Teacher Writer vs Writing Teacher

I know that words matter.  As someone who works with words often, I am fascinated by their history and power.  You can change just one word in a sentence and suddenly you have an entirely new level of meaning or intention.  I try to convey this to my students -- especially in my AP English Language course -- but I'm not sure they appreciate the lesson.  Even so, I am primed to pay close attention to the way words can be used. 

Lately, I have been creating social media content for Teach Write -- something I never expected to do -- and have found myself thinking more about the phrase "teach write" in particular.  Specifically I've been thinking about the difference between a teacher writer and a writing teacher, because many of us refer to ourselves by the first, but not the second phrase.  Why is that?  

According to Merriam-Webster, the word teacher is "one that teaches especially: one whose occupation is to instruct."  Writer, according to the same source, is "one who writes," while writing is "the act or process of one who writes." 

Therefore, if we put the words together a Writing Teacher would be "one that teaches the act or process of writing" and a Teacher Writer is "one whose occupation is to instruct and to write."  

Not the same thing.  

At least, it doesn't seem like the same thing to me.  The title of "Writing Teacher" is focused only on our ability to instruct others in writing.  It's a descriptor of the kind of teaching we are doing.  And, since many of us have to teach more than just writing in the classroom, that isn't a title that fits. 

"Teacher Writer" on the other hand feels more true towards the identity of those who come together here to write.  And while many of us would not go so far as to say it is our "occupation," I would argue that we are in fact occupied with the practice much of the time.  It still works.

So what does this mean? 

First, I hope this thought exercise, if nothing else, can be a reminder of how important word order and word choice are in making meaning.   Second, I hope we continue to honor both of our identities in this space.  We are teachers.  We are writers. To just call us one or the other would remove a key part of our identities, not to mention just be inaccurate.  After all, words matter.

What do you think?