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                In the article, “The Nature of the Profession,” Arthur Ellis (n.d.) explains, in summary, that the teacher needs to be informed on possible teacher environments, salaries, expectations, and rights. “As a professional, the teacher has wide ranging responsibilities,” that exceed educational philosophy, curriculum, and character. The teacher is also held responsible for “ knowing and supporting the rights of students, for knowing legal ramifications of his or her own conduct, for knowing his or responsibilities to provide effective instruction, and for knowing the limits of his or academic freedom” (Ellis, n.d., p.4).  What is clear is that like any profession, teaching is not exempt in having it own set of downfalls and fallacies. As a teacher, I must be aware of how to not only protect my students, but also myself while working within a set of guided parameters. That is easy enough to understand.

                What I don’t understand, however, is how a teacher is supposed to be the best possible role model and the best possible educator within such a limited context of freedom.  I understand that the state and local governing bodies need to assure the public that students are being taught the essential subject matter. Wouldn’t the curriculum be better designed if at least partly designed by the teachers who work directly with and understand the children in their community?

                How a teacher behaves in the community and what the teacher personally brings into the community are key elements of an educational experience. Essentially, my own personal and teaching philosophies will ultimately affect my lessons, my demeanor, and my efforts in the classroom. For example, if I believe Jesus when he tells us that “ He [God] causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous,” then I must act to teach and discipline students through the eyes of unfavorable equality. That is, I must see value in every student despite intellectual, emotional, or spiritual strengths and weaknesses. In a sense, a teacher takes on a higher caller to look past poor behavior and academics to see the heart of the student. When making decisions on salary, and retirement, that we must always come back to: the heart and welfare of the student.