Numerous changes in education in Ontario in the past few decades have lead to
much discussion regarding the professionalism of teaching in Ontario. Some theorists
suggest the changes are deprofessionalizing, leading to an intensification of work that
detracts from the professional status of teaching by causing work overload and breaking
larger tasks into smaller ones requiring less thought or decision-making by the teachers
themselves. Others consider the changes reprofessionalizing, in that they are simply
changing what it means to be in the profession of teaching, mostly by moving towards a
system of collaboration. At the same time, the Ontario College of Teachers (2009) has
declared teaching an official profession by allowing for the acronym OCT (Ontario
Certified Teachers) to be added to the signature of teachers to denote their status.
While others have certainly had their say, teachers themselves were the missing voice
in this controversy.
The purpose of this study was to examine the views of some female
elementary teachers towards professionalism. This qualitative study consisted of
interviews with seven female elementary teachers from one Ontario public school board
to describe and examine their perceptions of professions in general, and what enhances
or detracts from their sense of professionalism as teachers. Data analysis showed the
emergence of themes regarding responsibilities, relationships, board and Ministry
policies, job compensation, professional organization, job learning, and personal
privileges. Within these themes a great deal of variance existed regarding what
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enhanced and what detracted from the sense of professionalism for the teachers
interviewed.
Of the many themes discussed, some teachers found them
professionalizing, and other teachers found them deprofessionalizing. The teachers’
own personal standards and beliefs about professions and the standards and attitudes
towards teachers held by their administrator seemed to be the deciding factor in what
they found professionalizing and deprofessionalizing. While the theorists suggest
deprofessionalization or reprofessionalization is based on the specifics of the changes
themselves, this study suggests that a teacher’s sense of professionalism is constructed
in a much more complex and personal manner, making it difficult to categorize certain
changes or initiatives in education the way the theorists have. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2011-04-29 14:46:15.745
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:OKQ.1974/6468 |
| Date | 29 April 2011 |
| Creators | Bell, Sherrilee Marlene |
| Contributors | Queen's University (Kingston, Ont.). Theses (Queen's University (Kingston, Ont.)) |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner. |
| Relation | Canadian theses |
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