QUESTION 1
THE PROBLEM
There is evidence that teachers do not behave professionally in South African
schools. The issues range from absenteeism, to not honouring teaching periods
etc.
As a principal, you are advised to develop a strategy to instil values of
accountability and professionalism in the teachers at your school
Teacher Professionalism and Accountability
INTRODUCTION
Professionalism is the state of being able to display acceptable behaviour appropriate
to a profession. For an educator, this means showing appropriate professional conduct
such as honesty, integrity, accountability, fairness, the pursuit of excellence, keeping
promises, respecting and caring for others.
The professional status of teaching falls short if the list of traditional criteria is imposed
on the work of teachers. In terms of the autonomy of professional practitioners, for
example, there is contention around whether or not teachers are accountable to a
professional body, or to the state (as their employer), to their institutions (as site
managers), or to learners and their parents (as 'clients'). Since Shulman (1987)
identified the knowledge base that supports teachers' work, there has been a firmer
base for recognising teaching as a professional practice. Teaching is recognised as
intricate and unnatural work, requiring deliberate choices that are both conceptually-
informed and contextually-responsive. On these grounds, teaching is accepted as a
'semi,' 'new' or 'proto' professional practice in research and in policy. Professional
teachers thus need to be educated (not merely trained), and should intentionally use
a knowledge base to support their teaching practices (not merely indiscriminately
apply a set of techniques and routines) within the contextual challenges of an
emerging economy overcoming a legacy of inequality.
THE PROBLEM
There is evidence that teachers do not behave professionally in South African
schools. The issues range from absenteeism, to not honouring teaching periods
etc.
As a principal, you are advised to develop a strategy to instil values of
accountability and professionalism in the teachers at your school
Teacher Professionalism and Accountability
INTRODUCTION
Professionalism is the state of being able to display acceptable behaviour appropriate
to a profession. For an educator, this means showing appropriate professional conduct
such as honesty, integrity, accountability, fairness, the pursuit of excellence, keeping
promises, respecting and caring for others.
The professional status of teaching falls short if the list of traditional criteria is imposed
on the work of teachers. In terms of the autonomy of professional practitioners, for
example, there is contention around whether or not teachers are accountable to a
professional body, or to the state (as their employer), to their institutions (as site
managers), or to learners and their parents (as 'clients'). Since Shulman (1987)
identified the knowledge base that supports teachers' work, there has been a firmer
base for recognising teaching as a professional practice. Teaching is recognised as
intricate and unnatural work, requiring deliberate choices that are both conceptually-
informed and contextually-responsive. On these grounds, teaching is accepted as a
'semi,' 'new' or 'proto' professional practice in research and in policy. Professional
teachers thus need to be educated (not merely trained), and should intentionally use
a knowledge base to support their teaching practices (not merely indiscriminately
apply a set of techniques and routines) within the contextual challenges of an
emerging economy overcoming a legacy of inequality.
