Teachers' Construction of Professionalism in England in the 1990s

This paper explores some of the complexities inherent in researching teacher 'professionalism', since the notion itself is socially constructed and is subject to geographical and cultural differences in interpretation, which themselves may change over time. Whilst structural factors may offer a partial explanation for changes in the relative standing of teachers in different contexts and at different times, the paper argues that teachers themselves play a significant role in asserting or denying their own 'professionalism'. Since both initial and in-service teacher education are important vehicles for the development of a teacher's sense of professionalism, it follows that changes in their content, form and organisation are likely to have a significant impact in this area. Drawing upon early data, two key aspects of teacher professionalism are identified, namely the notion of 'being a professional' and of 'behaving professionally'. Evidence is also presented of the impact of the National Curriculum upon teachers' sense of professionalism in both of these respects, and there is a brief discussion of the implications of these findings for teacher education…