PEDAGOGY IN TEACHER EDUCATION: MODULE 5: THE CONCEPT OF PROFESSION AND PROFESSIONALIZATION

MODULE 5: THE CONCEPT OF PROFESSION AND PROFESSIONALIZATION
Structure:
 What are professions as opposed to occupations?
 Is teaching a profession?
 Professionalization as a process
 Professional development through teacher education and training
 State of teaching profession in Tanzania
 Teaching responsibilities and ethical issues involved
 Assessment responsibilities and ethical concerns on assessment and grading
 Conduct and socialization
Professions Vs ordinary occupations
A profession is an occupation that has a crucial function in a society, the exercise of which requires a considerable amount of knowledge and skills guided by code of ethics (Hoyle,1980).
It is an occupation whose core element is work based upon the mastery of a complex body of knowledge and skills.
Professionals are: client oriented, provide service and charge fees
Occupations: clerical jobs, laborers, technicians, and other supervised workers or those working under instructions such as soldiers, nurses, etc (discuss………..)
Principles off ethical conduct in all noble professions
 Honesty- a high regard for truth and truthfulness in all activities
 Respect-showing concern for the individuality and dignity of clients and colleagues and their ideas
 Justice-to treat others fairly
 Accountability-to be a responsible steward of public trust

Teaching responsibility of an effective teacher
 Preparing and interpreting the course syllabus/curriculum
 Preparing and managing lessons, practical, tutorials, seminar sessions.
 Giving lessons
 Running interactive sessions (debates, panels, discussions, etc)
 Answering questions, supervising debates, setting conceptual controversies
 Ensuring appropriate readings are there
 Attending to individual students problems & concerns
 Assisting colleagues
Problems of teaching profession in Tanzania
 Selecting people who are not qualified
 Change in training programmes
 Lack of in-service programmes
 Appointing weak people to hold school and govern schools
 Teacher trainers have no good qualifications
 Lack of good ethics
 Lack of teacher trainer‘s programmes
 Drunken teachers