What_Is_a_Professional_

Republic of the Philippines EASTERN VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY Graduate School Tacloban City Course: Education 606 Legal Problems and Issues in Education Facilitator: Victoria B. Subaran Topics: Teacher Issues and Concerns Are You A Professional' Communicatio Four Strategies for Handling Problem Boss How to Handle Difficult People Top Six Keys to Being Successful Teacher How to Handle Discipline Problems with Effective Classroom Management I. What is a professional' What is a profession' Webster defines profession as: a vocation requiring knowledge of some department of learning or science. What is a professional' Webster says a professional is someone engaged in one of the learned professions. Those definitions of profession and professional in the dictionary do not connect to the real issue. The real issue. The real issue what most people want when they refer to themselves as professionals working in a profession, is status and respect. When we shift the focus of the term professional from what we do to how we are perceived and treated, the definition and the entire concept of the designation, a professional changes. In that context of status and respect, what exactly is a professional' * A professional is someone who takes what they do, whatever that happens to be, and transforms it into an art form. * They make the mundane look magnificent. * They make seemingly impossible things look drop-dead. * They cover all the details, all the time. * They master the subtleties. * They silently acknowledge that they have a gift for what they do and they give that gift to the people in their world respectively and compassionately. * They know that they have never arrived at. * They are never content with their present body of knowledge. * They live with a constant silent fear of becoming obsolete and irrelevant. * They address that fear by continuously learning and growing and changing. * They remain their own harshest critics, always looking for ways to be and to do and to deliver something better. * They are consciously aware of their values and they always strive to live them. * Becoming and remaining a professional is not bestowed on someone by virtue of a degree or a certificate. “Look at me, I took these courses, I spent this impressive number of hours learning all this stuff and I have this piece of paper to prove it. That makes me a professional. Bow to that.” No. That’s how it works. “In the course of my life, I have known professional mail carriers, trash collectors, gardeners, housekeepers and baby sitters. And I have known amateur doctors, dentists, attorneys, judges and accountants. I bet, if you take a moment to think about it, so have you. Because being a true professional is a purely personal pursuit, I believe that there are no professionals. What we conventionally call professions, such as medicine, law or accounting, are businesses with an extra layer of self-governance. Some of the people who practice them are professionals; some are not.” – Bill Leider Designating a field of endeavor as a profession (in the context of conveying status and respect) is, to me, two things: * It reflects society’s need to attach significance and an importance to groups as a way of making individuals in those groups less accountable; and * It’s a device for artificially elevating the stature of individual members without demanding the requisite performance. But you might argue: Wait professions have tests and standards and rules and by-laws and continuing education requirements and licensing and self-policing and other neat stuff that sets them apart from, say, auto mechanics. That’s true in the theory. But do you know how often an attorney has to dangerously screw up before he or she can be disbarred, or how many trials a judge must sleep through to lose his office or how many people a doctor has to maim or kill before he or she can lose his/her license' The professional standards set forth in the rules and regulations sound fine, but the performance bars for enforcement are set so low that a warm cadaver could easily maintain a license. We are a society that sometimes elects dead to Congress. We treat our professionals with equally tough oversight. * So being a true professional is an individual choice. Taking some courses, passing a state licensing test and joining NAR cannot make you a professional. You don’t get that designation by posting your credentials and declaring yourself a professional on your website or business card. Clever tag lines in your ads don’t get there. But all those tactics can fool people for a time. * The measure and stature of one’s professionalism is defined by behavior and values, “the ones you live by; the real ones.” Anyone can set their performance bar at the height he/she chooses. You don’t need a society or a licensing body to tell you how to behave or what it means to be a professional. A. OUR VALUES What do we mean when we talk about our values' What is the purpose and importance of values' Why even state them' What’s the point' * Values are the moral and ethical rules we will all live by. They serve to guide our actions, our behavior and the decisions we make in operating every aspect of our business everyday. * They define what is most important to us in the quality of our dealings and our relationships with every human with whom we interact. * They are the standards by which we will be judged and by which we will attain credibility. * Values are way we behave when no one is looking. Living our values is the path where the path where we talk. If we likened a company to a person, we might say that: if strategy is our brain, and performance is our body - then values is our soul! B. Values of a Professional Professionals value the following: * Ideas * Professionals place great value on ideas – all ideas from any and all people and sources. * They respect all ideas- and the people who express them. * They believe that there are NO BAD IDEAS. All ideas are valuable to our process of learning and growing. * They encourage people to speak out, give a voice and a life to their ideas. They know that not every idea will be implemented or acted upon. Some may prove unworkable; others may not be used for any number of reasons. Some may not be put into action as given, but might serve to spark other ideas. That is the value of every idea. * Mutual Respect * Mutual respect is learning to value each and every person for whom they are and not for what you would like them to be. * It means seeing and respecting what is different and unique about every individual. * It means finding positive value in our diversity and not just our sameness. * It means learning from those differences for there is so much more to learn from people who are different from us than from those who are very much like us. * It means respecting everyone’s perspective and point of view, especially when it is different from your own. Keep in mind that respecting is not the same as agreeing. You can hold on to your own views while still respecting those of others. * Mutual respect means that we treat everyone with dignity- all the time- not just when we are in a good mood, or when things are going our way, or when we agree with them. All the time means all the time-no matter what. * Excellence and Equality * Professionals place high value on excellence and quality in everything we do- the products of our work, relationships, service-everything. It both defines and differentiates us in the market place. Good enough isn’t good enough! * Excellence means we are constantly striving to be the very best we can be. It means reaching deep down inside ourselves and finding a level of desire and performance we didn’t even know was there. * It means never being complacent. It means always looking for the next improvement, the next better way of doing something. * Productivity and Profitability * Professionals place high value on producing quality work in the most efficient, cost effective way possible. * They diligently and continuously look for ways to eliminate waste and improve productivity. * Integrity: making and keeping commitments * Integrity is doing what one says he will do. * A professional lives in a world where commitments must be made and KEPT everyday. It is meeting deadline schedules – no matter what. * The professional’s best efforts are commendable and the results are measurable. In the final analysis, effort in the absence of results has little meaning – or value. * A person and an organization that does what it says it will do are a person and organization that can be trusted. It goes beyond honesty. It’s about reliability, dependability, certainty. People who exhibit integrity earn respect as a result. * Enjoying their work and themselves * Professionals believe that productivity and enjoyment can go hand-in- hand. They value finding ways to make that happen. * They value people who bring that spirit to their jobs and to our culture. What they do has great significance. It is important that work should be enjoyed. * They work hard and believe that they deserve to enjoy it. * Team and Team Players * Professionals believe that team goals and needs take precedence over individual goals and needs. As the old saying goes, “ There is no “I” in team. * They place a very high value on people working together for the good of the whole. * They value shared learning. * They set each other up for success, not for failure. * High quality Relationships – in everything they do and with every person with whom they interact * They place a high value on relationships that are healthy and productive. * Employee-to-employee relationships (peer-topeer, peer-to-subordinates); * Employee-to-client; and, * Employee-outside partner relationships-every kind of human relationship * Commitment to Their Vision * They place high value on actually doing the things necessary to achieve their vision. * Their emphasis is on the doing. It is possible to value our vision and not do what is necessary to achieve it. So it is important for them to distinguish between the two, and focus their attention on the doing. II. How to Communicate More Effectively Knowing how to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, is a critical aspect of success not only in the administrative field but also in the overall business world as well. In fact, what you say and how you say it can make or break your image in the workplace. Administrative professionals with strong interpersonal abilities are able to build rapport with colleagues. They know whose expertise to tap when they need assistance and are adept at resolving conflicts and building consensus among team members. Here are some ways to hone your communication skills: * Prepare. Whether faced with speaking to an individual, a small group or making a presentation in front of hundreds, remember that preparation and practice are critical. The better prepared you are, the more confident and relaxed you’ll feel and the less apprehensive you’ll be. * Listen well. Perhaps the most important and the most frequently overlooked communication skills is listening. Paying close attention to what the other person is saying requires discipline and practice. Doing so will help you avoid interrupting others and will assist you in welcoming differing perspectives. * Clarify your objectives and focus. Know why you are talking with or writing to someone. What do you want to accomplish with your communication' Brevity is always appreciated in the fast-paced business world. Before you dial the phone or write an e-mail, take a moment to organize your thoughts so that your questions or statements are clear and concise. * Brush up your writing. Today’s employers are searching for administrative professionals who write well. Consider enrolling in a business writing course. Make sure your documents flow, with transitions between paragraphs. Don’t stray from your main points. * Proofread all written communications. Spelling and grammar checkers are helpful tools but are no substitute for your own eyes. Review everything you write. Consider starting with the end of the document and reading paragraphs in reverse order. This will help you focus more on mechanics versus content. Choose your words carefully when e-mailing, since written messages can appear more severe than intended. * Know your audience. To whom are you directing the message – your manager' A client' A colleague' The reason for the call or message, as well as the identity of the recipient, will help determine its content and style. * Repeat important information. In voice-mail messages, always repeat your name and phone number as you conclude. When you’re receiving instructions or complex information, reiterate what the other person said to prevent misunderstandings. If you practice these skills on a continual basis, you will likely discover how your communication style may be enhanced for more professionalism, clarity and effectiveness. III. Four Strategies for Handling a Problem Boss By Bruce Tulgan, special for the USATODAY.com You love your job, but the boss is out to get you. What do you do' You should work hard to establish and maintain a positive relationship with your supervisor. If the bad blood between you becomes more personal than professional, he or she can withhold opportunities, diminish your responsibility and creative freedom, speak negatively about you to others or, in extreme cases, verbally or emotionally abuse you. Many are tempted to quit and seek employment elsewhere, but the next boss could be just as bad or worse. Rather than jumping ship, take charge of the situation. 1. Problem: Your boss assigns you more than your share of grunt work. Strategy: Write a proposal for an assignment you would prefer and explain why you would be the right person for the project. Circulate your proposal to multiple decision-makers. If it makes good business sense, somebody will probably take you up on it. 2. Problem: Your boss doesn't give you feedback. Strategy: When you finish a substantial piece of work, solicit written feedback from key people and create your own performance evaluation file. 3. Problem: The boss is withholding or stealing credit for your work. Strategy: Ensure multiple decision-makers are aware of your accomplishments. Keep copies of all the drafts of your work as it develops. Maintain a journal every day detailing your concrete goals, deadlines you set for yourself and the results you achieve. 4. Problem: Your boss becomes verbally or emotionally abusive. Strategy: The most important thing to remember when dealing with an abusive boss is to not take the insults to heart. Keep a record of the abuse and consider reporting the abuse to your supervisor's boss. If the problem persists, consider talking to an attorney. In the meantime, seek emotional support from co-workers who have also been subjected to your supervisor's wrath. IV. How to Handle Difficult People How to Handle Difficult People A bully at your work is difficult for you to face. He is demanding you do part of his job without pay or credit. How do you handle it' Your neighbors are constantly fighting. They wake you up in the middle of the night with their screams and curses. What do you say to them' Your father is unhappy about your career choice. He constantly criticizes your work and points out what he thinks you should do. How do you deal with him' Difficult situations are part of everyone’s life. Employers and employees can’t get along. Partners clash over money. Spouses cannot resolve disagreements. If you ignore these situations, they always get worse. Employees get fired, partnerships and marriages break up, everyone is miserable. Waiting and worrying, the most common "solution," also allows the problem to get worse while giving you stress and shortening your life span. If you attack the person, at least you are trying to fix the problem. But attacks, rage or irrational anger gives you a bad name, makes people afraid of you and reduces honest communication. Disconnecting from the problem or from the person is not always wise or practical. Losing employees, supporters and friends because you needlessly disassociate from them may reduce your stress, but you might also become lonely and poor. The Best Solution Is to Confront and Handle People "The ability to stand up to and confront and handle whatever comes the way of the organization depends utterly on the ability of the individuals of the organization to stand up to, confront and handle what comes the individual's way." — L. Ron Hubbard When you face and resolve the problem yourself, you feel wonderful. You are in control of your life. You not only conquer the opposition, you conquer your fear. Few accomplishments are more satisfying than confronting someone who is difficult to face and handling the conflict. How to Confront and Handle Someone By getting organized and working out a plan of action, confronting and handling people becomes much easier. The key is your preparation. "THE SUCCESS OF ANY EVENT IS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE TIMELY PREPARATION." — L. Ron Hubbard Follow these seven steps to prepare yourself for dealing with the difficult people in your life. 1. Make the decision to face up to the person directly and by yourself. 2. Write down the exact problem you need to handle and your goal for the confrontation. Examples of problems to be confronted that you might write down: "Joe is refusing to pay me despite our agreement." "Chris is hurting office morale and causing me stress with her continual complaining." "Bob is supposedly telling people that my work is inferior and I am dishonest." Once you specifically name or identify the problem, write down a goal for the meeting. "By the end of the meeting, I want . . . ." Examples of goals or objectives you might want as a result of a confrontation: "Joe pays me in full." "Chris stops complaining or leaves." "Learn the truth about Bob’s comments and if true, get him to stop it." In some cases, your objective may also state: "Figure out if I want this person as a partner/employee/boss/friend." 3. Write down a Plan or List of Points You Need to Make to Support Your Goal: Facts, Reasons and explanations you may need the other person to understand. List the points in order of priority or importance. For example, to get Joe to understand why he must pay you, you might make these points: A. Joe requested the service. B. Joe signed an agreement to pay for the service. C. We provided the service as promised. D. Joe was happy with the service. E. Etc. 4. Write down objections, reactions or disagreements the other person may have. Include everything you are afraid might happen during the meeting. Putting specific concerns and fears in writing reduces their impact on you. For each objection, reaction or disagreement you expect will happen, write a solution of how you will deal with each. 5. Organize your notes and gather supportive documents. 6. Arrange the meeting where you will not be disturbed, preferably in a space you control. 7. Start the meeting. A. Look the person directly in the eye. B. Explain the specific problem you want to resolve as you noted in Step 2. C. Go over your first point on the list from Step 3. D. Listen carefully to the other person and make certain they feel understood. E. Hold a position on your points. F. Use your solutions to their reactions as you worked out in Step 4. G. Continue describing your points and listening to the person's side. H. Do not give up. Communicate and persist for as long as it takes to reach your goal. The more frequently you confront and handle difficult people, the easier it becomes. The amount of time it takes to prepare for a confrontation decreases. You become strong and tough. When you confront and handle everyone around you, people respect you for your courage, your honesty and your control. Your associates, employees or coworkers follow your example and become more productive. Your enemies either become harmless or become friends. Taking positive organized action, despite fear, is the kind of courage all successful people must have to succeed. V. Top Six Keys to Being a Successful Teacher The most successful teachers share some common characteristics. Here are the top six keys to being a successful teacher. Every teacher can benefit from focusing on these important qualities. Success in teaching, as in most areas of life, depends almost entirely on your attitude and your approach. 1. Sense of Humor. A sense of humor can help you become a successful teacher. Your sense of humor can relieve tense classroom situations before they become disruptions. A sense of humor will also make the class more enjoyable for your students and possibly make students look forward to attending and paying attention. Most importantly, a sense of humor will allow you to see the joy in life and make you a happier person as you progress through this sometimes stressful career. 2. A positive Attitude A positive attitude is a great asset in life. You will be thrown many curve balls in life and especially in the teaching profession. A positive attitude will help you cope with these in the best way. For example, you may find out the first day of school that you are teaching Algebra 2 instead of Algebra 1. This would not be an ideal situation, but a teacher with a right attitude would try to focus on getting through the first day without negatively impacting the students. 3. High Expectations An effective teacher must have high expectations. You should strive to raise the bar for your students. If you expect less effort you will receive less effort. You should work on an attitude that says that you know students can achieve to your level of expectations, thereby giving them a sense of confidence too. This is not to say that you should create unrealistic expectations. However, your expectations will be one of the key factors in helping students learn and achieve. 4. Consistency In order to create a positive learning environment your students should know what to expect from you each day. You need to be consistent. This will create a safe learning environment for the students and they will be more likely to succeed. It is amazing that students can adapt to teachers throughout the day that range from strict to easy. However, they will dislike an environment in which the rules are constantly changing. 5. Fairness Many people confuse fairness and consistency. A consistent teacher is the same person from day to day. A fair teacher treats students equally in the same situation. For example, students complain of unfairness when teachers treat one gender or group of students differently. It would be terribly unfair to go easier on the football players in the class than on the cheerleaders. Students pick up on this so quickly, so be careful of being labeled unfair. 6. Flexibility One of the tenets of teaching should be that everything is in a constant state of change. Interruptions and disruptions are the norm and very few days are typical. Therefore, a flexible attitude is important not only for your stress level but also for your students who expect you to be in charge and take control of any situation. VI. Top 10 Tips for Classroom Discipline and Management Classroom discipline and management causes the most fear and consternation in new teachers. However, classroom management is a skill that is not only learned but practiced daily. Here are to tips that can lead to successful classroom management and discipline. These tips can help you cut down on discipline problems and leave you with fewer interruptions and disruptions. 1. It’s Easier to Get Easier Many teachers make the mistake of starting the school year with poor discipline plan. Students quickly assess the situation in each class and realize what they will be allowed to get away with. Once you set a precedent of allowing a lot of disruptions, it can be very hard to start better classroom management and discipline techniques. However, it is never tough to get easier as the year on. While you don’t have to follow the adage, “Never smile until Christmas,” it does have its merits. 2. A Positive Attitude A positive attitude is a great asset in life. You will be thrown many curve balls in life and especially in the teaching profession. A positive attitude will help you cope with these in the best way. For example you may find out the first day of school that you are teaching Algebra 2 instead of Algebra 1. This would not be an ideal situation, but a teacher with 2. Fairness is Key Students have a distinct sense of what is and what is not fair. You must act fairly for all students if you expect to be respected.. If you do not treat all students equitably you will be labeled as unfair students will not be keen to follow your rules. Make sure that if your best student does something wrong, they too get punished for it. 3. Deal with Disruptions with as Little Interruption as Possible When you have classroom disruptions, it is imperative that you deal with them immediately and with as little interruption of your class momentum as possible. If students are talking among themselves and you are having a classroom discussion, ask one of them a question to try to get them back on track. If you have to stop the flow of your lesson to deal with disruptions, then you are robbing students precious in-class time. 4. Avoid Confrontation in Front of Students Whenever there is a confrontation in class there is a winner and a loser. Obviously as the teacher, you need to keep order and discipline in your class. However, it is much better to deal with discipline issues privately than cause a student to lose face in front of their friends. It is not a good idea to make an example out of a disciplinary issue. Even though other students might get the point, you might have lost any chance of actually teaching that student anything in you class. 5. Stop Disruptions with a Little Humor Sometimes all it takes, is for everyone to have a good laugh to get things back on track in a classroom. Many times, however, teachers confuse good humor with sarcasm. While humor can quickly diffuse a situation, sarcasm may harm your relationship with the students involved. Use your best judgment but realize that what some people think as funny others find to be offensive. 6. Keep Expectations in Your Class Expect that your student will behave, not that they will disrupt. Reinforce this with the way you speak to your students. When you begin the day, tell your students your expectations. For example, you might say, “During this whole group session, I expect you to raise your hands and be recognized before you start speaking. I also expect you to respect each other’s opinions and listen to what each person has to say.” 7. Overplan Free time is something teachers should avoid. By allowing students time just to talk each day, you are setting a precedent about how you view academics and your subject. To avoid this, overplan. When you have too much to recover, you’ll never run out of lessons and you will avoid free time. You can also fill up any left over time with mini-lessons. 8. Be Consistent One of the worst things you can do as a teacher is to not enforce your rules consistently. If one day you ignore misbehaviors and the next day you jump on someone for the smallest infraction, your students will quickly lose respect for you. Your students have the right to expect you to basically be the same everyday. Moodiness is not allowed. Once you lose your student’s respect, you also lose their attention and their desire to please you. 9. Make Rules Understandable You need to be selective in your class rules (no one can follow 1980 rules consistently). You also need to make them clear. Student should understand what is and what is not acceptable. Further, you should make sure that the consequences for breaking your rules are also clear and known beforehand. 10. Start Fresh Everyday This tip does not mean that you discount all previous infractions, i.e. if they have three tardies then today means four. However, it does mean that you should start teaching your class each day with the expectation that students will behave. Don’t assume that because Julie has disrupted your class everyday for a week, she will disrupt it today. By doing this, you will not be treating Julie any differently and thereby setting her up to disrupt again(like a self-fulfilling prophecy). Sources: 1.What Is A Professional' By Bill Leider on November 1, 2007 http://res.realstateshows.ccom/what-is-a-professional/ 2. How to Communicate More Effectively by Dave Willmer, Executive Director of Office Team www.officeteam.com http://712educators.about.com/od/teachingstrategies/tp/sixkeys.htm http://712educators.about.com/od/teachertips/qt/tip1213x.htm http://712educators.about.com/od/discipline/tp/disciplinetips.htm 3. Four Strategies for Handling Problem Boss http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/jobcenter/workplace/relationships/2002-11-11-problem-boss_x.htm 5.How to Handle Difficult People http://www.tipsforsuccess.org/difficult-people.htm