Distinguishing Between Teachers & Professors

Teacher vs Professor

There is a clear distinction between a Teacher and a Professor, though the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably since both belong to the teaching profession. A teacher is someone who teaches various subjects at a school, whereas a professor teaches at a college or university. Apart from this main difference, there are other distinctions between a teacher and a professor in terms of responsibilities, educational qualifications, and salaries. However, both roles are involved in disseminating knowledge and guiding their students.

Key Takeaways

• A teacher is a person who teaches at a school, while a professor teaches at a college or university.
• Teachers may only need a teaching certificate, while professors generally hold a doctorate degree.
• Professors usually have a higher salary than teachers and are more research-focused in their tasks.

Who is a Teacher?

A teacher is an individual employed in a school to teach children. The number of subjects a teacher teaches can vary, typically focusing on a single subject. However, in Kindergarten, one teacher usually teaches all subjects. A teacher in a school can be qualified with or without a research degree but needs a teaching certificate. Some private schools may not even require that qualification.

All individuals teaching at a school are referred to as teachers without differentiation. A school teacher is either a trained graduate teacher (TGT) or a postgraduate teacher (PGT). The salary drawn by a teacher in a school is generally lower than that of a professor.

Teachers have several essential tasks, such as providing adequate knowledge in their subject, testing students’ knowledge through exams, paying special attention to slow learners, and helping children grow morally. Teachers are also expected to support students experiencing personal or family problems.

Who is a Professor?

A professor holds the highest-ranking position in a university, typically requiring a PhD. A person can only be appointed as a professor in a college if they have a research degree. However, a school teacher can earn a research degree through part-time study and become a professor in a college. A retired professor from a college or university can also work in a school if desired.

In Europe and Commonwealth countries, the term “professor” may refer to a university lecturer, while the head of a department in a college is called a professor, and other educators are referred to as lecturers. In the US and Canada, individuals with doctorate degrees who teach at four-year colleges and universities are called professors without differentiation. The salary drawn by a professor is higher than that of a teacher.

Professors have specific tasks, such as conducting lectures in their field of specialty, conducting research to improve their field, mentoring graduate students during their academic training, and managing department-related tasks if they are the head of a department.

Difference between Teacher and Professor

• Definition: A teacher is a person who teaches at a school, while a professor teaches at a college or university.
• Educational Qualifications: A teacher may only need a teaching certificate, while a professor typically holds a doctorate degree.
• Place of Teaching: A teacher teaches various subjects in a school, while a professor teaches at a college or university.
• Subjects: A teacher can teach one or multiple subjects, while a professor only teaches a single subject.
• Tasks: Teachers provide knowledge in their subject, test students’ knowledge, support slow learners, and help children grow morally. Professors conduct lectures in their field, conduct research, mentor graduate students, and manage department-related tasks if they are the head of a department.
• Salary: Professors generally have a higher salary than teachers.

Both teachers and professors play crucial roles in the education system, though they differ in their qualifications, tasks, and salaries.