The concept of responsibility and accountability

My first period class this morning was taken over by one of my colleagues, giving me the opportunity to continue with rumbling from yesterday.

Trying to remember what it was I was talking about yesterday... Professionalism?

Perhaps the first 2 things we should take into account in discussing the concept of professionalism are the concepts of rsponsibility and accontability.

I was talking to a few colleagues the other day and someone, jokingly or otherwise, mentioned that those in the teaching profession nowadays are less responsible compared to those in yesteryears. I didnt really pay attention to it at first, as I thought it was just a rumbling from an old timer reminiscing about her past. But then after I had the chance to sit down and really think about it, it struck me that maybe she was right. Maybe the new generation of teachers, or lecturers as we who are attached to teacher training institutes so proudly called ourselves, are less responsible than our colleagues from the past years.

I am attached to a teacher training institute, so naturally Im looking at this from the view point of a 'lecturer'.

The way I see it, nowadays, everything is to do with image and perception, which is fine if done for the right reasons. But are we doing it for the right reasons?

Lets consider this scenario. Most if not all teacher training institutes, and schools for that matter, probably have some kind of 'corporate uniform' or "baju korporat". Teachers, lecturers and non teaching staff are expected to wear this uniform once a week, the day differs from one instute to another.

I am not against this as we do look nice in them, except maybe mine makes me look slightly chubbier and more vertically challenged. However have we really given it enough thought?

Lets try to understand the concept of 'corporate' a little bit more. What exactly does it mean? I havent really got time to check the dictionary, but connotatively, it sounds as if it is very much connected to the concept of 'business', a concept which is primarily 'profit' driven.

Now here's a thought; As a corporate player, how do I make as much profit as possible for myself in this profession? Where do my responsibility really lie? To my students or to the enhancement of the image of the institute? Or to myself probably? I am a little naive of course when it comes to this kind of thinking skill.. I usually go with what I was taught when I was struggling to become a teacher, which is your students always come first!

The point here really is not whether the corporate uniform is good or bad, after all, it does create team spirit and a sense of belonging. The point is in this profession, despite our arrogance in critising our students for not being able to show creative and critical thinking skills, especially during practicum, we ourselves hardly ever think critically and creatively. A lot of the time we do things without really knowing the reasons.

We want to have corporate uniforms because other people have one. But then we sometimes forgot that we are not corporate bodies; our social responsibiliy is the only reason for our existence! We sometimes forgot that our main responsibility is to our students, as opposed to personal coffer enhancement.

50 years ago teachers were given the utmost respect in society. If you became a lecturer in a teacher tarining institute, you were a big guy! 50 years ago teachers shaped the mind of society; how people think and behave. 50 years ago the profession provided leaders for this country; and they were great leaders!

But things have since changed. We are no longer the leaders. More scarily, we are in danger of becoming merely 'zombical' followers. Why? The answer is simple. We have forgotten our true responsibilities. We have misinterprated the real definition of the word TEACHER.

Well. time is money they say, so must go. Theres BIG going on. and PRACTICUM.

Professionalism

The perfect example of an answer to the question I asked myself the last time I wrote something on this particular page... Am I really a professional?

I started this blog way back in February to create a platform to share and exchange ideas and opinions... and took me so many months just to visit my own sight for only the second time... typical of those in the teaching profession calling themselves professionals.

Anyway we had this accreditaion visit from the MQA for one of our courses yesterday (and today for that matter) and the whole question of professionalism suddenly came to the fore again..

A few issues wwere raised during the discussion... the most important was probably our output as lecturers in teacher training colleges. I hope to find some free time to talk about this in the next couple of days, as I am now being called into the meeting room to attend another not so fruitful session.