Teacher Professionalization And Teacher Commitment

Examines the relationships between a number of different kinds and examples of teacher professionalization on elementary and secondary teachers in the U.S. and the commitment of teachers to their teaching careers. Summarizes the following characteristics of professions and professionals: credentials, induction, professional development, authority, and compensation. Describes what effect education reformers have expected these traditional characteristics to have on teachers' attitudes, performance, quality, and specifically, their commitment to their careers. Includes both private and public schools. Charts and tables.

This report explores the effects of teacher professionalization on elementary and secondary teachers in the United States. The analysis examines the relationships between a set of characteristics traditionally associated with professions and professionals and teachers' commitment to their teaching careers. The report focuses on the following professional characteristics: (1) credentials--use of professional criteria for hiring teaching job candidates; (2) induction--provision of mentoring programs for beginning teachers and the effectiveness of assistance provided to new teachers; (3) professional development--extent of participation in activities sponsored by professional teaching organizations, and financial support; (4) authority--faculty influence over school policymaking and the degree of teachers' individual autonomy within their classrooms; and (5) compensation--the highest salary levels offered by schools. The data source was the 1990-91 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). Data analysis revealed that four characteristics in particular were associated with commitment: teacher classroom autonomy, faculty policymaking influence, effectiveness of assistance for new teachers, and teachers' maximum end-of-career salaries. In contrast, several traditional indicators of teacher professionalization were not associated with higher teacher commitment: use of professional criteria for hiring teaching job candidates, financial support for teachers' continuing education, and participation in activities sponsored by professional teaching organizations. The appendix lists additional resources on SASS. (Contains approximately 50 references.) (ND)

Most evaluations of teacher performance are brief, superficial, pro forma affairs involving a few moments of classroom observation every year or two followed by the completion of required evaluation forms. Not surprisingly, much of what has been written about teacher evaluation over the past decade reflects the dissatisfaction of teachers, the frustration of administrators, and the confusion of all parties as to the proper purposes for and methods of teacher evaluation. In this long-awaited book, Richard J. Stiggins and Daniel L. Duke approach teacher evaluation from a positive perspective. They present the results of three unique studies from over a three-year period, designed to uncover the inherent problems in current evaluation practices and find potential solutions to those problems. Relying on ethnographic case study methodology, Study One focuses on the procedures and concerns in the teacher evaluation systems of four school districts, uncovering barriers to teacher growth. Study Two also relies on case study methodology to highlight the keys to success for a few teachers who experienced significant professional growth as a result of a good-quality evaluation event. Study Three uses an instrument—the Teacher Evaluation Profile—to explore and analyze the evaluation experiences of over 400 teachers. The result is a book that gives a clear insight into the important attributes of positive growth-producing evaluation events. Implications of these studies for future teacher evaluation programs in terms of research, policy, and practice are also included in this valuable resource book. The topic is very timely. The significance if this work is that the effort begins linking staff development participation to teacher evaluation.

Significant changes in the policy and social context of teaching over the last 30 years have had substantial implications for teacher professionalism. This collection of work by leading international scholars in the field makes a unique contribution to understanding both how these changes are impacting on teaching and how teachers might change their practice for the better.

Teachers Matter offers the most definitive portrait of teachers’ lives and work to date. At a time when teaching standards are high on the political and social agenda, the quality and commitment of teaching staff is seen as paramount and they are viewed as pivotal to the economic and social well being of society. But: What are the influences that help or hinder teachers’ commitment? Is there an association between commitment and pupil attainment? Why are teachers’ identities important? What are teachers’ needs and concerns in different professional life phases? Does school context count? Based on a DfES funded study of 300 teachers in 100 primary and secondary schools in England, the authors identify different patterns of influence and effect between groups of teachers, which provide powerful evidence of the complexities of teachers’ work, lives, identity and commitment, in relation to their sense of agency, well-being, resilience and pupil attitudes and attainment. This, in turn, provides a clear message for teachers, teachers’ associations, school leaders and policy makers, in understanding and supporting the need to build and sustain school and classroom effectiveness. The book addresses issues such as the importance of career development, the relationships between school leadership, culture and teachers’ lives, maintaining a work-life balance, identity and well-being and the connection between commitment, resilience and effectiveness in the classroom. Original and highly relevant, Teachers Matter is invaluable reading for teachers, head teachers, researchers and teacher educators.

A Commitment to Teaching: Toward More Efficacious Teacher Preparation introduces the reader to a collection of thoughtful works by authors that represent current research and thinking about teacher self-efficacy and teacher preparation. It is the intent of the book to provide the reader with current and relevant knowledge concerning preparation of committed and efficacious teachers. Teacher self-efficacy, and the presence of teacher efficacy, in teacher preparation and practice, is fundamental to preparing teachers for the public school classroom. As a construct, teacher self-efficacy beliefs are an integral aspect of the teaching process. While many authors refer to teachers’ sense of self-efficacy for teaching, meaning their beliefs about their ability to perform the actions necessary to teach, many others have identified a specific form of self-efficacy pertaining to teaching. These have been called teaching or teacher efficacy. Chapter One opens the book with a focus on the teacher commitment and self-efficacy, providing the reader with an introduction. The authors of Chapters Two-Seven present field-based research that examines the complexities efficacy and commitment in the preparation of teachers. Each chapter offers the reader an examination of teacher self-efficacy and teacher preparation and based on formal research that provides the reader with insight into how the research study was conducted as well as equally important, the findings and conclusions drawn with respect teacher self-efficacy and teacher preparation. Finally, Chapter Nine presents an epilogue that focuses on the for more efficacious teacher preparation.

A group of educational scholars address topics and issues relating to teacher commitment and institutional performance and productivity. The various essays discuss working conditions, incentives, decision-making and the role of the administrator.