Professor Mirko Noordegraaf suggests that professionalism entails an emphasis on good work and the necessary social support mechanisms. Further advancing this notion, he adds that not only are professionals trained and educated members of an occupational domain but that they are also held accountable and supervised by their peers (Bruno, 2018). Notably, Noordegraaf adds that professionalism requires the capacity for internal organization, and insulation of professional practices against external influences. However, the almost three-decade-long campaign to improve educational standards has eroded the sense of professionalism in teaching primarily due to the profession’s loss of control over its practices (Bruno, 2018). Therefore, teaching in America is currently an underappreciated profession.
Journalist and television host Fareed Zakaria notes that: "Teaching is the one profession that makes all other professions possible"(Zakaria, 2018). Fundamentally, teaching facilitates the transmission of knowledge, values, and norms that all of society needs for prosperity. Therefore, erosion of the sense of professionalism and underappreciation of the role of teachers suggests that the American society is exposing itself to significant risks. Anecdotal evidence from teachers like Luisana Regidor and Roxanna Elden attest to the fact that teaching is a very hard job to do well, even with prolonged training and a formal qualification (Turner, 2015: Sawchuk & Rebora, 2016). Yet evidence suggests that not only are teachers unable to access the support that they require, but that they are also overworked and alienated in terms of public approval ratings. Therefore, despite providing the basis for other professions, teaching in the US is currently marked by public mistrust and poor working conditions such as poor pay and long working hours (Bruno, 2018: Dillon, 2011).
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Bruno (2018) observes that a report published and popularized during the Reagan administration as the genesis of the accountability movement in education. A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reforms became the basis for the existence of an educational crisis in the US. Thereafter, a string of commissions and task forces produced alleged evidence of students failing, teachers performing poorly, and obstructionist teachers’ unions (Bruno, 2018). In effect, this was the beginning of external controls of the profession as teachers became subject to regulation by an independent and external body in the context of increasing accountability and productivity. Therefore, loss of control of the profession has been the effect of the accountability movement. Not only do teachers use mandated curricula and lesson plans, but also, they lack control over professional development content, school-wide organization and even budget decisions. Conversely, test-based accountability determines teaching objectives and techniques, there is little emphasis on teacher-training programs and their performance evaluations are based on students’ test performances (Bruno, 2018). Therefore, pressure and intensification of work are some of the other effects of the accountability movement.
Alongside the accountability movement is a decline of American educational standards internationally. Conversely, Singapore, South Korea, and Finland have been cited severally as examples of nations that have achieved excellence in educational standards (Dillon, 2011: Zakaria, 2018). Logically, the models used in these countries lend themselves to efforts of improving American educational standards. Zakaria (2018) notes that largely teachers receive less than USD 50,000. Therefore, improving their salaries and benefits is but a necessary first step. Fundamentally, teachers in America are being made to work harder, for longer hours, and with fewer resources with growing student numbers through an education plan they do not control. Consequently, most teachers perceive their profession as highly stressful. Turner (2015) along with Sawchuk & Rebora (2016) note new teachers are increasingly becoming a significant constituent of the American teachers’ population. Not only do they note the challenges attached to this development, but they also note the lack of support. Undoubtedly, the ultimate solution is restoring professionalism by eliminating external influence and controls.
References
Bruno, R. (2018 June 20). When Did the U.S. Stop Seeing Teachers as Professionals? Harvard Business Review . Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2018/06/when-did-the-u-s-stop-seeing-teachers-as-professionals .
Dillon, S. (2011 March 6). U.S. Is Urged to Raise Teachers’ Status. The New York Times . Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/education/16teachers.html .
Sawchuk, S & Rebora, A. (2016 October 4). New Teachers Make Up a Significant Segment of Profession. Education Week . Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/10/05/new-teachers-make-up-a-significant-segment.html .
Turner, C. (2015 November 17). Hey, New Teacher, Don't Quit. It Will Get Better. National Public Radio . Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/11/17/455484639/hey-new-teacher-dont-quit-it-will-get-better .
Zakaria, F. (2018 May 17). Teachers deserve more than appreciation. The Washington Post . Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/teachers-deserve-more-than-appreciation/2018/05/17/9013cc58-5a11-11e8-8836-a4a123c359ab_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.5b76f877c983 .
