Public perceptions of the teaching profession
Concerns about the recruitment and retention of teachers have prompted recent studies into the status of teaching in several different countries. This paper analyses the findings of a survey designed to investigate public perceptions of the teaching profession in the UK. It was undertaken as part of a broader DfES‐funded longitudinal project that has been using a mixed methodology to explore individual teachers’ perceptions of their status, and the status of teaching as viewed by education stakeholders and the general public. Whilst the survey confirmed many previous findings about the way in which teaching is viewed, it also produced some surprises. First, 50% of respondents deemed teaching to be an attractive career, a higher percentage than expected. Second, men, especially older men, were more likely than women to see teaching as an attractive career. Third, the survey found no obvious differences in the comparative status accorded to primary and secondary teachers. This is in sharp contrast to the views of many writers in this field who have argued that traditionally the younger the children taught, the lower the occupational status of their teachers. Overall, the findings suggest a positive change in the public perceptions of teaching particularly amongst the younger age‐range.
SOCIAL BACKGROUND AND READING COMPREHENSION OF ENTERING TEACHER EDUCATION CANDIDATES
The educational attainment of the Maltese population is lower than in other European countries and the number of post-secondary graduates is lower than in most other European Union countries. The development of human capital represents the key factor of national social and economic development. In such a situation, schoolteachers are crucial in supporting children to achieve their potential and in this way contribute to national development. To achieve this mission, teachers need wide professional knowledge and, in Malta as a bilingual country, they need strong communication skills in Maltese as well as in English. This study examined the impact of student social background on the literacy competences of entering teacher education candidates. This study found a wide variation in these participantsâ€™ English language comprehension skills and some association with the type of school attended that could be related to social background.
British Universities and Teacher Education: A Century of Change
Victorians beginnings, John B.Thomas day training college to Department of Education, John B.Thomas the area training organizations, John D. Turner the universities and the BEd degree, Alec Ross the James report and recent history, Peter Gosden the Scottish universities and educational studies, Peter Gosden teacher education in Northern Ireland, R.E. Bell the study of education as a university subject, Brian Simon teacher education in multicultural Britain, Maurice Craft the university Professor of education, Peter Gordon schools of education - their work and their future, Tony Edwards. Appendix: Professors of education in the United Kingdom.