An opinion: On professionalism in education
Pip Marples on the opportunity to create a set of professional standards for teachers and on making the teaching profession professional.
Creative and distinguished educators have been the authors of warm words within our education world, but unfortunately have made little progress influencing the governance of our schools. In fact, despite some moves forward such as the General Teaching Council (GTC), scrapped in the first tranche of austerity measures – and the Chartered College of Teaching (CCT), government intrusion, draconian policy making, and a lack of funding has increasingly made teaching and learning in all phases of education more difficult and onerous. Furthermore, much of the good advice and work by educators to ‘professionalise’ teaching has been sidelined or ignored by politicians of all persuasions. Worse still, there has been little appetite displayed by heads, teachers and others in the education establishment to counter decisions in government policy.
So the question is: are educators professionals, chartered teachers, public servants, or something else entirely?
A profession can be defined as a disciplined group of individuals who adhere to a set of ethical standards; who consider themselves to have, and are accepted by the public as possessing) special knowledge and skills in a widely recognised body of learning – derived from research, education and training at a high level – and who are prepared to apply this knowledge and exercise these skills in the interest of others. It is inherent in the definition of a profession that a code of ethics governs its activities. Such codes require behaviour and practice beyond the personal moral obligations of an individual. They define and demand high standards of behaviour in respect to the services provided to the public and in dealing with professional colleagues. A profession will enforce these codes, and they are acknowledged and accepted by the community.
All this implies that a profession institutes its own independent voice and regulatory system without government funding or influence. For example, the medical profession has the General Medical Council, a voice for the profession with a regulatory responsibility. There are also associated Royal Colleges, and the British Medical Association acts as the profession’s only union.
In comparison, educators have the Chartered College, initially government funded, but now self sustaining. It could be a voice and support network as time goes on, and may become increasingly influential amongst educators and policy makers, but it is not a regulatory body, nor does it have a code of conduct. There is also the Teaching Regulation Agency but this is a government sponsored organisation. And then there is a confusion of unions, sometimes conflicted and competitive. A properly constituted teaching profession should have its own disciplinary procedures, teachers’ records and qualified teacher status mechanisms, created by educators who know their practice and their codes and needs to be accepted as the source of this code without undue competition.
The comparison between medicine and education is marked. The medical profession has a cohesive structure to support its practitioners, and complete ownership of its institutions. Education has a nascent voice in the CCT, but no proper ownership of its disciplinary procedures, standards for entrance into the profession and qualification and record keeping mechanisms. Teacher unions do not speak with one voice and have had a history of deprofessionalising educators. The most significant example of this is the insistence on a 1265 hour working year. A teacher should work the hours their job requires. The idea that after a certain amount of hours work in a week everybody in school stops is absurd and restrictive, and where it happens prevents both teaching and collegiate activities.
Educators must earn respect, by taking command of the education agenda and stating unequivocally that all teachers act in relation to their pupils and students so that the interests of pupils and students are paramount. This particular use of the word “interests” here rather than “education” is crucial and covers all matters concerning children’s learning and well-being. If that can be done, then there can be an education revolution, because currently everything in our schools is contrived for the convenience of the state.
If educators can robustly explain their actions and achievements, then a system of accountability which demands high level professional discussion is possible. This could help eradicate the fear and stress that currently abounds in our schools.
We need only ask three questions of our educators:
What is being done?
How is it being done?
Is it being done well?
But this is not about criteria and tick boxes, they suspend all reasonable judgement.
Teaching is a professional activity, no doubt, but with many educators forced into being compliant and passive, allowing the power of the state to dictate policy right into the classroom with instruction as to what to teach and how. The question of professionalism is rarely thought through by those working in our schools. Perhaps there is a place for the CCT to work with initial teaching education institutions. Those involved in continuing professional development and those new to the profession could then have this code of professionalism as an integral part of their study, and thereby gain a better understanding of its meaning to put into practice in their learning environments.
If educators can demonstrate to politicians and the many others in business and commerce that education is a serious and high quality profession, then there is a greater chance of real change in policy, and a greater likelihood of progress in the best possible learning opportunities for our children.
A straightforward code of conduct, constructed by educators for educators under the chairmanship of Professor Tyrrell Burgess in 1995
How a professional educator acts in relation to pupils/students
The interests and care of the pupils/students are paramount; this means that:
The individuality of each pupil/student is respected with regard to race, religion, class, sex or cultural group
Educators refrain from acts that might adversely affect their well being
Educators do not abuse their authority for personal or political purposes
All pupils/students are treated impartially
Educators maintain confidentiality of information about individuals they teach (except in situations where the child’s welfare may be at risk)
Educators pay attention to the wishes of parents of pupils of compulsory age
Educators do all in their power to fulfil the potential of individual pupils
How a professional educator acts in relation to the profession of teaching
This is done in a way that maintains the highest standards of personal and professional conduct, so that educators:
Respect the knowledge and skills gained in education and training, and the experience of professional work
Develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes of self-management
Accept responsibility for their own quality, examining strengths and weaknesses, and striving to improve
Keep knowledge and skills up to date and develop competence
Place knowledge, skill and experience at the service of pupils and students
Accept co-operative responsibility for the effective performance of an institution and the well-being of the individuals within it
Exercise individual judgement in the solution of educational problems
Act in accordance with a professional code of conduct
Avoid membership of organisations which might introduce conflict of loyalty of interest
Maintain competence in the organisation and management of a groups of learners
