They have the focus of individual needs of their students and they carry a
responsibility to engage their students not only in knowledge, but in changing
attitudes and developing values. And teachers maintain and continue to
maintain their professional knowledge and their engagement with the wider
community. But what actually helps teachers to
develop and grow? What nurtures a profession?
And what are the kind of things that actually deter teachers from going on or
investing energy in their teaching. Well, an English researcher from
Cambridge who went on then to teach at the National College, talked about toxins and
nutrients. Nutrients, the things that actually help
you to grow professionally, and the toxins, the things that actually poison
that professionalism. Here are seven of the toxins that Jeff
Southworth found in his research, when he talked to teachers and asked them, what
was it that actually makes you feel less professional in your work, that actually
decreases your motivation in the classroom,
and you will see there, ideas being rejected or stolen, carping criticism,
being ignored, being judged all the time, being told what to do too much, being
over-directed, not being listened to. And that's not just by your students, but
not being listened to by others in positions of authority.
And conversely, what are the things that actually support, inspire and nurture
teachers, the nutrients, being valued, being
encouraged, being noticed, trusted, being listened to and being respected.
What is true for you? These may resonate with you,
these may be very similar to the kind of things that you experience in your
context. But there may be other things, you might
want to have a different kind of list. There may be different things that
actually motivate you and inspire you to go on teaching and they may be some
things, that you find a constant challenge, everyday.
And the question's of how you go on and overcome those.