SAN CARLOS COLLEGE

College of Teacher Education

Mabini Street San Carlos City
2420 Pangasinan

NAME : __________________________ Course: _________

MODULE 1

THE TEACHING PROFESSSION

Lesson 1 :Teaching as a Profession

Learning Outcomes

 Explain the meaning of teaching as a profession

 Trace the historical development of teaching as a profession in the Philippines

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. So two
elements of a profession are competence and a Code of ethics.

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 ardous 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

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).
 SAN CARLOS COLLEGE
College of Teacher Education
Mabini Street San Carlos City
2420 Pangasinan

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. 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
actions for violations of that code.

6. Code of Ethics

Each profession has a code of ethics to ensure that it practitioners behave

responsibly. The code states what professionals should do. Professionals ca be
ejected from their professional societies or lose their licenses to practice for violating
the code of ethics. (McConnell, Steve, Source:
http://www.alexsbrown.com/prof9.html , Retrieved 6-3-18)

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)

SUMMARY

Teaching is a profession. It requires:

1) Long years of initial professional education

2) The attainment of a college/university degree recognized by a regulatory
body, CHED
3) A licensure examination called the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET)
4) Continuing Professional Development and
5) Adherence to the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers
 SAN CARLOS COLLEGE
College of Teacher Education
Mabini Street San Carlos City
2420 Pangasinan

MODULE 2

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHING AS A PROFESSION

The first legal document that professionalized teaching was Presidential Decree
1006 issued by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos. It was only in 1976 with PD
1006 known as the Decree Professionalizing Teaching that teachers in the
Philippines became professionalized. The need to professionalized teaching was felt
“to insure that in the immediacy and urgency of teacher recruitment, qualitative
requirements are not overlooked…” and “although teaching requires a number of
years of collegiate study, it is the only course that is not yet considered a profession”
(PD 1006). Furthermore… “in recognition of the vital role of teacher in nation-
building and as an incentive to raise the morale of teachers, it is imperative that they
be considered as professionals and teaching be recognized as a profession”. (PD.
1006)

Then in 1994, R.A 7836, otherwise known as the Philippine Teachers

Professionalization Act of 1994, was passed to … “promote quality education by
proper supervision and regulation of the licensure examination and
professionalization of the practice of the teaching profession.” (Section 2)

During the pre-Hispanic period, there was no established formal schooling in the
country. So there was no formal preparation for teachers, too. The mothers and
fathers and tribal leaders served as teachers at home and in the community.

During the Spanish period and by virtue of Educational Decree of 1863 free
public school for girls in every municipality. The Spanish missionaries served as
teachers. The same decree provided for a normal school run by the Jesuits to
educate male teachers in Manila. Normal schools for women were not established
until 1875. So it was the Spaniards who started training teachers in normal schools.

Paz Ramos, once Dean of the College of education of the University of the
Philippines, Diliman, claims:

The foundations of teacher education in the

Philippines were laid by the Spanish government

during the mid-eighteen century. It is said to have

begun on August 4, 1765, when King Charles of Spain

 SAN CARLOS COLLEGE
College of Teacher Education
Mabini Street San Carlos City
2420 Pangasinan

issued a Royal Decree requiring each village to have

a “maestro”. On November 28, 1772, another Royal

Decree specified the qualifications of teachers. However,

It was not until 1863 that there was a specific attempt

To systematize and update the education of Filipino teachers.

At the end of Spanish rule, schools during the Spanish era were closed for a
time by a Aguinaldo’s government. So there was no teacher preparation that took
place.

During the American regime, American soldiers served as the first teacher. In
1901, the Philippine Commission enacted into law Act 74 which created the
Department of Public Instruction, laid the foundations of the public school system
and offered free primary education for Filipinos.

There was a shortage of teachers. The Philippine Commission authorized the

Secretary of Public Instruction to bring to the Philippines 600 teachers from USA.
They were the Thomasites. Due to urgent need for teachers, the Americans gave
bright young Filipino students opportunity to take up higher education in American
colleges and universities financed by the Phil. Government. They were the
pensionados.

Act 74 of 1901 also provided for the establishment of Philippine Normal

School (PNS) in Manila. The Philippine Normal School formally opened in September
1901, as an institution for the training of teachers. For more than two decades, PNS
offered a two-year general secondary education program. In 1928, it became a
junior college offering a two-year program to graduate of secondary schools. In
1949, the Philippine Normal School, renamed Philippine Normal College, offered the
four-year Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. Other four year teacher
education courses followed after. This means that the present four-year preparation
for the professional teacher began as a two-year program only. Teacher preparation
became four years only in 1949 the thereafter.
 SAN CARLOS COLLEGE
College of Teacher Education
Mabini Street San Carlos City
2420 Pangasinan

SUMMARY

Teaching became a profession in 1976 with PD. 1006. The requirement of a

licensure examination for teachers that puts teaching at par with the order
professions was enacted only in 1994 with the passing of RA.7836, otherwise known
as The Teachers’ Professionalization Act.

There was no formal preparation for teachers during the pre-Hispanic times.
The formal training of training of teachers began during the Spanish period when
men were trained as maestros by The Jesuits. A few years later maestros were also
trained. In 1901, a two-year preparation for teachers was given by Philippine Normal
School. Then the two years became four years since the two-year academic
preparation was seen inadequate. To ensure quality teachers and to make teaching
at par with other professions, in addition to a four- year teacher education course,
passing a licensure examination was made mandatory by RA. 7836.

APPLICATION

1. By the use of a graphic organizer, present the elements of a profession.

2. Why does a profession like teaching require long years of initial professional
education and continuing professional development after that long, ardous
initial professional education?
3. By way of an acrostic, explain the elements of a profession.

P
R
O
F
E
S
S
I
O
N

4. Here is a line form Bernard Shaw’s play: Man and Superman: “Those who can
do; those who can’t, teach.”
 SAN CARLOS COLLEGE
College of Teacher Education
Mabini Street San Carlos City
2420 Pangasinan

People who are able to do something well can do that thing for
a living, while people who are not able to do anything that well make a
living by teaching. Having learned the elements of a expression, do
you agree with Bernard Shaw? Explain your answer.

CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING

1. Based on the elements of a profession given in this lesson, can the taxi driver
be considered a professional? Analysis
a. No, because driving is not a college/university degree
b. Yes, because there is such a term professional driver
c. It depends on the technical and ethical competence of the taxi driver
d. Yes, if the taxi driver is competent and honest

2. Which are elements of a professional like teaching? Analysis

I. Long years of professional education
II. Passing the competency-based examination to obtain a diploma form
TESDA
III. Continuing Professional Development
IV. Adherence to a Code of Ethics for the professional group
a. I,II and III c. I, III and IV
b. II, III and IV d. I, II and IV
 SAN CARLOS COLLEGE
College of Teacher Education
Mabini Street San Carlos City
2420 Pangasinan

RESEARCH CONNECTION

1. Read a research related to teaching as a profession and fill out the matrix
given below.

Problem Research Methodology

Source:
(bibliographical entry
format)
Findings Conclusions

SYNAPSE STRENGTHENERS

For Small Group Discussion

1. Does the teaching profession fulfill all the elements of a profession?

Explain your answer
2. Is professionalization synonymous to professionalism?
(think of this: when teaching was professionalized with the passing of RA
7836, did this mean all teachers automatically demonstrated
professionalism? Refer too Appendix A for the full text of RA 7836.)
 SAN CARLOS COLLEGE
College of Teacher Education
Mabini Street San Carlos City
2420 Pangasinan

ACTIVITY

Let’s find out how much you know about the history of teaching in the
country. Writhe TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if it is wrong.

1. As early as the Spanish period, teaching was considered a profession

2. It was the Americans who elevated teaching in the Philippines as a profession
3. Teaching was elevated to a profession only in 1994 with the passage of RA
7836
4. There is no other legal document that professionalized teaching other than
The Teacher’s Professionalization Act of 1994

APPLICATION

Present the historical development of teacher preparation and

professionalization in the Philippines from pre-Hispanic Philippines to 1996 by way of
a graphic organizer.

CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING

1. In the Philippines there was no teacher preparation since the Spanish regime.
Is the statement CORRECT? Understanding
a. No
b. Yes
c. There was but informal
d. There was and for men only

2. Which is the first legal document that professionalized teaching in the

Philippines?
 SAN CARLOS COLLEGE
College of Teacher Education
Mabini Street San Carlos City
2420 Pangasinan

a. RA 7836 c. RA 9192
b. PD 1006 d. RA 8981

3. Did teacher preparation in the Philippines begin with 4 years? Remembering

a. Yes
b. Yes, 4 years but informal
c. No
d. No, it began with 1 year
e. SYNAPSE STRENGTHENERS

SYNAPSE STRENGTHENERS

Interview LET passers now teaching who did not go through the 4-year
teacher education course. They are graduates of other four-year courses but not
teacher education.

Ask them the following questions:

1. What difficulties are they experiencing in teaching?

2. Do they agree that a four-year teacher education course is a better
preparation for the teaching profession?
3. In 1991 the Congressional Commission to Review and Asses Philippine
Education (EDCOM) came out with the finding that the “quality of Philippine
education is declining” and that the teachers are “at the heart of the
problem”. The EDCOM discussed further that:
- Teachers were poorly trained
- There is low quality of students enrolled in teacher training
- Teaching is perceived as a poorly esteemed profession so it does not
attract the best as mandated in the Philippine Constitution that “teaching
will attract and retain” its rightful share of the best available talents
through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and
fulfillment (Article XIV, Section 5)(5)

What actions did the Philippine government do after the EDCOM Report?

4. Read RA 9293, An Act Amending Certain Sections of RA 7836 and answer this
question: What provisions in RA 9293 contribute to ensure that teachers
fielded are quality teachers? Discuss (RA. 9293 is in Appendix B).