Sir G. O' Vanni: A Professional

For me professionalism means something along the lines of:

-Believing passionately in what you do, never compromising your standards and values, and caring about students, colleagues, and your own career. (David Maister)

-Meticulous adherence to courtesy, honesty, and responsibility in one’s dealing with students, colleagues, and parents and community. (business dictionary)

Most of all, Professionalism as a teacher is:
-Adhering to a standard of high quality while incorporating an element of fun, without sacrificing your beliefs and values, all the while being a Life Long Learner (Triple L’s). It is also recognizing and utilizing all the resources of your community, parents, and colleagues, and providing your own expertise as a resource.

I believe that these three parts all combined and individually reflect Sergiovanni’s Four Commitments to Professionalism.  The four commitments gave me a lot of insight of what it means to be a professional, and how it’s not only in the workplace where it is to be observed, but also in public.  

The Four Commitments To Professionalism:

1.       Commitment to Caring – I strongly believe that as a teacher this will be very, very important.  It would be the most vital part, not only for the students, but everyone else who sees you in your work, i.e. parents, colleagues, etc.

2.       Commitment to Practice in Exemplary ways – to me I think this is how I will be “showing” myself as a professional.  It will be visible within my lesson plans, classroom management, appearance, and presentation within the workplace.

3.       Commitment to One’s Own Practice but also to the Practice itself – I believe I will reflect this with what I call the Triple L’s, to be a Life Long Learner!  It will include continually developing professionally, taking a student teacher (someone who will teach you new way, new ideas of classroom management, and possibly lesson plans), helping with MTS or whichever organization that supports me as a teacher.  

4.       Commitment to Valued Social Ends – being a teacher is all about making the world a better place, and always influencing the lives of the young people you teach.

For me this part on professionalism and Sergiovanni has brought me closer to believing in myself as a Teacher, a Professional.  It will help me to develop my educational philosophy in ways I couldn’t have developed prior to these ideas.  I hope to mimic these ideas in the future boosting me to Professional status!