Dr Kay Kimber, Director Centre for Professional Practice
Rose Kennedy, mother of President John F. Kennedy, once said ‘Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but of moments.’ Typically, milestones mark moments of transition, a concept made more poignant as the countdown for Year 12s rapidly diminishes. Rituals and traditions shape the event, honour individuals and affirm a community’s core values. In education, the quality of the learning that shapes those transitions rests on the level of sustained engagement with suitably challenging experiences— across a multitude of moments.
This Saturday evening, a School community signature event will simultaneously become a first for many Year 8s and their families, and a precious ‘final’ event for many of our Year 12s. Hundreds of our fine musicians will perform in what will no doubt be yet another ‘unforgettable’ Gala concert. Orchestras, bands, choirs and soloists will treat us to a wide-ranging programme of well-loved classical, theatre music, jazz and more. Should the themes, cadences and lyrics of our own favourite works be played, our spirits could well be exhilarated. Perhaps stirred emotions will hark back to special memories of particular people, places, events or experiences. For many of our musicians, the Gala concert is especially memorable. Years later, they can list the themes of different concerts, pinpoint their own performance pieces, or name those of our talented soloists of distinction.
As all can appreciate, the Gala concert means more than one spectacular evening. Gala celebrates the immeasurable moments spent in individual practice and group rehearsal, family support and encouragement. Its lasting impression results from the creativity of the instrumental staff under the leadership of Mr Mark Sullivan, and the talents, hard work and commitment of students, staff and the Music Support Group. Gala’s spirited execution fires the School community with pride and positivity, especially important for the launching the Year 12s into their final examination period next week.
The students’ examination preparations reflect their personal motivations and their teachers’ guidance. For teachers, committing to delivering the best learning outcomes for their students involves constant updating of their own professional knowledge. According to one OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) report on teacher education (Schleicher, 2012), the accelerating rate of change in society and understanding about learning has significantly impacted on the profession:
In the past, the policy focus was on the provision of education, today it is on outcomes … the past was curriculum centered, the present is learner centered … In short, the kind of education needed today requires teachers to be high-level knowledge workers who constantly advance their own professional knowledge as well as that of their profession. (Schleicher, 2012, pp. 35–36)
Internationally, in many countries, education policies focus on building the quality of their teaching forces. In Finland and some Asian countries, teachers’ professional learning and practice are channelled through action research with their colleagues and students (OECD, 2011; Schleicher, 2012).
Nationally, the Australian Charter for the Professional Learning of Teachers and School Leaders (AITSL, 2012) and its companion documents have mandated the scope and nature of professional learning and practice expected of all teachers across their careers. Professional standards articulate details of expectations of performance across all transition points represented as Graduate, Accomplished, Highly Proficient and Lead teachers. Where the transition from graduate to accomplished teacher, for example, is an understandable progression, evidence will need to be gathered to verify the quality of the teacher’s professional practice across the period in question. Here at the School, our Centre for Professional Practice has had specific responsibilities for promoting and valuing the professional learning and practice of our staff and pre-service teachers in particular since its inception in 2005.
Later this Term, a significant milestone will be reached by a number of our pre-service teachers currently on their practicum placements with us. The Top of the Class (2007) report on the Australian federal government’s investigative inquiry into teacher education, found that the ‘practicum is a critically important part of teacher education courses and is consistently valued highly by student teachers’ (p. xv), as ‘the most useful part of teacher education courses’ (p. 67). The practicum can help set the novice up for the lifelong learning paradigm that characterizes a profession where change itself is the only constant, with its consequences for subject identity reinventions across new syllabi or subject disciplines. Improvements to practice ultimately come from within the individual, through their personal motivation or determination to do so: ‘Improving practice can only be done by teachers, not to teachers’ (Wurtzel, 2007, p. 30).
The pre-service teachers’ transition from tertiary students to ‘graduate teachers’ involves blending knowledge of their subject discipline, learning theory, teaching strategies, professional standards and adolescent learning needs with their own personal values throughout their university course and their practicum placement. Their experiences with their supervising teachers and our students help these aspiring teachers to divine the kernel of their own emerging professional identity. Resources may be provided, but ultimately the pre-service teacher has to read them, to act, to design her own.
Two catalysts critical to the steadiness of the pre-service teacher’s progress and transition are mentoring and reflection. Both catalysts involve talk and time, but it is in the quality of the conversations, whether with the supervising teacher, peer or self-talk, or the length of time given for that conversation to flow, that the potential of the transformation can be realised. Critical self-reflection and the willingness to invite and act on constructive feedback from the supervising teacher become instrumental in taking the necessary steps towards turning that vision into reality. White’s 2006 research into pre-service teachers’ practicum experiences found that ‘feedback, reflection and review need to occur at critical points throughout the student-teacher’s professional practice’, concluding that ‘the engagement between novice and expert was a vital aspect of how successful the students perceived their practice to be’ (p. 11). From these perspectives, the mentoring relationship is a crucial component of the practicum. It is also the introduction to the professional collegiality that characterises teaching.
Speaking with our current group of pre-service teachers about the special moments they have experienced while at our School, has revealed how highly they value the friendliness and exuberance of our students. For one, experiencing how Brisbane Girls Grammar spirit characterises events like The Voice, Blue Day and Athletics was remarkable. For another, seeing students use and enjoy a resource that she had prepared for her supervising teacher was both surprising and affirming. As with all teachers, this joy in the contact with young people is what motivates and sustains them across their teaching careers. Yet these special moments are counterbalanced by many hours of thoughtful preparation, determined focus and collegial interactions.
When mention is made of World Teacher’s Day on 26 October, no doubt thoughts will turn to thanking teachers for their many contributions and commitment to education generally. Teachers themselves will celebrate their collegiality and shared joy in working with young people. Yet World Teachers’ Day, established in 1994 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to recognise the role of teachers in society, occurs internationally on 5 October. As this date falls during our school holidays, Australia has designated the last Friday in October as our World Teachers’ Day. How could we still feel part of global recognition if our ‘moment’ was not shared? For me, this time lapse has actually been advantageous. Why? My reading of how other nations have chosen to celebrate their teachers has been a truly humbling experience as I came to realise the significance of the Day’s theme, ‘Take a stand for teachers’.
An internet trawl across several countries’ websites reveals the startling contrast in conditions and professional recognition that teacher colleagues face on a daily basis. High value is placed by the South African Council for Educators: ‘Teachers determine our collective ability to innovate, invent and to find solutions for tomorrow. Nothing will ever replace a good teacher. Nothing is more important than supporting teachers.’ African teachers are encouraged to share their experiences and best practices. At UNESCO headquarters in Paris, a forum addressed issues of quality teacher training and improving teacher status with speakers from many countries including Serbia, the Philippines and Jamaica (UNESCO, 2012). The Education International site records the scale of issues facing teachers in very many countries, including working conditions as in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Mauritania and Tunisia, teachers are advocating teachers’ professional development while also defending ‘compulsory, free, democratic, progressive education services’ for all children. Photographs and video clips recorded happy teacher and student faces in the most impoverished of locations.
Yet the most strident and touching of all these sites were those marshalling support for ‘the voiceless and innocent Iranian teachers behind bars’ (Persian Icons, 2012) or executed for speaking out against the government. The Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi spearheaded the ‘Be the Voice of Iranian Teachers’ campaign with other Iranian rights groups on 29 September (Human Rights Watch, 2012). People were asked to show their support by joining a ‘Tweet Storm on World Teacher’s Day for the Iranian Teachers Behind Bars’ (TweetStorm, 2012). Solidarity and support must begin with consciousness-raising globally.
Savouring special moments of celebrations and rituals is important for honouring individuals and collective achievements. They also prompt us to consider those who may be excluded or unintentionally overlooked. These precious moments in attending to how we might add value to their lives as well, each and every day, helps shape individuals and refine community in positive, respectful ways.
References
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership Ltd (AITSL). (2012). Australian Charter for the Professional Learning of Teachers and School Leaders. Carlton, VIC: Education Services Australia. Retrieved 2 September 2012 from aitsl.edu.au/verve/_resources/Australian_Charter_for_the_Professional_Learning_of_Teachers_And_School_Leaders.pdf 21 September 2012
Education International. (2012). World Teachers’ Day Celebrations pay tribute to teachers globally.
Retrieved 20 October from www.ei-ie.org/en/news/news_details/2324
Human Rights Watch. (2012). Iran. Free teachers jailed for speaking out. Retrieved 20 October 2012 from www.hrw.org/news/2012/10/05/iran-free-teachers-jailed-speaking-out
Kennedy, R. (n.d.) Rose Kennedy quotes. Retrieved 21 September 2012 from
www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/rose_kennedy.html
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2011). Building a high quality teaching profession: Lessons from around the world. Background Report for the International Summit on the Teaching Profession. Available at: http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/internationaled/background.pdf 12 August, 2012
Persian Icons (2012). This World Teacher’s Day, Let us be the Voice for the Voiceless and Innocent Iranian Teachers Behind Bars! Retrieved 22 October 2012 from
www.persianicons.org/human-right/this-world-teachers-day-let-us-be-the-voice-for-the-voiceless-and-innocent-iranian-teachers-behind-bars/
South Africa’s Council for Educators. (2012). 2012 WTD – Take a stand for teachers. Retrieved 10 October 2012 from
www.sace.org.za/jit_default_31.World_Teachers_Day.html
Schleicher, A. (Ed.). (2012). Preparing Teachers and Developing School Leaders for the 21st Century: Lessons from around the World. Background report for the international summit on the teaching profession. Paris, FR: OECD Publishing. Retrieved 12 August 2012 from
oecd.org/site/eduistp2012/49850576.pdf
Standing Committee on Education and Vocational Training. (2007). Top of the Class: Report on the inquiry into teacher education. Canberra.
TweetStorm. (2012). Tweet Storm on World Teacher’S Day for the Iranian Teachers Behind Bars October 5 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2012 from
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJhmDtXenN4
UNESCO (2012). World Teachers’ Day 2012. Provisional Annotated Agenda. Retrieved 10 October 2012 from
www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/Ed/pdf/WTD2012program.pdf
White, S. (2006). Student-teachers’ experiences of situated learning within the primary school classroom. Studies in Learning, Evaluation, Innovation and Development 3(2), 1–11.
Wurtzel, J. (2007). The Professional, Personified. National Staff Development Council, 82(4) 30–35. Retrieved on 21 September 2012 from
www.learningforward.org/docs/jsd-fall-2007/wurtzel284.pdf?sfvrsn=2