IMPROVING TEACHER PROFESSIONALISM IN EDUCATION

Being a teacher cannot be separated from teaching and educating. Based on Law of the Republic of Indonesia No. 14 of 2005 concerning teachers and lecturers, Article 1, a teacher is a professional educator whose main duties are to educate, teach, guide, direct, train, assess, and evaluate students in early childhood education in the formal education track, primary education, and secondary education. A lecturer is a professional educator and scientist whose main duty is to transform, develop, and disseminate science, technology, and the arts through education, research, and community service.

            Teachers play an important role in education. A teacher is required to have sound insight and knowledge in line with the function and duties of a teacher, namely teaching and educating; an educator must have expertise in delivering learning material and using appropriate learning strategies. Professional means a person who has expertise in a certain field, which can only be done by someone who has been prepared and trained for a particular job.

            It can be concluded that teacher professionalism is the teacher's ability to carry out their main duties as an educator and instructor, including the ability to plan, carry out, and evaluate learning.

            The main factor in realizing education is the existence of teachers; without the active involvement of teachers, education will decline. Therefore, ideally teachers must be professional and have teacher competence. Teacher competence includes pedagogical competence, namely guiding students' learning, planning and carrying out learning, assessing students' learning outcomes, and developing students to realize their potential. Personality competence means that teachers must have a good personality, reflecting a firm, mature, stable character with noble morals, and be able to be a role model for their students.

            Professional competence means that a teacher's main duty is to convey their knowledge to students, so teachers should not only know the material to be taught but be able to understand it in depth. Last is social competence, namely being able to communicate well with students; and not only with students, communicating well with students' parents is also very important.

            The success of a professional teacher can be seen from the learning process and learning outcomes of students, and also from the students' mastery of the material they receive, both academically and in its application. The realization of a teacher's professional work must also be supported by awareness within themselves, namely by having an attitude or behaviour that motivates them to become a professional teacher.

            In addition to the knowledge and skills teachers have, there are also several traits and attitudes teachers must have in carrying out their duties professionally. Here are some characteristics a professional teacher must have. The first is flexibility: teachers must act wisely and use the right approach to their students. This means that if a teacher teaches 10 students with different characters, the teacher must be able to adapt to each student's character.

            The second is being open: professional teachers must have this trait so that learning runs more easily. The third is sensitivity: professional teachers must be sensitive to what their students experience. The fourth is perseverance: the work of a teacher demands great perseverance, whether in preparing, carrying out, assessing, or improving learning, all of which require perseverance.

            The fifth is being realistic: a professional teacher is able to think and view things realistically. This means being able to see the conditions of their students. Every teacher wants their students to be good in every way, but in reality it is not like that, so a realistic attitude is greatly needed, namely being able to accept students however they are and continuing to try to improve them. A professional teacher must have the above characteristics in order to set a good example for their students. A good teacher will also give rise to good students.

            Teachers play a very big role in the world of education in helping students learn and achieve the goals that have been set, and they are responsible for the success or failure of an educational programme.

            To instil a spirit of professionalism in teachers, effort is needed to realize it. Here are some efforts that can be made. First, continuing to a higher level of education: the higher a teacher's education, the better the quality the teacher will produce. A higher level is not only about adding a degree but about being able to implement the achievements one has.

            Second, actively taking part in KKG (Teacher Working Group) activities and teacher communities, which aim to upgrade teachers' abilities and skills. Learning does not have to be only with people who hold high degrees; learning with fellow teachers who have already practised learning strategies is very important because what is gained is not just theory. Third, reading a lot: even after becoming a teacher, one must keep reading books and not just tell students to read. Teachers must set a good example for students.

            Fourth, improving discipline: how can we set an example of discipline for students if the teachers themselves cannot be disciplined? Therefore it is very important to start doing good things from oneself first. Fifth, providing learning facilities to support the learning process: it should not happen that a lack of learning facilities hinders learning and leaves students with a poor understanding of the learning material; this is an important matter that must be addressed.

            Sixth, holding meetings between the principal and other teachers to prepare themselves and their learning strategies. Seventh, holding seminars and training (workshops), which not only add to teachers' knowledge but can also add skills and abilities the teacher has never used before; teachers can also explore themselves to develop further in relation to the outside world. Eighth, organizing visits between schools to learn about other teachers' learning experiences. Ninth, conducting research in the field of education by looking at educational problems that still need solutions.

            The above efforts to develop teacher professionalism can be applied. Not only that, teachers can also undertake training related to technology, which is very important to do, especially now that educators are required to have the ability to use technology so as not to be left behind and to be able to compete with other educators. Teachers can also create teaching aids and learning methods to smooth the teaching and learning process.

It is truly not easy to be a professional teacher. Amid the busyness of being a professional teacher, teachers must always improve their quality and keep up with developments in science and technology.

            It can be concluded that teacher professionalism is certainly a reflection for their students. Therefore, as teachers we must do good deeds and show good attitudes, in line with the meaning of 'teacher' in Indonesian, "digugu dan ditiru", someone who is trusted and imitated. The decline in education is not because of the curriculum but because of a lack of teacher professionalism and students' enthusiasm for learning. Therefore, improving teacher professionalism in education is an important matter that must be carried out.

Being a teacher cannot be separated from teaching and educating. Based on Law of the Republic of Indonesia No. 14 of 2005 concerning teachers and lecturers, Article 1, a teacher is a professional educator whose main duties are to educate, teach, guide, direct, train, assess, and evaluate students in early childhood education in the formal education track, primary education, and secondary education. A lecturer is a professional educator and scientist whose main duty is to transform, develop, and disseminate science, technology, and the arts through education, research, and community service.

            Teachers play an important role in education. A teacher is required to have sound insight and knowledge in line with the function and duties of a teacher, namely teaching and educating; an educator must have expertise in delivering learning material and using appropriate learning strategies. Professional means a person who has expertise in a certain field, which can only be done by someone who has been prepared and trained for a particular job.

            It can be concluded that teacher professionalism is the teacher's ability to carry out their main duties as an educator and instructor, including the ability to plan, carry out, and evaluate learning.

            The main factor in realizing education is the existence of teachers; without the active involvement of teachers, education will decline. Therefore, ideally teachers must be professional and have teacher competence. Teacher competence includes pedagogical competence, namely guiding students' learning, planning and carrying out learning, assessing students' learning outcomes, and developing students to realize their potential. Personality competence means that teachers must have a good personality, reflecting a firm, mature, stable character with noble morals, and be able to be a role model for their students.

            Professional competence means that a teacher's main duty is to convey their knowledge to students, so teachers should not only know the material to be taught but be able to understand it in depth. Last is social competence, namely being able to communicate well with students; and not only with students, communicating well with students' parents is also very important.

            The success of a professional teacher can be seen from the learning process and learning outcomes of students, and also from the students' mastery of the material they receive, both academically and in its application. The realization of a teacher's professional work must also be supported by awareness within themselves, namely by having an attitude or behaviour that motivates them to become a professional teacher.

            In addition to the knowledge and skills teachers have, there are also several traits and attitudes teachers must have in carrying out their duties professionally. Here are some characteristics a professional teacher must have. The first is flexibility: teachers must act wisely and use the right approach to their students. This means that if a teacher teaches 10 students with different characters, the teacher must be able to adapt to each student's character.

            The second is being open: professional teachers must have this trait so that learning runs more easily. The third is sensitivity: professional teachers must be sensitive to what their students experience. The fourth is perseverance: the work of a teacher demands great perseverance, whether in preparing, carrying out, assessing, or improving learning, all of which require perseverance.

            The fifth is being realistic: a professional teacher is able to think and view things realistically. This means being able to see the conditions of their students. Every teacher wants their students to be good in every way, but in reality it is not like that, so a realistic attitude is greatly needed, namely being able to accept students however they are and continuing to try to improve them. A professional teacher must have the above characteristics in order to set a good example for their students. A good teacher will also give rise to good students.

            Teachers play a very big role in the world of education in helping students learn and achieve the goals that have been set, and they are responsible for the success or failure of an educational programme.

            To instil a spirit of professionalism in teachers, effort is needed to realize it. Here are some efforts that can be made. First, continuing to a higher level of education: the higher a teacher's education, the better the quality the teacher will produce. A higher level is not only about adding a degree but about being able to implement the achievements one has.

            Second, actively taking part in KKG (Teacher Working Group) activities and teacher communities, which aim to upgrade teachers' abilities and skills. Learning does not have to be only with people who hold high degrees; learning with fellow teachers who have already practised learning strategies is very important because what is gained is not just theory. Third, reading a lot: even after becoming a teacher, one must keep reading books and not just tell students to read. Teachers must set a good example for students.

            Fourth, improving discipline: how can we set an example of discipline for students if the teachers themselves cannot be disciplined? Therefore it is very important to start doing good things from oneself first. Fifth, providing learning facilities to support the learning process: it should not happen that a lack of learning facilities hinders learning and leaves students with a poor understanding of the learning material; this is an important matter that must be addressed.

            Sixth, holding meetings between the principal and other teachers to prepare themselves and their learning strategies. Seventh, holding seminars and training (workshops), which not only add to teachers' knowledge but can also add skills and abilities the teacher has never used before; teachers can also explore themselves to develop further in relation to the outside world. Eighth, organizing visits between schools to learn about other teachers' learning experiences. Ninth, conducting research in the field of education by looking at educational problems that still need solutions.

            The above efforts to develop teacher professionalism can be applied. Not only that, teachers can also undertake training related to technology, which is very important to do, especially now that educators are required to have the ability to use technology so as not to be left behind and to be able to compete with other educators. Teachers can also create teaching aids and learning methods to smooth the teaching and learning process.

It is truly not easy to be a professional teacher. Amid the busyness of being a professional teacher, teachers must always improve their quality and keep up with developments in science and technology.

            It can be concluded that teacher professionalism is certainly a reflection for their students. Therefore, as teachers we must do good deeds and show good attitudes, in line with the meaning of 'teacher' in Indonesian, "digugu dan ditiru", someone who is trusted and imitated. The decline in education is not because of the curriculum but because of a lack of teacher professionalism and students' enthusiasm for learning. Therefore, improving teacher professionalism in education is an important matter that must be carried out.

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