PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT; WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY? TEACHER/EMPLOYER

I usually get upset when adults are caught playing the blame game. ‘It is your responsibility, not mine’’, they say. It is even more pathetic as a study conducted by edAssist and the University of Phoenix clearly reveals this childishness. The research indicated that 74% of employees believe their company is responsible for their career development while 98% of employers said employees must take the responsibility; every part believes it is the other person’s responsibility. How can your personal profession’s development become the responsibility of another?
There is no doubt that professional development, which consists of education, observation, and mentoring, helps the overall performance of an organization but it will be bizarre of us to leave this responsibility to our employers, especially as teachers. If our employers are saddled with the responsibility of keeping up with current practices for the school’s efficiency, then it should not be their responsibility to help us grow our career. Instead, you should do all you need to do to keep your job because the skill set that got you the job will not keep you employed. As a matter of fact, you owe our employers our professional development.
Furthermore, dreams do not come true without development. Many of us had lofty dreams and visions while growing up; dreams of how we will get to the helm of our careers in life. Professional development is the path to actualizing those dreams. You do not want to live a life of regrets because you failed to rise to your responsibility. Many teachers are frustrated, unhappy and grumpy because they are waiting on their employers; dreams are too fragile to be left in the hands of the school management or the proprietor.
How lovely will it be to have a better career prospect as a teacher? Times are changing and the world is becoming a global village. The pandemic has revealed to us that as teachers, there a lot of ground yet to be tilled and a lot of opportunities on the global scene. What becomes of those who do not stand up and develop their profession? They are the ones who keep shouting that there is a famine of opportunities. Teachers lose lots of benefits and real profitable opportunities because they wait for employers to develop their careers.
We must be proactive and take the bull by the horn for the future does not happen by accident. If career development opportunities are available in your workplace, maximize them but if they are not, provide them by and for yourself.
Finally, we owe our pupils and students the need to arise and make the teaching profession an attractive one. We hardly see children who dream of becoming teachers anymore and it is no thanks to us. Every other profession looks colourful and attractive because these professionals take their professional development seriously while we leave ours unattended to. Polish your skills, take that course and be a role model.
By Afolakemi Olayinka

Lincolndemo

Lincolndemo (Olalekan Adeeko) is a Technology teacher. He teaches mostlyK-12

students. He is from Nigeria.