Teacher feels like second-rate performer
The current policy to improve the professionalization and position of teachers is too one-sided and does not help enough. The policy focuses too much on the individual development of teachers, while much more attention should be paid to cooperation within teacher teams.
The Education Council writes this in a letter just published report. The council advises the government on important issues. In the advisory report, the council looked at how the professional space, i.e. the say that teachers have over their profession, can be filled as effectively as possible.
The position of teachers can still be improved a lot, the council writes.
For example, 56 percent of teachers find the workload unacceptably high in education and a significant number of teachers feel that they are 'second-rate performers'.
Little attention
What else can be done? The Education Council believes that too often the training and individual knowledge and skills of teachers are only considered. But in order to do your job well, you also need to pay attention to the working conditions. 'There is not enough attention at the moment', the council writes.
It is therefore recommended that more attention be paid to collaboration within teacher teams. 'The team can offer structure and culture within which teachers can develop', according to the council. In addition, teachers can have support from colleagues within their team, which can help if they are dealing with a high workload.
Good cooperation within teacher teams increases the involvement in the work of teachers, ensures greater job satisfaction and influence can be exercised through the teacher team. 'Teachers gain access to each other's knowledge, experience and skills. They can learn from this and thus strengthen their own competences.' As a recommendation, the Council recommends that teachers work in pairs to look at each other's classrooms more often.
Teacher team central
Another recommendation is that teacher teams should be more central to school policy. An example of this is that the vision and goals of the school are determined with the team of teachers.
The government does not have to draw up special rules from the Education Council for this. However, they can encourage and support schools to improve the performance of the team. Teacher training programs should equip students with skills to learn to work together in teams.
Read the entire report of the Education Council: 'A different perspective on professional space in education' via this link.
