WORLD CONFERENCE OF AIAER

World Conference of AIAER
ON
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
OF
TEACHERS AND TEACHERS’
EDUCATORS

NOVEMBER 12-13, 2010
***
HOST

Lovely Faculty of Education
Of
LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY
And
Educational Research Association (ERP)
Phagwara, PUNJAB (INDIA)

Presented by:

1. Dr. Anil Kumar G.Kachhia,
Dean, Faculty of Education, Gajarat University & Principal of Smt. S.I.Patel Ipcowala College of Education, Petlad, Distt. Anand(Gujarat)
2. Dr. Bhagubhai I.Prajapati
Principal, Narayan Vidhyalaya, Bharuch-Gurjarat
&
Recipient of International Gold Star Award at Bangkok(Thailand)
PROFESSIONALISM IN TEACHERS’ EDUCATION\

Dr, A.G.Kachhia
Dr. B.I.Prajapati


Abstract


Teaching is a holistic profession like any other profession. The teacher’s role like most of the other professional roles has been defined by the society in which he/she works. Different social groups have different professions and these professions change with the passage of time. The teacher or “guru” in ancient Indian society was next only to God and one’s parents. But that is not the case today. The teacher’s role in India today is not the same that of Western Countries or cultures. Teachers’ education programme aims at preparing the teachers for the school level teaching institutions. With the changing world, expectations from the teacher are also being changed by the society. Therefore, teacher is required to have not only academic and professional competence of high order but also earnest responsibility and commitment to strive constantly to raise students’ learning, capability, achievement and make them autonomous, self-reliant and self-actualizing persons. Only then he will be able to face the changes and challenges of his professional career. This paper focuses on the meaning of professionalism, need and strategies for the professionalism of teachers’ education.





PROFESSIONALISM IN TEACHERS’ EDUCATION\

Dr, A.G.Kachhia
Dr. B.I.Prajapati

Introduction

Teaching is a holistic profession like any other profession. The teacher’s role like most of the other professional roles has been defined by the society in which he/she works. Different social groups have different professions and these professions change with the passage of time. The teacher or “guru” in ancient Indian society was next only to God and one’s parents. But that is not the case today. The teacher’s role in India today is not the same that of Western Countries or cultures.

Teachers’ education programme aims at preparing the teachers for the school level teaching institutions. With the changing world, expectations from the teacher are also being changed by the society. Therefore, teacher is required to have not only academic and professional competence of high order but also earnest responsibility and commitment to strive constantly to raise students’ learning, capability, achievement and make them autonomous, self-reliant and self-actualizing persons. Only then, he will be able to face the changes and challenges of his professional career.

Is teaching professional today?

• So far as India is concerned, teaching is not professional today.
However, in England, U.S.A and in other countries also, professional confidence and autonomy which is found in the practice of law and medicine is not be seen in teaching. The reasons are that in comparison to other professions, teachers’ activities are less exact and narrow. (judge, 1980). Nobody can definitely assert that the work of teaching can be done effectively by the teacher. Today, teaching is done and knowledge is given through other agencies. How can professionalization come in teaching under these circumstances? As in the case of a doctor and a lawyer, there is no fixed territories.

• It may be taken for granted that teacher is a person who is paid to instruct according to some programme- pupil’s choice or his contemporaries that follow the programme given by the institute. This situation is against professionalization. In India, this is the existing situation. Hence, today teaching is not professional.

• There is a belief in society and among teachers that teaching is an art and it is not science. There is a mentality that successful teaching is a practical skill and such skill does not come through the study of principles of education.

• The status of teachers is low. The teacher does not enjoy that prestige, which a doctor, a lawyer, an industrialist or an engineer enjoys. Certain prejudice is prevailing in the society that the teachers are the idealistic, impractical and not capable of fighting reality. They have no voice in the society.

• Teachers are under-paid as compared to other professions.

• The standard of entering into the profession is not so high. Little scientific knowledge is available in the teaching profession because pedagogy is in its early stage still.

• Teachers are not united. They are scattered and are not grouped. They are divided as primary, secondary, higher secondary and college teachers. Teachers’ unions are no so effective and powerful.

• Teaching is done in the midst of pressures and conflicts, which are social, economic and political.

• There is a restriction on the individual freedom of teachers and our society is very critical about their manners, habits, clothes or social interaction as well as relations.

For above all stated reasons, teaching cannot be said to be a full fledged profession.








PROFESSIONALISM IN TEACHERS’ EDUCATION\

Dr, A.G.Kachhia
Dr. B.I.Prajapati

The need of professionalization o f teachers’ education.

The present age is the age of professionalization. Different occupations like law, medicine etc. are considered as profession today. The need for professionalization has become so acute today that every occupation including teaching is considered to be taken a profession because it has to go in time with modernization, which has entered in every field of life. More over, it has a social responsibility, such as preparation of responsible future citizens.

Today, teaching is no more than simply an occupation aimed at making money for livelihood but it is social service for the national development.
And that is why today there is a need for professionalization in teaching. Thus its social responsibility and function is very crucial. The teachers themselves remain unclear about whether they do or do not belong to a profession (Judge, 1980). The reason of this is that teachers have never enjoyed that degree of professional confidence and autonomy which is found in the practice of medicine and law.

A teacher has to play an important role in the preparation of individuals who are patriotic, committed, responsible and conscious of what they are doing. This account for the need of professionalization in teaching.

A number of recent U.S. federal state and foundations report have focused on the quality of public education. In U.S.A also crises are found in teaching. Children are not learning their basics and better instructions are needed to maintain the spiritual, cultural and economic climate of the nation. (Popkewitz, 1994). So, the need for the professionalization of teach is found to be essential. According to him, there is a concern for providing teacher with more autonomy, privilege and status. This is possible only if professionalization takes place in teaching. Taken as profession, teaching will require modernization as well as perfection. In short, professionalization in teaching is the prime necessity of the day.

Strategies for the professionalization of teachers’ education

According to Joshi & Bhogayata (1999) the criteria for professionalization are the following:-
1. When the occupation is full time, it is a profession. And it is a main source of income for the practitioner of profession.
2. The choice of an occupation is a strong inspiration of that profession and that person committed to the profession for the whole of life.
3. Such a professional has acquired special knowledge and skill through teaching and thinking and raw material is acquired through science and study.
4. A professional draws the conclusion for the welfare of his client on the basis of universal law.
5. The profession chosen by him is aimed at the service of people and he uses his knowledge for
6. The work of the professional is aimed at satisfying the objective requirement of his client. He totally ignores his personal likes and dislikes.
7. The client and professional have faith in each other. The professional enjoys autonomy. He knows more than his client and wishes welfare of his client and his life.
8. Professionals form their unions and these unions control the admission and continuation of that profession and the union fixes the standard for the test in training and teaching of the profession.
9. The position and capacity of the professional in his field is very high.
10. A person in his profession can not attract client or customers through advertisement.

When majority of this ten criteria are applicable to a particular occupation, that occupation is called profession. Historically, the occupation of doctors and lawyers are oldest professions. We can identify several important strategies to make teaching a profession on the basis of above criteria.

A teacher has an important role to play in the society. Teacher builds up a strong, durable and ideal society. His role is important in the creation of nation. In order to achieve this goal, teacher’s education must be made professional.

HOW CAN IT BE ACHIEVED?

Teaching should not be a part time activity. If should be a full time job. However, it should be the main source of income for the professional. A teacher could be permanently committed to his work. Those who have chosen teaching as a profession must acquire necessary knowledge and skill. The professionals work for the welfare of his client without any person gain. He/She enjoys full autonomy in his/her profession.

For the professionalization in teachers’ occupation, the persistent study, research, and investigation are essential. Teacher as researcher can be a professional (Ganihar & Nilavar 1999). The client satisfaction and good reward can make teaching professional.

According to Schnook(1987), teaching can achieve the status of a profession through reflective practice (i.e. reflection in and on practice). So, teaching must become reflective, intellectual activity, a very high level of thinking ability, a very creative and imaginative faculty, a proactive reasoning ability and superior communication can make teacher’s occupation more professional. (Ghanchi, 2000)










References:
1. Ganchi, D.A (2000), Professionalism in Teacher Education, University News, 38(5), 25.
2. Ganihar, N.N.& Nilavar S.S (1999). The need for professionalism in teacher education, University News. 37(5), 1-5
3. Joshi, B.& Bhogayata, C.(1995). Education and Teacher in Engineering Indian Society(Gujrati Verson), Ahmedabad, Anda Prakashan.
4. Judge, H.(1980) Teaching and Professionalization – An Essay in Ambiguity. I.E.Hoyle & Megary (Eds.), Professional Development of Teacher – World Year Book of Education. (pp340-349), London: Kogan Page.
5. Popkewitz, T.S.(19994), Professionalization in Teaching and Teacher Education – Some Notes on its History, Ideology and Potential. Teaching and Teacher Education. 10, 1-14
6. Schnook, D.A.(1987), Educating the Reflective Practice. A Presentation at the annual meeting of the American Research Association. (Received from the web site http://edu c queensu. Cal-ar/section 87. Htry on January 4, 1999)