Summary of learning over the course

Before starting the post-compulsory PGCE course I had been working as a teacher. I started working without any teaching qualification. During that time, I had a concept of teacher professionalism that has changed over the course. In this task, I am going to summarise what I have learnt during the PGCE course and I am going to explain how the concept of professionalism has changed during this time.

First, I am going to reflect on what I understand by profession and professionalism. According to Becker (Robson 2006) a profession is more a set of ideas rather than an occupation with fixed characteristics. He argued that a profession is a way of thinking about occupations. Furlong et al. (Robson 2006) argued that some of the ideas that define professionalism are knowledge, autonomy and responsibility. As these ideas are not static and can change over time, the idea of professionalism can change as well. I am going to analyse the ideas of knowledge and responsibility within my teaching practice.

As Robson (2006) argued, there is an assumption that if you know your subject, you can teach it to others. That was my case when I started teaching. I assumed that I could perfectly teach just with my previous knowledge and experience. I prioritised engineering knowledge to pedagogy.

I considered myself a teacher professional from the beginning, opposing Clow’s (2001) ideas of “ex-officio” and segmented professionalisms. According to these ideas, the professionalism is entirely based on the previous role of the teacher and you only feel professional in the areas where you had training or experience. I did not feel that way at that time. I felt I was a complete professional teacher (even if I was not). Now, I believe that the knowledge I have acquired during the year has made me more professional. Among the knowledge I have acquired, I can cite the following: teaching and learning theories; how to reflect critically; teaching methods and strategies; acquisition of skills, such as the use of PowerPoint and the IWB.

However, I believe that the most important thing I have acquired during the course is responsibility, especially towards the students. According to Robson (2006), tied into responsibility are notions of care for others and altruism. In relation to this idea, Clow (2001) defined what he called holistic professionalism. She argued that teachers with this kind of professionalism act in the best interests of the students. I believe that with the body of knowledge I have acquired during the year, I have started to act more in the students’ best interest. Examples of acting in students’ best interest are the following: encourage and praise their effort; lesson plan to adapt to the different needs and learning styles of the students; checking learning with different types of assessments; always consider students’ interest first, even in the more challenging situations regarding discipline. These are techniques that I have been acquiring during the year. For that reason, I believe I am more responsible and therefore, more professional as a teacher.