19 April 20231

Workshop:

What makes a good teacher?

Competence models, concepts of professionalism

and conflicts of interest

19 April 20232

Concepts of professionalisation – UK situation

• Low Trust, High Pressure approach to profession.

• Punitive not developmental system of school inspection.

• Increasing trend for more external assessment and less trust for teacher assessment.

• Professional status of teaching undermined by non qualified teachers in teaching posts.

• Government misappropriates the language of ‘professional’ and ‘professionalism’ to support their own ‘reforms’ to public sector.

19 April 20233

National College of Teachers – the answer?

• General Teaching Council for England abolished on 31 March 2012 (“this organisation does little to raise teaching standards or professionalism”).

• England is only country in UK with no national independent body for teachers and no unifying code of professional values.

• Government policy characterised by disempowering teachers and prescribing teaching methods.

• Current proposals for National College of Teaching – cautious welcome by unions.

19 April 20234

What makes a ‘good’ teacher?What makes teaching ‘good’?

• Ask the workshop participants to talk in pairs for 10minutes about makes a good teacher?

• Round up – Each group feed back

19 April 20235

Teacher Education(Initial Teacher Training)

• Turbulence created by Government’s reforms is de-stabilising initial teacher training in England.

• School Direct introduced with two complex and competing routes – learning ‘on the job’

• Diminution of universities’ role in educating and developing new teachers in England.

• ‘Teaching Schools’ expected to become centres of excellence in training and development.

• NUT survey of Teaching Schools found this additional expectation to train teachers was distracting from focus on teaching and learning and school development.

19 April 20236

Teacher Education(In-career Teacher Training)

• CPD must be available to ensure practising teachers have their knowledge and skills regularly updated.

• OECD suggest teachers need to be given agreed levels of time release or financial support for PD to recognise this is important part of job.

• Important that teachers value professional development, as important part of their role, and linked to school self evaluation.

• Teachers must have ownership of CPD and it must benefit and support their classroom practise.

• Evidence based practice and access to research is challenge.

19 April 20237

Group Task

• What are features of approach to teacher education and training in your country which are positive? (Groups of 4 for 15minutes discussion)

19 April 20238

Conflicts of Interest?

• Teachers feel valued by parents in England (64% in latest NUT poll) but less so by politicians (3%).

• Teachers believe school inspection system is not impartial (only 9% felt “free from political interference”).

• Teacher workload means teachers’ forced to prioritise work over time with own children in evenings and weekends.

• Privatisation and competitive ethos within public service.

19 April 20239

Educators are the Experts – Valuing Teachers ‘ Professional Judgements

• Year of the Curriculum – NUT providing CPD for its 300,000 members online (www.teachers.org.uk/campaigns/curriculum)

• Breaking the Mould – project on gender stereotypes based on reading books (www.teachers.org.uk/breakingthemould)

• Reading for Pleasure – empowering teachers to use a range of approaches to teaching reading.