountants, and pharmacists.

Professions have a long history dating back to ancient times. The first recorded instance of someone practicing a profession was in Mesopotamia in 2600 BCE. This person was a scribe who kept records for the government. Since then, professions have become an integral part of society. They provide essential services and contribute to the economy.

There are several ways in which professions impact society. First, they provide essential services that people need in order to live healthy and productive lives. For example, doctors treat illness and injury, lawyers represent clients in court, and teachers educate children. Second, professions contribute to the economy by generating income and creating jobs. For instance, engineers design products that are manufactured and sold, while accountants keep track of financial transactions. Finally, professions help shape social norms and values by setting standards for ethical behavior and professional conduct.

The role of professions in society is an essential one. They provide vital services, create jobs, and shape social norms and values. Therefore, it is important to recognize the impact that professions have on society and to support them in any way possible.

What Qualities Make a Good Professional?

In order to be a good professional, one must first have the necessary qualifications and skills for the job. But simply having the right qualifications is not enough; a good professional also has certain qualities that set them apart from the rest.

Some of the qualities that make a good professional include: being able to work well under pressure, being able to meet deadlines, being organized, being able to multitask, and being able to handle difficult clients or customers. Of course, there are many other qualities that can make someone a good professional, but these are some of the most important ones.

If you possess these qualities, then you have a good chance of becoming a successful professional in your chosen field. Remember, though, that it takes more than just having the right skills and qualifications; you also need to have the right attitude and approach to your work. With dedication and hard work, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

How to Become Successful in Your Profession

In order to achieve success in any chosen profession, it is important to have passion for the work, be committed to excellence, and continuously strive to improve and learn new skills. Additionally, it is essential to develop strong relationships with mentors, colleagues, and peers in order to create a supportive network. Furthermore, always remember that success takes time and patience – never give up on your dreams!

In conclusion, there is no doubt that a profession can shape your life in more ways than one. It is important to take time to reflect on the kind of career you want and make sure it aligns with your goals and dreams. Having the right profession will not only bring you financial stability but also satisfaction and fulfillment in whatever task you undertake, thereby making life’s journey worthwhile. Ultimately, having a meaningful job allows us to contribute positively to society in our own unique way.

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Counselor: A Profession and a True Purpose Essay

Introduction, career choice, goals and aspirations, master’s program opportunities.

Choosing a profession is a challenging task for every individual. The sphere of occupation should not only allow people to effectively apply their knowledge and practical skills but also correspond in terms of individual goals and aspirations. I can say that the profession of a counselor precisely reflects my endeavors and personal qualities. I chose this Master’s program to broaden my knowledge in this field and contribute to the well-being of families and individuals. In this paper, I will describe my career decision, aspirations, and post-graduate plans in detail.

I am often asked about what influenced my decision to choose this particular mental health profession compared to other occupations within social work and psychology. My devotion to this specialization is explained by its essential role in the modern world. According to Hodges (2020), both counselors and non-specialists find it difficult to describe the difference between counseling and other related professions. The author explains that the focus on counseling rather than treatment is what makes this field distinct and unique (Hodges, 2020). It is possible to add that nowadays, people are especially vulnerable to stress, depression, and other mental conditions. The fast pace of living and the development of modern technologies made people more separated from each other, which resulted in significant difficulties in seeking psychological support. Understanding the growing demand for high-quality counseling, I decided to contribute to the psychological well-being of society.

Another reason, which influenced my career choice, is related to my personal qualities. I can say that I have always been a person for whom helping others and giving advice to people seeking help is of great significance. Even before I became involved in professional counseling, I felt responsible for assisting others in their emotional struggle. Being an empathetic person with the ability to observe and evaluate, I can provide psychological support to people and help them understand and change different facets of their personalities. I believe that a wide range of opportunities in the sphere of counseling would help me apply my interpersonal skills in the most effective way.

My short-term goals related to my career are connected with receiving a Master’s education and acquiring fundamental skills and competencies in counseling. According to Hodges (2020), an interest in a specific area is not enough to provide professional service, and theoretical knowledge and practical skills are needed to become more competent. Therefore, my primary goal is to focus on individual and group psychology and study the theories of diagnosing and psychological assessment.

In the long-term perspective, I would like to become a licensed professional counselor. Individual counseling is one of the specializations where I would like to apply my knowledge. Personal concerns have always been a primary focus of psychotherapy, psychology, and social work. Learning about various individual problems, from more general (such as stress and depression) to more specific (for example, relationship issues and career planning), will make me qualified enough to provide comprehensive individual counseling. Moreover, I believe that by ensuring the emotional health and stability of every individual, it is possible to shape the mental health of the entire society.

Since I have always considered family the major value in a person’s life, my goal is to acquire a job position in family counseling. I plan to focus on promoting understanding and encouraging conversation between family members. By observing interactions within a family and evaluating clients’ mental and behavioral health issues, I would be able to help them develop healthy relationships. Moreover, I would like to provide strength and hope to people through adapting various counseling approaches to a family’s needs. Therefore, upon completion of my Master’s program, I would like to address the emotional, behavioral, and psychological concerns of individuals and families.

I decided to enroll in the Master’s program in counseling because it provides multiple opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills necessary for effective work as a professional counselor. An ability to communicate with different people, understand them, and teach them to access and analyze their own emotions and desires are only some of the competencies I would like to acquire. Therefore, my main expectation is to improve the knowledge I gained upon completion of the Bachelor’s program and learn how to contribute to developing counseling services at the individual, family, and community levels.

Besides the basic knowledge related to group and individual counseling, I expect to acquire additional professional skills which would help me become more flexible in using various psychological approaches. For example, since a counselor is a professional working with clients of different ages, gender, race, ethnicity, and religion, it is important to be aware of social diversity and its aspects. I believe that in addition to the fundamental knowledge within my specialization, this Master’s program would allow me to become more open-minded and learn how to provide a high-quality counseling service in a multifaceted society.

Enrolling in a Master’s program in counseling became one of my most important decisions, and I have never regretted devoting myself to this particular profession. Nowadays, there is a special need to address contemporary mental health issues and provide high-quality psychological support. I believe that with my personal skills and the knowledge I expect to acquire within this program, I would be able to make my own contribution to the psychological well-being of society.

Hodges, S. (2020). The professional counselor: Challenges and opportunities. Routledge.

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"Counselor: A Profession and a True Purpose." IvyPanda , 31 Aug. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/counselor-a-profession-and-a-true-purpose/.

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IvyPanda . 2022. "Counselor: A Profession and a True Purpose." August 31, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/counselor-a-profession-and-a-true-purpose/.

1. IvyPanda . "Counselor: A Profession and a True Purpose." August 31, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/counselor-a-profession-and-a-true-purpose/.

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IvyPanda . "Counselor: A Profession and a True Purpose." August 31, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/counselor-a-profession-and-a-true-purpose/.

Concerns of Being a Counselor
Counseling Profession in Special Education
‘Guidelines for Resolving Conflict as a Counselor’
School Licensed Counselor's Interview on Profession
Discrepancies Between Aspirations and Reality in Healthcare
Value Neutrality for a counselor
Career Field in Psychology: Counselor
Effective Mental Health Counseling
Addiction Counseling and Certification in Arizona
Group Counseling and Ethics
Children Trauma and the Effects on Relationship
Positive Psychology’s Influence on the Self
Patience as a Major Factor of Professional Success
Delayed Gratification is a Major Factor in Professional Success
The Delayed Gratification: Fundamentals and Impact on Professional Success

Teaching as a Profession

First Online: 01 January 2014

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Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Education ((BRIEFSEDUCAT))

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According to international and national reports and studies, the overall status of the teaching profession is not very prestigious (and indeed far from it), as already mentioned. Underlying its widely degraded status—and being decisive for its future—is the crux of grasping its very identity. Teachers should consider themselves and be considered as professionals of the right to education and of pedagogic communication, the centre of gravity of their professionalism being interpersonal relationship. At the core of the teaching profession is its unique and far-reaching ethical dimension. The improvement of its quality should therefore begin at … the beginning. The human quality of the candidates to exercising the profession should be taken into account when deciding on the criteria for entering professional education and evaluating professional performance. Besides selection, education and evaluation, improving the quality of the teaching profession should also include other aspects of its professional and social status, such as working conditions, as well as pay and career perspectives, without overlooking the relevance of school management. The future of the teaching profession is obviously tied to that of the school. Teachers should become professionals of example. Professional exemplarity should be understood as an exceptional incarnation of a blend of qualities, values and knowledge. The teaching profession should be principally responsible for attracting the best human beings. How? by means of outstanding professional self-governing bodies, composed of people holding a passionate and inspiring vision.

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www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_dialogue/---sector/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_162259.pdf .

www.metlife.com/assets/cao/foundation/MetLife-Teacher-Survey-2012.pdf .

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/education-philosophy .

See the database of the Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions (CSEP, created in 1976), Illinois Institute of Technology (USA) ( http://ethics.iit.edu/codes/coe.html ).

Kindly made electronically available by OAJ (February 2013).

www.cpa.ca/cpasite/userfiles/Documents/Canadian%20Code%20of%20Ethics%20for%20Psycho.pdf .

www.acm.org/serving/se/code.htm#full .

www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp .

The European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations refers to its Code of Ethics as a “Meta-Code” ( www.efpa.be/ethics.php ).

www.acm.org/constitution/code.html .

www.cpa.ca/publications .

http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=13084andURL_DO=DO_TOPICandURL_SECTION=201.html .

http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=13144andURL_DO=DO_TOPICandURL_SECTION=201.html .

www.ei-ie.org/en/websections/content_detail/3270 .

EI is a world Federation of about 400 professional organizations in the education field, representative of about 30 million professionals in more than 170 countries and territories. www.ei-ie.org/worldcongress/docs/WC04Res_DeclarationProfEthics_e.pdf .

Teachercodes.iiep.unesco.org/index.php?lang = EN.

www.iiep.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Cap_Dev_Training/Virtual_Institute/pdf/Forums/IIEP-UNESCO_Forum_Teacher_Codes_Report.pdf .

The philosopher Olivier Reboul (1925–1992) said that “every teacher is a teacher of Morals, even without his or her knowing” ( 1971 , p. 109).

www.nbpts.org/UserFiles/File/what_teachers.pdf

The NBPTS webpage reads:

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, known simply as National Board, is an independent, nonprofit organization. It was formed in 1987 to advance the quality of teaching and learning by developing professional standards for accomplished teaching, creating a voluntary system to certify teachers who meet those standards and integrating board-certified teachers into educational reform efforts. (See more at: http://www.nbpts.org/who-we-are#sthash.EMoRVWn1.dpuf )

Other organizations for voluntary certification, at federal level, include the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE), the National Center for Alternative Certification (NCAC) and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

www.bcteacherregulation.ca/documents/AboutUs/Standards/edu_stds.pdf .

The Royal Commission on Learning was established by the Province of Ontario, in May 1993, “to present a vision and action plan to guide Ontario’s reform of elementary and secondary education” for ensuring “that Ontario youth are well prepared for the challenges of the twenty-first century” (Order in Council). The Commission released its report, entitled For the Love of Learning , in January 1995.

Lewin, K. (1951). Field theory in social science: Selected theoretical papers by Kurt Lewin . New York: Harper and Row.

The Ontario’s New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP) is a good example.

They are organized according to the rules of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), created by the Bologna Process, and the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS, each one corresponding to 25–30 h of learning work, and each academic year consisting of 60 ECTS).

Accountability is an ancient English term whose etymology is ‘count’, but has gained a broader meaning that entered the dictionaries and encyclopedias only in the 1980s, following Dario Castiglione ( 2006 ).

An OECD ( 2011b ) Report comments: “Given the ‘teacher-bashing’ engaged in by the previous government, this show of trust in the competence and professionalism of the teaching force was an essential ingredient in repairing the rupture that had developed between the profession and the government” (p. 76).

In connexion with this, the Report of the 2013 International Summit on the Teaching Profession notes:

Jaakko Meretniemi, a teacher from Finland, struck a different note. He said that teachers in Finland are well educated – all have master’s degrees. He did not see the need for a formal teacher-evaluation system. Teachers get plenty of feedback from their students and colleagues. He worried that the Summit was going in the wrong direction, that increasing teacher inspections might kill teachers’ passion for their work. (Asia Society 2013 , p. 17).

http://core.roehampton.ac.uk/digital/froarc/comgre/ .

Translation: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001202/120260e.pdf (p. 123).

Karl Marx (1818–1883) put it this way in “Theses on Feuerbach”, first published as an appendix to Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of Classical German Philosophy (1886): “The materialist doctrine concerning the changing of circumstances and upbringing forgets that circumstances are changed by men and that it is essential to educate the educator himself”. ( www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/download/Marx_Ludwig_Feurbach_and_the_End_of_German_Classical_Philosop.pdf ). This is a problem similar to the political one highlighted by Tom Campbell ( 2006 ): “The eternal problem of political philosophy is how we can guard the guardians” (p. 100).

www.oecd.org/dataoecd/53/16/46335575.pdf .

Learning to be — The world of education today and tomorrow is the title of an influential Report prepared by an International Commission appointed by UNESCO, published in 1972.

For instance, the Teachers’ Code of Ethics and Practice of the Council for the Teaching Profession in Malta, adopted in 2012, which elaborates on six “Key Principles”, refers three times to ‘role model’ (defined as “any person who serves as an example and whose behaviour is emulated by others”), namely: “A teacher shall endeavour to be a role model and shall act within the community in a manner which enhances the prestige of the profession”. Teachers should “behave in keeping with their unique position of trust and status as role models”. They shoul:

Be mindful of their position as a role models to students; and Both in their personal and professional life, be mindful of their behaviour and attitude, being that these may have an impact on the profession they represent.

( http://education.gov.mt/en/resources/documents/teachers%20resources/teachers%20code%20of%20ethics%20en.pdf ).

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Aristotle. (1925). The Nicomachean ethics (Translated with an Introduction by David Ross, Revised by J. L. Ackrill and J. O. Urmson). Oxford: University Press (1998).

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In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Occupations and Professions

Introduction.

Data Sources
Theoretical Foundations
Definitions
Professional Projects
Knowledge and Education
Identities, Socialization, and Normative Control
Intraprofessional Stratification
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Occupations and Professions by Kyle Albert , Kim Weeden LAST REVIEWED: 29 May 2019 LAST MODIFIED: 29 May 2019 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199756384-0038

Sociologists have long been fascinated with occupations and professions, both as forms of social organization and as the locus for other social processes and dynamics. Social control and cohesion, differentiation and inequality, collective action, power and influence, and identity formation are just a few of the topics considered by sociologists studying occupations and professions. Four strands of literature compose the sociology of occupations and professions, broadly defined. One strand tackles the division of labor, with the goal of understanding how positions in the division of labor are differentiated from one another (e.g., professions from other occupations), and how those differences are maintained. A second examines occupational communities, and, in particular, the relationship between occupational membership and individual behavior. A third strand focuses on the social activity of work itself, including the labor process, employer control of work, alienation and job satisfaction, unionization and its recent discontents, and the rise and fall of skills. Another thread of scholarship considers how occupations become associated with rewards (e.g., pay, prestige, authority, etc.). The field of occupations and professions has diversified methodologically in recent years, opening up new modes of inquiry into some of these topics. Indeed, whereas case studies of particular occupations dominated the field in the latter half of the 20th century, major empirical research in the last decade have included ethnographies, comparative case studies, network analyses, and quantitative analyses of survey data. And, although the pace of theoretical innovation in the “professions” literature may have slowed in recent years, the field remains a vibrant arena for studies of globalization, technological change, corporate reorganization and changes in employment practices, and the emergence of “new” types of work (e.g., service work, emotional labor).

Case studies and ethnographies tend to be easily accessible in their original formats, and difficult to translate to textbook form. Given the strong tradition of these methodological approaches in the occupations and professions literatures, many instructors in the field choose not to rely on textbooks. Nevertheless, several textbooks may be suitable for courses on the sociology of work and occupations. Wharton 2006 is the latest incarnation of a popular reader that presents concise excerpts from classic works in the sociology of work. Rothman 1998 and Volti 2008 constitute more traditional textbooks on the sociology of work and occupations, covering vast amounts of literature in an accessible format. Vallas, et al. 2009 is notable for its focus on inequality within the labor market. Finally, instructors looking for a classic text might consider Hughes 1994 , a unique compilation of essays that touch on many principal aspects of the sociology of work and occupations.

Hughes, Everett C. 1994. On work, race, and the sociological imagination . Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press.

A compilation of Hughes’s most famous essays, including “Institutional Office and the Person,” and “Good People and Dirty Work,” this was originally published in 1958. The essays, which reflect the Chicago school’s qualitative and interactionist approach to sociology (see also Becker, et al. 1961 , cited under Identities, Socialization, and Normative Control ; Freidson 1988 and Freidson 2001 , both cited under Professions: Definitions ; and Stouffer, et al. 1949 , cited under the Labor Process ) are readily accessible to undergraduates. The ideas may now seem self-evident or simplistic, but because of Hughes’s deft writing, they still sparkle.

Rothman, Robert A. 1998. Working: Sociological perspectives . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

In just over three hundred pages, this textbook offers a comprehensive overview of the sociology of work, occupations, and professions. It covers core topics in the sociology of occupations (e.g., professionals and professionalization, skill changes, and bureaucratization) as well as related topics such as occupational prestige, unemployment, and the work-family balance.

Vallas, Steven P., William Finlay, and Amy S. Wharton. 2009. The sociology of work: Structures and inequalities . New York: Oxford Univ. Press.

This text provides rich historical context on the development of employment policies and paradigms in the United States and a unique chapter on research methods. The bulk of the text is devoted to the occupational structure (e.g., professions and service work) and the implications of work for social inequality.

Volti, Rudi. 2008. An introduction to the sociology of work and occupations . Los Angeles: Pine Forge.

As with other Pine Forge Press offerings, this text is designed to provide a concise, easily accessible overview of the field. Its coverage of the social, economic, and political-historical context of the broader societal changes (e.g., globalization, technological change) that affect work make it particularly accessible to undergraduates who lack a sociology background.

Wharton, Amy S. 2006. Working in America: Continuity, conflict, and change . 3d ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.

This reader covers a range of topics related to the American labor market through forty-three excerpts, generally ten to twenty pages in length, from important scholarly and popular works. The excerpts are primarily written by American scholars. Readings range from classical theory to technology, inequality, and service work; their coverage of the American perspective on work and occupations is broad and engaging.

Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content on this page. Please subscribe or login .

Oxford Bibliographies Online is available by subscription and perpetual access to institutions. For more information or to contact an Oxford Sales Representative click here .

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Career Goals Essay For Scholarships (With Examples)

Apply For A Job
Applying To Multiple Jobs At The Same Company
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Personal Mission Statement
Corporate Titles
Career Goals Essay
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Vision Statement

Find a Job You Really Want In

Scholarship programs often want you to write a career goals essay to see that you have a clear plan for how you’ll apply your education to a specific career path. This helps show a scholarship committee why you’re seeking funds for the next step on the path toward your success.

Answering “what are your career goals” effectively can help increase your odds of impressing landing a scholarship opportunity. If you’re a prospective student applying for scholarships, this article will provide tips on how to write a career goals essay, along with essays on career goals examples to help you get an idea of what scholarship committees are looking for.

Key Takeaways:

When you’re writing a career goals essay, make sure to write about the goals that are relevant to the scholarship.

Be honest and use your own voice to stand out in your scholarship essay.

Go into detail about how the scholarship will help you achieve your goals.

What is a career goals essay?

Why scholarship essays ask about career goals, example career goals essay prompts, career goals essay examples, tips for writing a scholarship essay about career goals, what to write in a career goals essay if your goals have changed, career goals essay for a scholarship faq.

A career goals essay is a personal written explanation that discusses your background, why you’re interested in participating in the program, and what career you’d like this degree to lead into. A scholarship essay functions to explain why you want to achieve your professional goals and how you intend to get there.

In almost every application process, a portion asks the candidate to answer an essay question. When applying to an educational program, like an MBA, the essay prompt usually relates to your career goals .

Scholarship essays ask about career goals to assess your enthusiasm for the program, learn more about how the scholarship will help you, and ensure that you’ve considered how the program will help you achieve your goals for the future:

Assess your enthusiasm. Passion is important for scholarship administrators, and if you’re able to articulate your enthusiasm for a specific career path , it will show that you’re determined to meet the requirements to reach that goal. The most specific and well-thought-out your essay is, the easier it will be for a reader to understand your devotion and commitment to the program and the field it will allow you to enter.

Learn how the scholarship will help you. Having a firm grasp of your career goals is great, but it’s equally important that you express exactly how the specific program relates to those goals. This shows that you’ve researched the merits of the program and understand exactly how it fits into your professional goals.

Show you’ve considered your future. This goes along with the first two points — show that you know how to set goals and consider the path toward achieving those goals, and you’ll have an easier time convincing the reader that you’ll know how to set goals while participating in the program. They’ll see that you know how to prioritize education because you have a clear vision for navigating your career path.

While some scholarships might come right out and simply ask, “What are your career goals?” most will rework the question into something different that still accomplishes the same goal.

Below are some examples of career goals essay prompts that a scholarship program could pose to its applicants:

Discuss your career goals. Many scholarships prefer the most direct approach when giving an essay prompt to their applicants. This type of question gives the candidate a lot of wiggle room to discuss their passions, motivations, and career goals.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years ? This question is often used as a prompt for a career goals essay because it gives the applicant a timeline to describe their aspirations. It forces them to be realistic about where their career will be and how they will accomplish this within the next ten years.

How will this scholarship contribute to your professional success? A scholarship committee wants to be sure that the money they’re giving will contribute to a student’s overall professional success. This question asks about the applicant’s game plan in the long-term and evaluates how this program is going to assist in their future.

What is your dream job ? Since a dream job is often categorized as a person’s career goals, this is a common question phrasing in scholarship essays. Asking about a candidate’s dream job answers whether this program aligns with the student’s long-term career goals.

What matters most to you and why? Sometimes, a scholarship essay prompt won’t ask about your career or future at all. Instead, they’ll ask a question like this that assesses your motivations , values, and character.

Use these examples of career goals essays for scholarships to help write your own. Pay special attention to how they’re organized, rather than the content, to inspire your own career goals essay:

Career goals essay example 1 – Discuss your career goals

When I was six years old, I was riding bikes with my older sister around our neighborhood. She had just taught me how to ride, and I was excited to have to freedom to explore with her. When she was rounding a particularly difficult bend to see around, a car happened to be coming along at the same time. It struck her. That bike ride changed our lives forever. Over the next year, I went with my sister every Tuesday and Thursday to her physical therapist ’s appointments to help her regain walking strength. Watching her physical therapist patiently assist my sister back to becoming herself awoken something in me. A passion for helping others in the same way eventually turned into a career goal of becoming a physical therapist myself. I decided to get my bachelor’s degree in exercise science. After graduating in 2019, I knew that the next step for me was to attend a graduate program in physical therapy. I was accepted to Lassell University Master of Science in Rehabilitation Services. This presented me with my latest goal along my career path, and I’m eagerly waiting to start. This scholarship would help me afford the wonderful opportunity to be a part of the Lassell University class of 2023, allowing me to continue working towards my ultimate career goal of becoming a physical therapist and helping others to become themselves again.

Career goals essay example 2 – Where do you see yourself in ten years?

In ten years, I will have been successfully running my own construction business for about five years. I’m currently a second-year student at the University of Texas, pursuing a master’s degree in business administration. I decided to get my MBA because I knew it would be a positive asset toward my long-term career goal of owning a construction business. In my high school years, I worked as a construction apprentice for a local business. I loved many aspects of the business, such as building something from nothing. I knew that I wanted to incorporate this work into my long-term career, but I didn’t want to work as an apprentice . This led me to pursue business. In ten years and with the help of this scholarship, I will have graduated with my MBA almost a decade prior . After graduation, I plan to take a business administration internship with a carpentry business to help myself get a footing in the field. After about two years of this, I will have started my own construction business.

Career goals essay example 3 – What matters most to you and why?

The people I surround myself with matter most to me. Whether it be my relatives, friends, or professional acquaintances, I always care the most about the happiness of the people around me. Making the people around me happy matters the most to me because I truly because we find our happiness through others. I believe that this drive to make a positive impression on the people around me is what drove me towards a career as a nurse . I always thought of hospitals as places where people need someone to support them and make their day a little happier. I wanted to be one of those who spend their careers positively impacting people in need. This scholarship will enable me to finally afford nursing school and go after my dream job full force.

Career goals essay example 4 – What are your short- and long-term career goals, and how will earning this degree contribute to achieving those goals? Please provide a minimum of 200 words.

My short-term career goals involve working directly with underprivileged young people to increase the literacy rate in my community. As a student of an underfunded and understaffed school, I’ve seen firsthand how much of an impact early literacy education makes on long-term achievement. It broke my heart to see my peers embarrassed at their struggle with reading at an advanced age, and this shame added another dimension to their lack of opportunity. Being a literacy educator for young people would allow me to serve this community directly to show them not only the necessity of strong written communication skills, but the joy of reading for pleasure. This program focuses specifically on early literacy, and would provide me a direct route to a career in serving the community I hope to serve. As for long-term career goals, I hope to one day create a program where socioeconomically parents can bring their children for literacy education, not only to increase their ability to navigate the world of language, but also to instill confidence and joy in the written word. What drew me to this program was that it also has administrative, legal, and business dimensions that would set me on the path toward achieving this goal.

Here are some tips to keep in mind for writing a career goals scholarship essay:

Write about goals relevant to the scholarship. Although you may have many different kinds of goals for your personal and professional future, a scholarship essay only discusses objectives that are relevant to the program you’re applying for.

Be honest. Applying for a scholarship is stressful because the applicant’s education is usually reliant on receiving these funds in one way or another. Even though it’s tempting to exaggerate your skills or pretend you’re more passionate about something than you are to make yourself a more competitive applicant, it’s a bad move.

Use your own, unique voice. The essay portion of a scholarship application is your chance to stand out by using your voice. Nobody else, regardless of their academic or professional achievements, is you. Make this clear in your career goals scholarship essay by keeping your unique written voice engrained in the words you produce.

Be specific. A big reason that scholarship committees ask applicants to write a career goals essay is to determine how prepared they are in planning their long-term professional goals. They aren’t interested in providing a scholarship to students who aren’t going to follow through with their career plans.

Explain long and short-term goals . Even if the essay prompt asks you to describe where you see yourself in ten years, you still need to tell them the steps leading towards this picture of success.

Include the short-term goals that add up to your larger career objectives in your essay response. Explain how accomplishing the smaller goals gives you an advantage when tackling long-term ones.

Explain how the program and scholarship will help you. Before writing your career goals essay, consider how this program and scholarship will help you in your career. The answer to this question is essential.

Follow the essay formatting guidelines. This may sound obvious, but it’s surprisingly easy to forget this step when your essay is finally flowing and when you’re scrambling to get it submitted on time.

Check, double-check , and triple-check the essay guidelines for content, word count, and formatting requirements. If you miss any of these steps, your essay may be immediately disqualified no matter how good it or the rest of your application is.

Many times career goals essays are written by students who have already completed at least some college or are applying to a post-graduate program and need more money to continue.

There’s a good chance that your career goals have changed since you started or graduated college. For example, say you wanted to be an engineer , so you got your undergraduate degree in engineering but realized you didn’t like it after working in the industry for a few years.

You decided that nursing would be more up your alley, and now you’re applying for a scholarship for a nursing program. While this isn’t unusual, it can make it more difficult to write a career goals essay since your past work doesn’t necessarily match your future goals.

In this case, you’ll simply need to explain why you changed your career path and why this next one is the best choice for you. Share your decision-making process to show that you haven’t taken the switch lightly, and talk about what you’ve already done to try to pursue this path.

How do you write a career goal for a scholarship essay?

You write a career goal for a scholarship essay by sharing your passion, explaining both your long- and short-term goals, and relating your goals to the scholarship.

Explain why you want to pursue the career you’re pursuing, where you hope to be in the future and how you plan to get there, and how the scholarship will help you do this.

How do you describe your career goals in an essay?

You describe your career goals in an essay by explaining what you want to do in your career, why you decided on this career path, and what you’ve done so far to make that a reality.

You can usually work these factors into any prompt you receive, so think through them before you start writing so that you can use them as an outline of sorts.

What are career goals examples?

Examples of career goals include:

Working as a grant writer for a nonprofit organization.

Becoming a department manager and eventually an executive in your field.

Owning your own plumbing company.

Caring for underserved communities as a nurse practitioner .

What are some goals for success?

Some goals for success include growing in your role, building your network, and finding joy in the job. Most careers don’t just happen overnight and require you to set the right milestones that work best for you. Not everyone will have the same goals for success.

How do you start a career goals essay for a scholarship?

You can start a career goals essay for a scholarship by directly answering the prompt. Most scholarship prompts include a word count of between 200 and 500 words, so it’s essential that you immediately respond to the prompt. Attention-grabbing sentences and narratives can be helpful for setting the scene, but an efficient and direct answer will show a clarity of mind that helps enhance the quality of your answer.

BLS – Career planning for high schoolers

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Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

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Career Vs. Occupation vs. Job: What’s the Difference?

Defining the terms.

The words “job,” “occupation,” and “career” are often used interchangeably. This makes sense because their meanings overlap. They’re all related to employment. However, there are some important differences. Understanding their definitions can help you frame your own thoughts about future employment.

This is the broadest of these terms. Although it refers to someone’s profession, usually one that requires education or special training, it also points to the whole span of employment over the course of a working life. Think of a career as the big picture, spanning someone’s professional trajectory, from their first job to their last.

Occupation:

This is a narrower term, referring to someone’s specific type of work or field (e.g., lawyer, musician, or contractor). People can have multiple occupations over the course of their career. In fact, this is becoming more common.

This is the narrowest term, referring to the specific role someone is hired for. Think of jobs as the building blocks that make up one’s occupation or career.

Let’s define these words in concrete terms, using a teacher as an example. A teacher’s occupation would be “teacher,” but their career could encompass much more. For instance, a teacher may start as an assistant, become a middle school math teacher, and then begin teaching high school algebra. Their job would be their current position: Ninth-Grade Math Teacher at Main Street High.

Why is this important for a high schooler?

This terminology can be a useful framework as you begin to explore potential employment opportunities.

For most people, their first paid work is at a job, either full time or part time. This often happens in high school, before they’ve even begun to think about their ideal occupation or what they want their career to look like. High school jobs can be the first step in someone’s career, but they might end up being unrelated. Either is perfectly fine.

Jobs, especially for students, are an ideal way to explore different industries without necessarily committing to working in that field in the long term. Having jobs at your age can teach you what you do and don’t want as your occupation or career. For example, you learn that you dislike the hustle and bustle of working at a popular ice cream parlor. Your job as a camp counselor makes you realize that you love working with young children. These are both valuable outcomes. They can point you in one direction or another as you consider college majors or future employment.

Do I need to know right now what occupation or career I want?

Absolutely not. If you aren’t sure yet about the direction you want your professional life to go, don’t stress out. It can take a fair amount of trial and error at different jobs, and in different classes, before people find something that works.

That said, having an occupation or career in mind is useful for goal setting. For example, knowing that you want to be a doctor can be a guidepost for classes and jobs you choose to take as a high school student and in college.

You may already have a strong sense of what you want your occupation or career to look like, or maybe you’re at the start of this journey. Either way, keep an open mind. It’s very common for people to change career paths as they grow.

Where do I begin?

If you want help thinking about your career goals, here are some articles that may be of interest:

Check this out for information on setting career goals .

Here’s information on how to assess what career might be right for your interests, values, and skills .

This is a step-by-step guide to career exploration .

What Makes a Career Prestigious?

When choosing a career, we weigh many factors. Chief among our considerations are what we enjoy doing, how much we can expect to earn and the kind of lifestyle we want to lead. And though many would hesitate to admit it, one other determinant with an inordinate amount of weight is a career’s relative prestige.

Prestige serves a sophisticated social function. How a person’s job is perceived can have a huge impact on how they are viewed by others and even themselves. Sociologist Everett Hughes referred to a person’s job title as “a combination of price-tag and calling card .”

We’ve come to think of prestige as an inherent quality; we sense that certain jobs are more worthwhile than others, without being able to pinpoint exactly why. On a surface level, we may associate prestige with power (as with state leaders or CEOs), high salaries (as with celebrities), or the intellectual rigor of the job itself (as with medicine or engineering).

It’s true these all play a role. But the sum total of what contributes to a job’s cultural standing is more complicated. Our measurement of status works on an emotional level as much as an empirical one , and can change with time and circumstance.

For example, the philosophers, artists and writers of today are not held in the same cultural esteem as they were in the eighteenth century. Airline hostesses, once glamour personified, now simply have a job like the rest of us, albeit it at 10,000 feet. After 2008, bankers fell from grace. Conversely, in the last decade, the ambitious might consider becoming software developers or entrepreneurs just as much as doctors or lawyers.

The fluidity of prestige can be explained by how we actually use it. Occupational prestige, viewed through the lens of identity theory, allows us a way of doing a quick and crude (but nonetheless important) categorization of the people around us.

This knee-jerk assessment of a person’s worth based on their job extends beyond an estimation of finances or their usefulness in a professional network, and moves into the much more personal realm of character assessment. Because of cues we’ve been given since birth, we subconsciously attach certain character traits to certain careers (which is why prestige can make a potential career so attractive — or vice versa.)

For example, doctors aren’t only admired for their paychecks, but for the years they have to study, the nature of their work, and the knowledge it requires. Without realizing it, we might assume doctors are smarter, calmer, harder-working and more compassionate before we know anything else about them.

Conversely, despite above-average salaries, one study theorized that the actions of salesman, real estate agents, and insurance agents “are often lively and expressive to the point of being socially intrusive and perceived as inauthentic ‘emotion-work’,” which may mean we’re more liable to be on guard for ulterior motives around them, both in and outside of the workplace.

Additionally, individuals in different income brackets place different weight on a career’s moral value.

For those in lower income brackets, a job with a perceived high moral value would be more prestigious. For those with middle income, it was less important, but still played a role in determining what they thought. For those in the highest income bracket, a job’s perceived morality registered as “inconsequential.” (How you interpret that is up to you.)

A thorough understanding of the true nature of prestige may be more relevant than ever, in an era when traditional standards of worthwhile occupations have failed to provide real satisfaction and are increasingly challenged as morally dubious . With a glut of disillusioned doctors , indebted lawyers , and overworked Wall Streeters , a young adult today can arm themselves with the crucial knowledge that a glittering career isn’t necessarily gold; instead opting for careers based on the merits they truly possess, rather than those they imagine them to have.

JSTOR is a digital library for scholars, researchers, and students. JSTOR Daily readers can access the original research behind our articles for free on JSTOR.

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3.3: Is Teaching a Profession

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Is Teaching A Profession? By Jessica M. Vasiliou

Table of Contents

Introduction

Teaching as a profession has become a huge concern in our society. I would think all parents would want their children to be taught by a professional. However, teaching as a profession is the question that remains to be answered clearly. The academic society needs to spell out a sense of professionalism in order to ease this concern. “Unlike other professions where you make ‘machines’ work, this profession allows one to deal with the most complex phenomena on earth. Ranging from most studious to most mischievous students, the teachers need to maintain a balanced attitude and approach in transforming them to mature individuals” (Kishore, 2000, paragraph 4). Professionalization of the teaching workforce is a major concern that needs to be addressed because it is a field of significant knowledge. The process of teaching can influence the lives of many students.

The Definition of Profession

Eliot Freidson, author of Professional Powers (1986), cautions, “a word with so many connotations and denotations cannot be employed in precise discourse without definition” (Freidson, 1986, p. 35). In trying to break down the debate about teaching as a profession, we must first look at the concept of “profession.” Originating from the Latin, professio , profession originally meant “the declaration of belief in or acceptance of religion or a faith” usually related to religious beliefs (Dictionary.com). However, by the sixteenth century, this rather narrow meaning expanded to include “body of persons engaged in some occupation” (Dictionary.com). The meaning of profession seems to be very unclear which is why people still cannot determine if teaching can be known as a profession.

The noun profession, referring to an occupation, also dates back to at least the sixteenth century, and is equally vague. Profession as a noun is defined as “a vocation requiring knowledge of some department of learning or science” (Dictionary.com). It is compared to a “learned profession” such as that of medicine and law (Freidson, 1986). “Inherent within this context is the elite and prestigious connotation many hold of ‘the professions’ to this day” (Freidson, 1986, p. 3). As Freidson said, “the original professionals addressed each other and members of the ruling elite who shared some of their knowledge and belief in its virtues. They did not address the common people or the common, specialized trades. So it is our time” (Freidson, 1986, p. 3).

If we as teachers are going to be “professionals” in our occupation, we need to realize that professionalism is for the most part a state of mind. Preparation is vital in the teaching world in order to provide every student with a proper education. Hence, one who calls themselves a professional teacher would want to conduct their classroom with character and dignity. A professional teacher would take the time to produce an intellectual exchange within their classroom. Professionals in education would want students to learn from the methods, ideas and lessons presented in their classroom.

A Professional Teacher

It is not easy to find someone who is opposed to the concept of teacher professionalism. Juliane Brown, a teacher in Lancaster, Pennsylvania said, “I believe I am a professional because I am a master at what I do, I love what I do and I make a living at what I do. I engage in this activity known as teaching so much that it is what I live for. Therefore, I believe that I am a professional.” Teachers are no longer being seen as people who simply transport packages of knowledge. Rather, teachers are evolving in a way that they are seen as information-holders and knowledge-makers, possessing much skill, which newcomers to the world of teaching must strive to obtain through experience, study, thought and reflection. Professionalism of teachers will insure our students with the finest education yet.

Teaching-Not a True Profession?

Some people have concluded that teachers need more training. For example, a Bolton-born education expert claims, “Teaching should not be considered as a profession because not enough training is given to those who go into it” (Bolton-born education expert, Teaching not true profession, 2005, paragraph 1). Possibly to get to the point of teaching being a true profession more in depth education may be needed. Many think that teaching cannot compare to that of a career in medicine and law in terms of professionalism because it “has a shorter qualification route” (Phil Revell, Teaching not true profession, 2005, paragraph 2). Perhaps in the future more years of education will be needed to become a teacher.

Professional Versus Non-professional

A professional could be said to be a person who has an extremely developed talent or skill (Buijs, 2005). All professionals whether it be a professional dancer or doctor receive pay for what they are doing. On the other hand, a non-professional or amateur may not receive pay (Buijs, 2005). A more significant contrast is that “being a professional conveys the connotation, not only of a high level, but of a consistent level, of performance. Professional athletes or professional entertainers, for instance, can be counted on to perform in diverse, and sometimes adverse, circumstances; they can, and often do, perform regardless of personal mood, motivation, or even injury. Neither the expectations nor the level of performance of a professional is demanded of an amateur” (Buijs, 2005, p. 331). What is trying to be explained here is the fact that there is a certain standard of performance for professionals that should be met, but does not have to be met by that of an amateur or a non-professional.

What is the American Government Doing?

The American government is very involved in improving the education systems (Denlinger, 2002). However, the government may not be concerned with the right issues when it comes to teacher professionalism. “Instead of looking at the real problem-poor working conditions and low salaries- the government is arguing that we need to become tougher on our teachers, demand more in terms of work, and do more testing to see if teachers are doing their jobs” (Denlinger, 2002, p. 116). Low wages is the true dilemma in this field, which our leaders are refusing to admit (Denlinger, 2002). “Bush has proved this by his approach to another, similar problem: low morale in the armed forces. To cure that problem, has he argued that we need to demand more of our soldiers? No… Instead, Bush has decided that we need to increase the salaries of our armed forces” (Denlinger, 2002, p. 116). Denlinger went on to say, “His business logic is self-evident; the only way to draw the best talent is to pay the best wages. It’s not that the talent isn’t there to staff our armed forces-they’ve just chosen to go where the pay and appreciation matches the job’s demands” (Denlinger, 2002, p. 116). This is happening with our college graduates who are graduating with a teaching degree. These graduates choose to enter a higher-paying job and a career that they will have competitive wages, are appreciated and gain rewards. If the salaries became more competitive in education perhaps there would not be such a scarcity of teachers and “the quality of education would improve markedly” (Denlinger, 2002, p. 117).

In the world of education, teachers are a guiding light to students. I think teachers are miracle workers when it comes to trying to get every student to pass a test. Do doctors get all their patients to pass their tests in terms of being healthy and physically fit? If they did, I would consider doctors miracle workers as well. Teachers are also knowledge workers, transporting much knowledge while shaping the minds of our youth and thus have a responsibility and image to uphold. In today’s work force, there are many options available and college graduates are choosing careers simply because of the pay rather than choosing something that they love to do. Whether looked at as a profession or not, teachers should be respected for what they are doing just as doctors and lawyers are. In order to maintain some structure of professionalism in the educational environment, education systems need to take steps to make sure they handle this task efficiently.

According to Valeri R. Helterbran, EdD, an associate professor in the Department of Professional Studies in Education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, “identifying and engaging in professional strategies to develop one’s own level of professionalism is important to the overall understanding of this topic and may be the lynchpin that makes the difference in determining whether or not a teacher is a professional. Teachers must decide who they are and how they want to be perceived in the classroom. Becoming increasingly professional implies a commitment to change, to strengthen, and to grow as a person and as an educator. It is equally apparent that it is imperative for teachers, individually and collectively, to consider what they can do to ensure that they are practicing the art and craft of teaching in a manner that is of service to children’s achievement and society. A more thorough understanding of the attributes of professionalism can serve as an introduction for preservice teachers and a reminder to both novice and seasoned teachers to ensure that they conduct themselves as professionally as possible. Professionals take ownership of their job responsibilities, assignments, and personal conduct. Being a professional is a matter of personally emulating and modeling the qualities we demand of our students and colleagues as scholars, contributors, and owners of personal destiny. (Valeri R. Helterbran, Professionalism: Teachers Taking the Rein, 2008, p. 126)”

Multiple Choice Questions

1.Many times people do not see teaching as a profession because of?

A. Low wages

B. Poor training

C. Summers off

D. Teachers not communicating

2. Angela loved to dance. She especially liked ballet and knew she wanted to concentrate on that style of dance while she

was growing up. When she became old enough she tried out for the American Ballet in New York City. She got the role as Victoria

Page in the famous ballet The Red Shoes. Angela gets a weekly salary for what she loves to do most in life, which is ballet

dancing. According to the Wikibook article, Angela is now considered a person who has

A. An exciting pass time

B. A neat hobby

C. A job performing ballet

D. A professional career

3.Profession as a noun is defined as?

A. A person who teaches or instructs useful information.

B. A vocation requiring knowledge of some department of learning or science.

C. A person or thing that leads and develops ideas and skills.

D. A person who speaks about what they are educated in.

4.Instead of entering a career in education, many colleges graduates are choosing to enter a ___________ and a career that they

will have competitive wages and gain rewards.

A. Higher-paying job

B. Job that involves traveling

C. Job that involves working with animals

D. Job that involves traveling

5.Education systems as well as teachers should take steps to handle the responsibility of teachers being professional in the

classroom. Which answer listed below is not one of these steps?

A. Pay teachers adequately

B. Maintain schools properly

C. Treat teachers with respect

D. Give good benefits

Answers 1.A 2.D 3.B 4.A 5.D

Bolton Evening News. (2005, April). Teaching not true profession. http://archive.asianimage.co.uk/2005/4/1/438290.html .

Brown, J. (2008, January 28). Teacher. (J. Vasiliou, Interviewer)

Buijs, Joseph A., (2005). TEACHING: PROFESSION OR VOCATION? [Electronic Version]. 331. Retrieved Jan. 29, 2008 from Wilson Web database.

Denlinger, Steven L., (2002). Teaching as a profession: a look at the problem of teacher deficits [Electronic Version]. 116-117. Retrieved Jan. 29, 2008 from Wilson Web database.

Dictionary.Com. 2008. Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. 30 Jan. 2008 <dictionary.reference.com>.

Freidson, Eliot. (1986). Professional Powers: A Study of the Institutionalization of Formal Knowledge. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 3, 35.

Kishore, C.S. (2000, January). A Noble Profession. Retrieved January 28, 2008, from http://www.cskishore.com/teaching.htm .

Helterbran, Valeri R., Professionalism: Teachers Taking the Reins, Clearing House; Jan/Feb2008, Vol. 81 Issue 3, p123-127, 5p.

Foundations of Education and Instructional Assessment. Authored by : Jennifer Kidd, Jamie Kaufman, Peter Baker, Patrick O'Shea, Dwight Allen, and the students of Old Dominion University's ECI301. Provided by : Old Dominion University. Located at : https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Education_and_Instructional_Assessment . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike

Meet the 12 Manhattan Jurors Who Will Decide Donald J. Trump’s Fate

The cross section of New Yorkers emerged after three days of questioning. These are the citizens who will judge their former president.

Share full article

An empty jury box with rows of maroon seats.

By Kate Christobek and Wesley Parnell

Published April 18, 2024 Updated April 21, 2024

Twelve Manhattanites have been chosen to serve on the jury for the first criminal trial of a U.S. president.

The judge ordered that the jurors’ identities be kept confidential during the trial and that reporters withhold some information that could identify them.

According to their statements in court during three days of jury selection, here is what we know about the jurors:

Juror 1 , who will be the foreman, works in sales and lives in West Harlem. He said that he enjoyed outdoor activities. He said he got his news from The New York Times and watched Fox News and MSNBC. He said he had heard about some of Donald J. Trump’s other criminal cases, but he did not have an opinion about him.

Juror 2 works in finance and lives in Hell’s Kitchen. He said he liked hiking, music, concerts and enjoying New York City. He said he followed Mr. Trump’s former fixer, Michael D. Cohen, who is expected to be a key witness, on social media. But he also said he followed figures like former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway. He said he believed Mr. Trump had done some good for the country, adding, “it goes both ways.”

Juror 3 works in the legal field and lives in Chelsea. He said he did not follow the news closely but, when he did, he read The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and found articles using Google. He added that he was not very familiar with Mr. Trump’s other criminal cases.

Juror 4 is an engineer from the West Village. Asked how he was during jury selection, he responded, “I am freezing.” When a lawyer asked if he had strong feelings about Mr. Trump, he responded, “No, not really.”

Juror 5 works in education and is from Harlem. She said she tried to avoid political conversations and didn’t care for news. She said that she appreciated Mr. Trump’s candor. “President Trump speaks his mind,” she said. “I would rather that in a person than someone who’s in office and you don’t know what they’re doing behind the scenes.”

Juror 6 works in technology and lives in Chelsea. She said she got her news from The New York Times, Google, Facebook and TikTok. She said she probably had different beliefs than Mr. Trump, but that “this is a free country.”

Juror 7 works in the legal field and lives on the Upper East Side. He said that he was aware of Mr. Trump’s other cases but he did not have an opinion about Mr. Trump’s character. He said he had “political views as to the Trump presidency,” agreeing with some Trump administration policies and disagreeing with others.

Juror 8 is from the Upper East Side and worked in finance. He said he read The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and watched CNBC and the BBC. He enjoys fly fishing, skiing and yoga. During jury selection, he said he had no opinions or beliefs that would prevent him from being impartial.

Juror 9 works in an educational setting and is from the Upper East Side. She said of Mr. Trump that “he was our president. Everyone knows who he is,” adding that when he was in office, “everyone was kind of talking about politics.”

Juror 10 is a businessman who lives in Murray Hill. He said he did not follow the news, adding, “if anything, it’s The New York Times.” But he said he liked listening to podcasts on behavioral psychology, adding, “it’s my little hobby.” He said he did not have a strong opinion on Mr. Trump.

Juror 11 is a product manager and lives in Upper Manhattan. She said she did not have strong opinions about Mr. Trump but added, “I don’t like his persona, how he presents himself in public.” She then added, “I don’t like some of my co-workers, but I don’t try to sabotage their work,” drawing laughter from the jury box.

Juror 12 works in health care and lives on the Upper East Side. She said she liked listening to live music and hiking, and she also listens to religious podcasts.

Molly Cook Escobar

An earlier version of this story gave an incorrect neighborhood for Juror 4. He is from the West Village, not the Upper West Side.

How we handle corrections

Kate Christobek is a reporter covering the civil and criminal cases against former president Donald J. Trump for The Times. More about Kate Christobek

Our Coverage of the Trump Hush-Money Trial

News and Analysis

Prosecutors accused Donald Trump of violating a gag order four additional times , saying that he continues to defy the judge’s directions not to attack witnesses , prosecutors and jurors in his hush-money trial.

Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan is off to an ominous start for the former president, and it might not get any easier in the days ahead. Here’s why.

The National Enquirer was more than a friendly media outlet for Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016. It was a powerful, national political weapon that was thrust into the service of a single candidate , in violation of campaign finance law.

COMMENTS

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