5.3 Teachers’ experiences with teacher-training programmes
5.3.4 Professional growth and progress
The teaching profession is seen as a noble work in general, as teachers hold multiple roles during their daily work. For example, a teacher can act as a counsellor and then switch to being an educator. Teachers educate children who are not theirs. But even though the salary is not quite as attractive as in other professions, many people want to join this profession because of the fairly light workload. Sometime people join the teaching profession just to secure a job. But teaching is not just a job where only performance is recognised; it is what we call the “school of life” as what the students learn can influence their lives forever. Teachers are involved in the creation of a labour force for the country, including the leaders of tomorrow. That is why teaching must be recognised as a profession like other professions. Thus, people will be happier to become teachers, but to be a teacher is not the ultimate goal; it is only the beginning of a long journey.
Although teachers felt that traditional professional development programmes were rather theoretical, they did acknowledge that they got some benefits from the programmes.
They admitted that they grew and progressed professionally though only their knowledge content improved. They pointed out that teachers need more than just having more knowledge. They need to be shown or advised on how to teach, otherwise they will stagnate.
The professional growth and progress can be in terms of promotion also. But in the teaching profession not all the teachers have the possibility to be promoted to a higher grade, as promotion is limited to Senior Educator, Deputy Rector then Rector. Teachers will be more motivated if they have more possibilities to develop professionally and grow, that is have
114
more career paths, for example, there should a possibility where more teachers can aspire to be Senior Educator, like Senior Lecturer in some universities.
“A teacher needs professional development programmes to help her or him to improve above just being a teacher … Yes, you are proud of yourself and being valued with respect to training and promotion that you get … Professional development enables you to grow in what you are doing therefore you are happy.” (P31)
“Which means that you are progressing, but progress needs to have knowledge, this is another thing essential for us to be able to improve the way we do in class … a lot of things that make us progress on the ground of knowledge but not professionally.” (P22)
“There are many elements that work together for you to develop and progress, for example, you have to master your subject well, have a good students’ response as well.
If you do not have a good students’ response you will stagnate.” (P14)
“I view professional development as a source of personal satisfaction and motivation.”(P32)
“Training that helps in our daily teaching.” (P11)
“As book knowledge is not enough, we need professional development to enable us to do our work more efficiently. We need more facilities.” (P13)
“There is possibility of promotion, where you can see you are evolving (progressing).”
(P34)
As being a teacher is also to be taught how to teach; therefore, opportunities for engaging in professional development must be made available to teachers. The professional development programmes must be delivered in different modes, for example, online learning, so that all teachers can have access to these programmes without any barriers. Since teachers need to keep up with the newest innovations in the educational field, they must have access to updated resources. This may help them to be capable to cater to the ever-changing students’
needs. Another way to value the teaching profession could be to provide opportunities for teachers to participate or attend international conferences in the educational field. The participants indicate that professional development should be ongoing to promote lifelong learning and be informed about the recent changes. Teachers must be in touched with technologies, new research in teacher education and student learning. Therefore, teachers
115
need to constantly improve their knowledge and skills to grow professionally, mostly with technologies which are developing rapidly. But in Mauritius face-to-face PD is not readily available for teachers, and the same is true for online or blended professional development.
“We need to be up-to-date with regard to all latest advancements which have been achieved.” (P22)
“It is to keep informed as Sheila said informed all the time in the field. Lots of things are changing, even the technology.” (P34)
“I think lifelong learning is important.” (P32)
The participants pointed out that they need more than just theories from books. They made it clear that teachers need PCK. Teachers need practical skills which their tutors can demonstrate to show them how theories learnt from books can be applied in class. Teachers need pedagogical skills to improve the teaching and learning environment in the class.
Therefore, professional development must be able to consider the changing needs of teachers and their students to be able to support high-quality practices. They stress the point that even though subject mastering is important, they need more than the didactics which they can learn by themselves.
“Access to facilities (others’ experiences, knowledge) also will enable us to do our work, to develop as a teacher because having a book, a class is not enough … Mastering of the subject is important but we need more than mastery. Now we can master the subject but if we don't have this plus, that is access to facilities, we cannot develop.”(P13)
“Have different strategies as if to become more professional and have strategies and as if to be able to know what can be more useful, in what context as if… in another context how he/she can shift and juggle with all the strategies that he or she has.” (P34)
“Training that can help us in our work…This means, class management, how to (keep) maintain a class, how you can deal with your subject.” (P11)
“You have to master your subject well.” (P14)
“Firstly you must know the subject you will teach and then class management.” (P32)
116
A teacher was appreciative of the courses offered by the local teacher-training institution which included practical sessions:
“courses at the MIE for example, you have to attend work and not just follow the course to have experience. I do not know how long this system has been set up and if it can be considered traditional because finally it is not only theories but includes a practical component.” (P33)
Another teacher added that
“because you need to live what you are doing, in your experience, what you have learnt in books, in theories.” (P32)
“As book knowledge is not enough, we need professional development which provides more support to enable us to do our daily work more efficiently.” (P13)
Teacher-training programmes stress didactics rather than “how to teach” for a holistic development of the learner. Therefore, more needs to be done to encourage teachers and leaders to acquire new knowledge and sustain existing skills.
“We are forced to go through this kind of professional development which favours only the cognitive aspect of the learner, leaving aside the mental, intellectual, emotional and psychological aspect of the learner. We have no choice as the system is an elitist one aimed at producing ‘laureates’.” (P23)
“You have to master your subject well … Professional development is not only about mastering the subject but also how to teach the subject.” (P14)
A participant added that teachers find the course boring or repetitive that is why they are not keen to go for professional development courses. So teachers need to see the usefulness of PD courses or programmes to enrol in these courses and get the best out of them. Only then will teachers grow and progress professionally.
“The course is boring, it is not appropriate for me and I do not have time.” (P31)
“There can be no motivation, moreover it is repetitive. I have already heard about it.”
(P34)
117
So for teachers to grow and progress after following PD, they need to be intrinsically and extrinsically motivated. One extrinsic motivation can be the impact of PD on students’
performance.