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Understanding Education as a Profession: Characteristics and Challenges

This article explores the nuances of education as a profession, examining key characteristics such as licensing, training, and collective power. It contrasts K-12 and higher education, highlighting institutional differences and the implications for professionalism. The piece also addresses the controversial role of organizations like Teach for America in teacher professionalization and offers recommendations for attracting high-quality educators. The discussion delves into varying perspectives on educational standards, unionization, and the ongoing challenges for teachers in maintaining public trust.

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Understanding Education as a Profession: Characteristics and Challenges

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  1. A 100 Week 5

  2. New Topic: Education as a profession?

  3. What are the characteristics of a profession? • sfdas

  4. Different views of professionalism • The social closure view • Licensing/barriers to entry • Extended training (distinctive knowledge base) • Collective power to control work • Public trust • The discretion view • Not carefully overseen • Requires discretion; not deskilled • The collective standards view • Collectively define standards of good practice

  5. Is education a profession? Yes • There is some form of licensing • Specific body of knowledge No • Social closure weak/barriers to entry low • No graduate school • No necessary minimum • Private schools no minimums • Broad disparities in quality of the profession • Tenure protections – can’t be fired for failing as a professional Education are like other indeterminate fields Journalism and business

  6. How K-12 teaching institutionalized: A Comparison to Higher Education • K-12 • Institutionalized as administrator-dominated bureaucracy (progressive era) • Male administrators; female teachers • High level of discretion (close your door power) • Low level of collective power for teachers

  7. How K-12 teaching institutionalized: A Comparison to Higher Education • K-12 • Unionization • Needed in part b/c of weak “semi-professionalization” • Followed industrial union model • Calcified idea that teachers not collectively responsible for educational decisions • Two parts of being a professional, both under assault: • Always suspicion of knowledge base • Unionization undermines “moral power”/public trust

  8. How K-12 teaching institutionalized: A Comparison to Higher Education • Higher Education • Institutionalized as faculty-run (progressive era) • Faculty decide what counts as legitimate scholarship • Departmental structure • Peer review/distinctive knowledge base • Ph.D. – social closure • High level of discretion (close your door power) • Also high level of collective power • Faculty decide who is hired • Faculty decide who gets tenure • Recently under assault, but underlying structure protects

  9. Is Teach for America deprofessionalizing teaching? • Asf • adsf

  10. Is Teach for America deprofessionalizing teaching? Yes • If anyone can teach, not a profession No • Higher internal standards of practice – ironically more similar to how real professions function

  11. Three Options for Professionalizing Teaching 1. Follow law and medicine (and Singapore): • Longer training • Tighter standards of entry 2. Increase collective standards, but not social closure • Instructional rounds • Peer assistance and review • Training on site rather than in classroom 3. Weaken unions, improve results all else will follow • No a priori decisions on professions, guide by results • Not yet a profession, improved results key to become one

  12. Which of these views is preferable? Follow law and medicine (and Singapore): Increase collective standards, but not social closure Weaken unions, improve results all else will follow:

  13. How could we attract more of the top third to teaching? Some estimates from McKinsey 2010: • Currently, 23% total top third, 14% in HP schools • (Contrast to 100% top third in Finland, Singapore, Korea How could we attract more top third in U.S.? (Two scenarios)

  14. How could we attract more of the top third to teaching? Scenario 1: Working conditions, no across board pay • Initial training: paid for • Effective leadership in high needs schools • District improve unsafe/shabby working conditions • Performance bonuses 20 percent • Marketing campaign • Total increase: From 14% top third to 34% top third • Total cost: Large district $10 – 30 million, average state $66 million (.5% of total spending)

  15. How could we attract more of the top third to teaching? Scenario 2: Increase pay • $65,000 starting teachers • Max compensation $150,000 • Total increase: From 14% top third to 68% top third • Total cost: Average state $630 million (5% of total spending)

  16. New Topic: Bob Schwartz on Finland (with a bonus discussion of common core standards)

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