Teachers’ Professional Status

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31360, 4 May 1967, Page 10

Teachers’ Professional Status

“It is essential therefore that the New Zealand Educational Institute continue to strive towards full acceptance by the community of our professional status,” said the acting president of the North Canterbury branch (Mr R. F. Armstrong). According to Dr. Ralph Winterbourn, to qualify for professional status a calling should involve;— 1: A good basic general education. 2: Special preparation “on a high level” in professional training. 3: A code of ethics. 4: Reasonably high standards of work after qualification which implies continued professional growth throughout the course of one’s career, and accepttance of its members as professional persons by the community. “Our standard of entry to teachers’ college is at present endorsed School Certificate. It is important this be raised as soon as possible to University Entrance,” said Mr Armstrong. “We have been assured that with the introduction of fouryear teacher training (three in college and one in schools), the standard of professional training will be raised considerably and that we will have, on graduation, more mature and better-equipped professional people entering our schools. It will be an important responsibility of institute members to watch carefully, the development of the train-

ing programme and suggest changes whenever necessary. For example, we have already expressed our views on teaching practice in the schools. The view held by the Education Department and many of the lecturing staff of teachers colleges that this be not in-

creased, and indeed decreased in some cases, must continue to be critically examined.” A code of ethics was under serious consideration by the institute. At the same time senior executive officers were continuing to deal with matters of unprofessional conduct and serious inefficiency. The Dominion executive had recently set up institute coun-

eils to which such matters could be referred, particularly those occurring in country areas where the advice of experienced institute officers was not readily available. On standards of work after qualification and continued professional growth, Mr Armstrong said: “Like other occupations, the normal curve of distribution applies to teaching competence. But through our own reading and discussion, through university and diploma courses, through inservice courses, overseas exchange visits, conferences and the like, we can improve our own professional knowledge and ability to carry out a more effective programme within our schools.

“One might pass all the previous tests and so appear as a professional person, only to fall down on this final assessment,” Mr Armstrong said. “So many qualities are involved such as personality, speech, dress, respect of pupils and parents. There is no doubt that many teachers are highly respected by the community, though occasionally some fail the profession. Unfortunately the public tend to judge the teaching body by the action of a few. “It behoves all of us as members to maintain high levels of conduct, to continue to grow professionally and be prepared to give help and guidance to our younger members who, in their own time, will bring to the service a quality which will further enrich teaching as a profession.”