Abstract
The paper deals with a hitherto rather neglected category of educational personnel - educators of after-school clubs. The aim of the paper is to highlight selected charac- teristics of these educators, which, though in the shadow of teachers, may paradoxically be inspiring to them in many ways.
First, the profession of educator is compared to that of the tea- cher, through the prism of the criteria placed on the "full profession" by sociology. Subsequently, educators and teachers are compared in terms of one of the key pedagogical attributes, that is authority.
In conclusion, it suggests how both occupations can inspire and enrich each other and raises the question of whether the profession of educator in the Czech educational context deserves more intense research attention.