ISSUES ON TEACHER PROFESSIONALISM
ISSUES ON TEACHER PROFESSIONALISM
INTRODUCTION
In historical context, the issue whether teaching is a professional status or not, has been controversial. According to Leiter (1978) teaching is a semi-professional job because teachers are directed to perform certain standards by their superiors. As a result of this, teachers’ individual autonomy and decision making powers are limited. Some authors such as Carter ve Passy (2007), Ozga (1981) believe that it is more useful to approach professionalism as an ideological concept that is used for occupational control on teachers. Another approach reflects a positive attitude towards teacher professionalism and identifies the term as the best and highest standard for teachers (Phelps, 2006).
This paper seeks to first define a profession and consequently highlight what facets make teaching be construed as a profession. Further, it will seek to establish what aspects militate against professionalism in teaching and what strategies have been adopted to enhance the status of teaching as a profession.
WHAT IS A PROFESSION?
The terms “profession” and “professor” have their etymological roots in the Latin for profess. To be a professional or a professor was to profess to be an expert in some skill or field of knowledge (Baggini, 2005). In 1975, Hoyle defined professionalism as ‘those strategies and rhetorics employed by members of an occupation in seeking to improve status, salary and conditions’ (cited in Evans, 2007). In his another work, Hoyle (2001) states that professionalism is related to the improvement in the quality of service rather than the enhancement of status. Englund (1996) explains the concept as a focus on the question of what qualifications and acquired capacities, competencies required for the successful exercise of an occupation. If we synthesize the definitions in the literature it would suffice to conclude that a profession is a body that meets the criteria posited by David (2000).
David (2000) cites five
INTRODUCTION
In historical context, the issue whether teaching is a professional status or not, has been controversial. According to Leiter (1978) teaching is a semi-professional job because teachers are directed to perform certain standards by their superiors. As a result of this, teachers’ individual autonomy and decision making powers are limited. Some authors such as Carter ve Passy (2007), Ozga (1981) believe that it is more useful to approach professionalism as an ideological concept that is used for occupational control on teachers. Another approach reflects a positive attitude towards teacher professionalism and identifies the term as the best and highest standard for teachers (Phelps, 2006).
This paper seeks to first define a profession and consequently highlight what facets make teaching be construed as a profession. Further, it will seek to establish what aspects militate against professionalism in teaching and what strategies have been adopted to enhance the status of teaching as a profession.
WHAT IS A PROFESSION?
The terms “profession” and “professor” have their etymological roots in the Latin for profess. To be a professional or a professor was to profess to be an expert in some skill or field of knowledge (Baggini, 2005). In 1975, Hoyle defined professionalism as ‘those strategies and rhetorics employed by members of an occupation in seeking to improve status, salary and conditions’ (cited in Evans, 2007). In his another work, Hoyle (2001) states that professionalism is related to the improvement in the quality of service rather than the enhancement of status. Englund (1996) explains the concept as a focus on the question of what qualifications and acquired capacities, competencies required for the successful exercise of an occupation. If we synthesize the definitions in the literature it would suffice to conclude that a profession is a body that meets the criteria posited by David (2000).
David (2000) cites five
References: Baggini, J. (2005). What professionalism means for teachers today? Education Review, 18 (2). David, C. (2000). Professionalism and Ethics in Teaching. London: Taylor & Francis Books Ltd. Englund, T. (1996). Are Professional Teachers a Good Thing. In I. F. Goodson, & A.Hargreaves (Eds.), Teachers’ Professional Lives, London: Falmer Press. Forsyth, P. B., Danisiewicz, T. J. (1985). Toward a theory of professionalization. Work and Occupations, 121 (1). Hoyle, E. (2001). Teaching: prestige, status and esteem. Educational Management Administration and Leadership, 29 (2) Leiter, J Ozga, J., & Lawn, M. (1981). Teachers, professionalism and class: a study of organised teachers. Hampshire:The Falmer Press. Phelps, P. H. (2006). The Three Rs of Professionalism. Kappa Delta Pi Record. Sachs, J. (2003). The activist teaching profession. Buckingham: Open University Press. Samuels, J. J. (1970). Impingements on teacher autonomy. Urban Education, 5, 152-171. Stevenson, H., Carter, B.& Passy, R. (2007). ‘New professionalism,’ workforce remodeling and the restructuring of teachers’ work. International Electronic Journal for Leadership in Learning, 11 (18).