Continuing professional development certainly is necessary to renew your license to teach. But we need to expect more from the process, and we need to develop an articulated scope that has an impact on student learning. We need a renewal process that reflects on teaching, not just a count of credits. How we select and promote people into the teaching profession is an extremely important task. It is time for teachers to be recognized as professionals.
Professionals have both theoretical and practical knowI- edge of their profession.
They have control of that profession and are service oriented. Professionals have professional working conditions. Being recognized as a professional grants status and has rewards. They are to learn to teach science in the places where science teaching happens. They are to be members of life-long communities of learners, and they are to experience coherent and integrated professional development programs.