Professionalisation of Teaching
This morning we have been talking about the professionalisation of teaching! Of making teaching a real profession and moving away from what Elmore describes as a school being a group of islands of private practices.
To ensure real teacher leadership Kitty Boles advocates 3 pathways:
- Rounds - promoting collaboration through the sharing of successful practice
- Lesson Study – Promoting collaboration through improving content knowledge
- Teacher Action Research – Promoting collaboration through systematic and intentional inquiry
Within Scottish education we are all working towards this culture in our schools and with our teachers but I wonder do we as Head Teachers take the opportunity to practice what we preach? Do we engage in action-based research to develop our practice? Do we engage in frequent conversation with each other about our work? Do we have easy access to each other’s schools? Do we take it for granted we should observe and comment upon each other’s work?
How do we nurture and engender the sense of belonging amongst all those involved in education that would allow this to take place effectively? And how do we create an environment where we can all work together, adopt a truly collegiate approach and share our practice?
Harvard Graduate School - School Leadership » Welcome wrote:
[...] A Scottish Perspective « Professionalisation of Teaching [...]
Posted on 28-Jul-07 at 10:52 am | Permalink
Ewan McIntosh wrote:
One of the elements of action research is, of course, choice in what to research. I really enjoyed being under the tutelage of one (now Head Teacher) in East Lothian who specialised in lit review and action research on motivating boys. What he was able to help with and the pointers he gave for my own development were priceless.
The problem might be, though, when a member of staff doesn’t have a mentor like this in their own school in the area they wish to develop. The DHT might not be the person with the knowledge (more seniority not meaning necessarily more all-round expertise). What provision could be made available for ’sharing’ DHTs and HTs between schools on our large campus? Allow them to delve into their own areas of action research and mentor all those who wish to take it up with them.
The quality of research would increase with larger samples and more, better qualified staff handling it.
Posted on 09-Aug-07 at 6:43 am | Permalink
Don Ledingham wrote:
Your point about sharing expertise is well made. I’d very much like to explore how we might appoint people in senior positions for a limited period - let’s say 5 years - and then move them to another school.
Posted on 09-Aug-07 at 2:48 pm | Permalink