Teachers and Teaching in Context 2013

Teacher Professionalization and Professionalism

Dr. James Ko

Overview learning outcomes

Able to understand the concepts of teacher
professionalization and professionalism
Able to tell the constructions of professional identities as
professionals in Hong Kong
Able to address the issues related to teacher
professionalization and professionalism in Hong Kong

PART I: Professionalism and Professionalization

Four Ages of Professionalism and

Professional Learning by Hargreaves (2000)
Characterizing the stages of professionalization of teachers
1. Define professionalism
2. Define teachers as professionals
What constitute a person to be a professional? Watch him:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhNpo5O_gcE
FOUR AGES:
the pre-professional age;
the age of autonomous professional
the age of collegial professional;
the age of post-professional or postmodern

The Pre-professional Age

Factory-like public education
Traditional, recitation/lecturing based teaching with four main
purposes:
Maintaining student attention,
Securing coverage of content,
Eliciting some motivation
Achieving some degree of mastery
Lesson structures orient toward collective student, rather than
individuals
Emphasis on overall flow of lesson and order and control
Restricted professionalism (Hoyle, 1974),
Dominant in East Asian countries under Confucian traditions

The Age of Autonomous Professional

An era of curriculum innovation led by individual teachers (Weston, 1979);
Educational changes were not yet institutionalized as teaching routines in
practices (Fullan, 1991);
Dependent on individual's professional judgment professional and autonomy
became inseparable;
licensed autonomy as teachers enjoyed trust, material reward, occupational
security and professional dignity and discretion with pedagogical freedom (Dale,
1988);
Progressivism has not showed strong evidence of successes as the realities of
classroom havent changed
Teaching is still vey much individualistic (Hargreaves, 1980) teachers are
isolated people. They dont know what others are doing (Johnson, 1990, p.151);
Causes and consequences of individualism in teaching (Hargreaves, 2000,
pp.160-161)

The Age of Collegial Professional

Teachers rework their roles and identities as professionals in a more
consciously collegial workplace (p.162)
Causes for collaborations (pp.162-163):
Expansion and rapid changes in teachers work
Additional pastoral work
Inclusive education practices
Growing multicultural diversity
Structural limits to improving classroom teaching;
Alienations for many secondary students who cant fit in schools as adolescences;
Changes in school management and leadership that led to teamwork and
collaborative decision-making
Some successful implementation of change

Professional learning communities evolve from strong collaborative culture (Nias

et al.,1989) or professional community (Talbert & McLaughlin, 1994) in school;

The Age of Post-professional or Postmodern

Two possible trends:
Open. Inclusive, democratic
Restructured to remain competitive and respond quickly
Teacher professionalism become diminished/abandoned
Subject to globalization and digital revolution;
Defend deprofessionalization, blaming and shaming
All teachers must value and defend their entitlement

Guided questions for reading:

Hargreaves mentions a set of practices inherited from the earlier
generations that defined the essence of teaching. What practices
comprise this historical legacy and persist in pockets of the profession
today in the Hong Kong context?
[Teaching] profession is subjected to public blaming, shaming and
intrusive inspection (p. 169). Is this true in Hong Kong? Why or why not?
Does the teaching profession in Hong Kong also bear the marks of the
four ages of professionalism? If yes, what is the impact of each age?
How do you understand professionalism and professionalization based on
the reading?

Teacher professionalization in Hong Kong:

Historical Perspectives-by A. Sweeting (2008)
What is professionalization?
Eric Hoyle (1982:161) defined professionalization as the
process whereby an occupation increasingly meets the
criteria attributes to a profession.

Teacher professionalization in HK

Whats the concept of profession?

Profession is regarded as contested. It applies
variously, perhaps indiscriminately, to a broad range of
occupations.
Nowadays, it is commonly used about by medial
doctors, lawyers, architects, engineers; sometimes as
an aspiration by teachers or as form of modification
about them.

Teacher professionalization in HK

Two poles of teacher preparation

During the past four decades:
microteaching
competency/performance-based teacher education
teacher-proof curriculum packages
externally-imposed standard for teachers
standardized curricula
From the liberal pole towards the technical pole.

Teacher professionalization in HK

The Chinese Background

The traditional Chinese
respect for teachers is
closely related to their
respect of scholars.
In the various region in
China, a range of
educational institutions
provided opportunities for
different types of teachers,
with different status, but
with little or no sense of
collegiality.

The goal of
education

Text-based
Scholarship

Male-specific

Hortatory in style

Teacher professionalization in HK

Professionalization in Pre-colonial Hong Kong

During this period, vocationalism was an uneasy precursor
of professionalization, serving as times as a substitute and
an obstacle to be overcome.
On the whole, professionalism was NOT a feature of
education in the Hong Kong region before the arrival of the
British, although some of the prerequisites for its
development, including concern over standards, already
existed.

Teacher professionalization in HK

Professionalization in Early Colonial Hong Kong

The arrival of the British from the early 1840s made little
difference in the short term to teacher professionalization.
In 1848, grounds for differences became firmer when Hong
Kong Government set up a small Committee of
Superintendence to satisfy itself about the standards of
teaching and learning in the Government-supported
schools.
This top-down approach did little to enhance the
professionalism of local teachers, but it did serve as early
examples of a move towards passive teacher
professionalization.

Teacher professionalization in HK

Professionalization in Colonial Hong Kong

Government approved the introduction of pupil-teacher
schemes of professional preparation in 1853 and eventually
at its own showpiece establishment, the Central School, from
1865.
For opening of evening extension classes for in-service
teachers at the new Technical Institute in 1907 was justified
on grounds of value for money.
In addition, the first sign of teacher unionization appeared,
with the Hong Kong Teachers Association established in
1934. Other signs include the formation of subject
associations to enhance developments in a number of
curriculum areas.

Teacher professionalization in HK

Teacher Preparation and Status during the

Japanese Occupation
The Japanese authorities made no provision for university
level education throughout their occupation in Hong Kong.
In 1943, they opened a girls secondary school as a pale
substitute for the University to offer normal school
education with the focusing on the training of elementary
school teachers.
However, Japanese reinforced their acknowledgement of
the importance of teachers at the end of 1943.

Teacher professionalization in HK

Limitations to Teacher Professionalization during Postwar Reconstruction

The main factors influencing policy and practice about teacher
preparation in Hong Kong are financial constraints and supply
considerations.
Government commitment to teacher professionalization was
limited and did not reflect an urgent priority. The results
included :
an increasing number of untrained teacher
Problems concerning teacher morale
A conspicuous lack of teacher participation in education policy making .

Teacher professionalization in HK

Progress towards Teacher Professionalization during

the Second Half of the 20th Century
Basic considerations related to teacher supply in a time of
rapid school expansion influenced the creation of new
teacher training institutions and courses.
Teachers support for activist unions is NOT necessarily
compatible with self-motivated professionalization.
HK Professional Teachers Union (PTU) concerned more
with political and economic issues than with ethics, the
enhancement of teaching skills and pedagogical
knowledge, service to clients, or collegiality.

Teacher professionalization in HK

Progress towards Teacher Professionalization during

the Second Half of the 20th Century
In June 1989, the first teachers centre was opened and it
played a small, practical part in teacher professionalization,
by providing some resources, less isolation and more
exhortation.
In 1991, the establishment of a special (functional
constituency for teachers in the indirect Legislative Council
elections was another politically oriented development for
teacher professionalization. However, in practical terms, the
functional constituency of teachers did NOT invariably serve
of teacher professionalization.

Teacher professionalization in HK

Education Reforms and Teacher Professionalization 1

The education reform movements in Hong Kong were
mainly top-down initiatives and they were confined to
quantitative expansion, such as blister programme at
HKU and CUHK.
Although the two programmes did facilitate a radical
reduction in the proportion of untrained teachers in
secondary schools, it caused disruption organizationally
and for some staff, in personal terms.

Teacher professionalization in HK

Education Reforms and Teacher Professionalization 2

The establishment of new Institute of language in Education
(ILE) in 1982 together with other government initiatives, led
to some improvements both in quantitative and in qualitative
terms.
However, it is more than likely that the governments main
motivation related to teacher supply and control, rather than
teacher professionalization.

Teacher professionalization in HK

Education Reforms and Teacher Professionalization 3

Although HKIED undoubtedly contributed to the
professionalization of large number of local teachers,
continuing problems have tended to distract attention from
these contributions.
Similarly, although the Council of Professional Conduct in
Education provided teachers and academics with some
channels to experience professional autonomy; and despite
the official rhetoric about its purpose and importance, it was
under-funded and under-deployed.

Teacher professionalization in HK

Conclusions
1. At least some teachers are making efforts to professionalize
themselves, creating the firmest grounds for optimism about
the prospects for teacher professionalization in Hong Kong.
2. Professionalization, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries,
has benefited significantly from newer classroom skills and
reflection oriented teacher education programs.
3. However, the academicization of teacher educators now place
on research and publications instead of improve the quality of
the training teachers.
4. Actual usage of the term professional and its derivatives has
increased markedly with the high-sounding, but soon moribund.

Activity 1: The meaning of professionals

Professionals and Professionalization Framework
This is a TED talk of a mountain rescue expert. Part of his job is to train
youths to become professional mountain rescuers around the world.
Summarize as many key points as you can and then compare the ones we
went through in Hargreaves (2000)

Notes for the video on professionalism

Professionals deliver JUDGMENT
more uncertainties we face more important judgment becomes (Think: what certainties
we face in the classroom)
and more important the role the professional (Logic: the more uncertainties the classroom
has, the more important role the teacher has)
Attitude (drives) behavior (drives) action (reinforces) Attitudes
To be a professional is a process (a journey) :
take real internal drive and motivation
sparkled with interest in desire
develop value and judgment that is mission critical to what we do
A framework to be a professional:
1) KNOWING is more than awareness, understand and take the knowledge to APPLY it and
2) DOING developing SKILLS through PRACTICES MANY OPTIONS AND SOLUTIONS TO SOLING
PROBLEMS
3) HELPING giving, helping and being there for people; HELPING PROFESSIONALS HELP PEOPLE
4) LEARNING make a COMMITMENT TO LIFELONG LEARNING to keep knowledge and skills UP-TO-DATE
(yesterday knowledge is not always good enough for future problems)

PART II: Professionalism and Ethics

Professionalism and ethics in teaching

by D. Carr, D. (2000)
Fundamental assumptions and basic questions (pp.3-8):
1) Teaching is a professional activity;
2) Any professional enterprise is deeply implicated in ethical concerns and
considerations;
3) Teaching is also an enterprise which is deeply and significantly
implicated in ethical concerns and considerations;
4) There are distinctions among teaching, education, and schooling;
5) Teaching concerns intentional activities to promote learning;
6) Effective teaching is a matter of acquiring behavioral skills of promoting
learning;
7) Teaching is art of mastering particularity able to perceive what is
pedagogically or interpersonally salient in a specific educational
circumstance.

Professionalism and ethics

Functions of teaching (p.9)

There are normative constraints on teaching;
Less technical and aesthetic;
More moral and ethical;

Good teaching is not just teaching that is causally effective or

personally attractive, but that seeks best to promote the
moral, psychological and physical well-being of learners;
All teaching must be bounded by professional ties of
accountability and responsibility to employers, parents, pupils,
etc
Professions and professionals are bounded by their
professional ethics

Professionalism and ethics

What makes an occupation professional?(p.23)

1. Professions provide an important public service;
2. They involve a theoretically as well as practically
grounded expertise;
3. They have a distinct ethical dimension which calls for
expression in a code of practice (knowledge, skills,
values, attitudes or motives);
4. They require organization and regulation for purposes of
recruitment and discipline;
5. Professional practitioners require a high degree of
individual autonomy independence of judgment for
effective practice.

Activity 2: Professionalization vs Fabrication

What does it mean by being a professional model?
Being professionals is NOT BECAUSE you fit the preferred or
privileged (image) requirements for a legend
The process of professionalization is NOT a process of
FABRICATION by yourself or others
Be aware of FABRICATIONS or MYTHS for teaching and teachers
FABRICATIONS and MYTHS are superficial and shallow, but they
profoundly affect us, creating biases, stereotypes, insecurities, and
hates
Professionalization builds up inner strengths, while fabrications build
up insecurity

Teacher professionalism and Teacher Education in

Hong Kong-by Paul Morris (2008)
What is the difference between Professionality,
Professionalism and Professionalization?
Improving the professionalism of teaching =
improving the status of teacher education
Professionality

Professionalism

Professionalization

Knowledge, skills
Various factors
The process of trying to
which affect the
improve the level of
and procedures
teachers
use orstatus,
salaryofand
professionalism (status,
which
OED: The
competence
skill expected
a professional.
in the process of
conditions of the
pay, self-regulation, etc.)
teaching
profession

Teacher professionalism and Teacher Education

Teacher professionalization in HK before 1997

The features of teaching in Hong Kong that have served to define its status and level of
professionalism prior to 1997 were:
1.

No minimum entry requirements for people to obtain employment as teachers

2.

Teachers had no background in majoring the subjects which they were teaching,
like English and Arts

3.

Most teacher education courses were sub-degree programmes that were outside
the mainstream university sector

4.

A strong distinction between the status and qualifications of secondary school

teachers of academic subjects and that of both primary teachers and secondary
teachers of non-academic subjects.

5.

No agency that serves to represent teachers professionally or to regulate teachers

professional behavior

Teacher professionalism and Teacher Education

The Context Prior to Reunification with China

Until 1990s, attempts were made in Hong Kong to enhance the
status of teaching due to the following factors:
1.

A signal failure in the policy making process to anticipate the

impact on teacher education and the teaching profession

2.

Many of those who were making decisions about education policy

were reluctant to see the government lose its control of those
institutions

3.

School curricula were depoliticized and focused on far away

places and times

Teacher professionalism and Teacher Education

Professionalism, Accountability and Self-Regulation

The governments desire to avoid the emergence of a
stronger teaching profession was to develop a selfregulating and accountable profession in Hong Kong.
The Advisory Committee on Teacher Education and
Qualifications (ACTEQ) is the only formal body
empowered to support the process of professionalization
of teaching. However, it is a classic example of the
governments instinct to reply on a top-down, bureaucratic
and paternalistic approach.

Teacher professionalism and Teacher Education

1997+ the quest for quality

Enhancing teacher quality (qualifications)

Establishment of
the HKIED

35 % of teachers in
primary schools should
be graduates

Teacher professionalism and Teacher Education

The quest for quality 2

How to achieve this goal?
Developing and implementing educational reform policies to
improve the quality of schooling

New
curriculum
framework

Policy on
medium of
instruction

Matters of
accountability and
quality assurance

Capabilities
and
qualifications
of teachers

Teacher professionalism and Teacher Education

The quest for quality 3

A number of interconnected tactics to support
governments intentions to promote educational reform :
1.

Fostering of a climate of heavy-duty criticism of the status

quo as the rationale for introducing new policies

2.

Extensive reference is made to the need for fundamental or

revolutionary rather than evolutionary change

3.

A range of measures made by government to directly evaluate,

monitor and control teachers

4.

A process of dealing with any perceived criticism of government

policy in a way which combines vilification with retribution (??)

Teacher professionalism and Teacher Education

Conclusion
Contradictions between the govts desire to upgrade teaching profession and its policy actions remains marginalized
How to explain this paradox?

1.

The decline of the welfare state and the emergence of a fundamental paradox
in education policies can be regarded as a broader global trend

2.

The ongoing ideological tension between the state and its teacher, like case
of HKIED

3.

Overarching impact in Hong Kong of the governments low level of legitimacy

on all aspects of policy making

4.

The government played an increasingly interventionist role through the active

promotion of the role of the market and of contractual relationships.

References
Carr, D. (2000). Professionalism and ethics in teaching. London:
Routledge.
Hargreaves, A. (2000) Four Ages of professionalism and professional
learning, Teachers and Teaching, 6(2), 151-182
Morris, P. (2008). Teacher professionalism and teacher education in
Hong Kong. In McGregor, D., & Cartwright, L. (Eds. ), Teaching :
professionalization, development and leadership. (pp. 119-138). New
York : Springer.
Sweeting, A. (2008). Teacher professionalization in Hong Kong :
Historical perspectives. In McGregor, D., & Cartwright, L. (Eds. ),
Teaching : professionalization, development and leadership. (pp. 4565). New York : Springer.