TEACHING AS A PROFESSION

   In the words "professional manner," "gawang propesyonal." "professional fee for expert services rendered" the word "professional" implies one who possesses skill and competence / expertise. "Highly professional" "unprofessional... to act that way" imply a code of ethics by which a professional person abide. In short, a professional is one who conforms to the technical or ethical standards of a profession. 

The other elements of a profession are: 

1. Initial Professional Education - Professionals generally begin their professional lives by completing a university program in their chosen fields - teacher education, engineering, nursing, accountancy. This means long and arduous years of preparation. Take note this is just initial, which means only the beginning because a professional is expected to learn endlessly.

2. Accreditation - University programs are approved by a regulatory body like the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in the Philippines to ensure that graduates from these recognized programs start their professional lives with competence.

3. Licensing - Licensing is mandatory, not voluntary and is administered by a government authority. In the Philippines, this government authority is the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

4. Professional Development - This is an ongoing professional education that maintains or improves professionals' knowledge and skills after they begin professional practice. In the Philippines this is Continuing Professional Development mandated by RA 10912, otherwise known as the CPD Act of 2016. 5. 

5. Professional Societies - Professionals see themselves as part of a community of like-minded individuals who put their professional standards above the individual self-interest or their employer's self- interest. These professional societies put dedication to the public interest and commitment to moral and ethical values. Professional societies define certification criteria, manage certification programs, establish accreditation standards a define a code of ethics and disciplinary action for violations and of that code.

6. Code of Ethics - Each profession has a code of ethics to ensure that its practitioners behave responsibly. The code states what professionals should do. Professionals can be ejected from their professional societies or lose their licenses to practice for violating the code of ethics.

The teaching profession is governed by the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers. Violation of the Code of Ethics for professional teachers is one of the grounds for the revocation of the professional teacher's Certificate of Registration and suspension from the practice of the teaching profession (Sec. 23., RA. 7836).