Salem State University - Clipper Yearbook

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Teaching is a iBrofes5iun ln these later years in the history of education the professional aspects of teaching are no longer questioned, XVhatever the position of either the individual or the institution involved in the discussion, it must be admitted that teaching is both a science and an art. This admission. then. clearly implies in addition to a broad and thorough general and cultural education. both pro- fessional aptitude and technical training. The former. so far as it is a natural ability, may well be ascertained by appropriate tests as an essential require- ment of candidates. for the teaching profession: but however great may be this potential power. it must be developed by long and careful training and by ex- perience under the best conditions that may be possible. based upon a thorough knowledge of sound educational principles. But a professional attitude is of vastly greater importance than either natural or acquired professional aptitude. Wliatexter the occupation may be. a thorough preparation for it and the discharge of its duties and responsibilities require a spirit of service that can only be attained through a real sacrifice on the part of the individual engagedg and in this way alone the greatest possible benefits are secured to those who are served. And to the person who really pos- sesses a professional attitude toward his work, whatever it may be, the joy of this service is his greatest reward. lt is this missionary spirit. if you will, that is the superior teacher's constant incentive to leave the world better than he found it and thus to extend his influence far beyond the limited period of time that is allotted to any individual life. And who are the people whom we in the teaching profession are to serve? Of course they are the parents of the pupils whom we teach and all the other supporters of our institutions and systems of education, whether public or private: but our chief obligation is to the children of today who are to be the men and women of a tomorrow which ought to bring an improved social order that will be in some measure better than that of today because we have lived and worked consistently, intelligently. and conscientiously toward that end. In this sense, we are projecting our own lives into the future. Surely this is a responsibility that calls for the most careful preparation and our most earnest efforts. A professional attitude implies a diligent search for truth. wherever it may be found. and the reward of this quest comes only to those of an open mind. The truly professional worker distinguishes between matters of fact and matters of opinion. To be sure. opinions may be facts. but they must be proven to be such beyond the possibility of a doubt. The varying uses which

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may be made of this factual knowledge and the possible differences in the application of immutable and universal principles and laws afford an urge to constant study. Education is not static but progressive in a very real sense: for the world moves and in our day it is moving rapidly. The professional worker in our particular Held of service, than which there is no greater in all human society. inevitably becomes possessed of such habits of study as will result in a conscientious and concentrated effort to grow in efficiency and in far-reaching influence throughout the entire period of his teaching experience. And the exercise of these habits bring their own re- wards in terms of increasing pleasure and genuine satisfaction to the teacher. lf these observations seem to be no more than merely obvious abstrac- tions. we have only to remember that there is nothing that is more concrete than the individual mind and soul that we are influencing through the exer- cise of the teaching process. And it is through the existence of these intimate personal relationships and their results as they sometimes become known to us after the lapse of many years that we teachers find our greatest and most en- during satisfactions. 1 I I