Teacher power

Of course, we play around with the word, sometimes saying “power gone to he head,” or “absolute power corrupts absolutely,” or “they power hungry,” etc. Power is bestowed on some when they become a “significant other,” earn “idiosyncrasy credits” or charismatic. I wish to refer to an organisation that has a lot of power, that is the power to influence, to create and change minds, to promote and sustain the core principles of democracy.

That is the teachers’ organisation — the teaching profession and its representative union (association).

This week, the International Labour Organisation and the UNESCO celebrate the “Status of the Teacher” across the world.

Given the stated principles, objectives and children under their charge, no other profession has a higher purpose than our 14,000 teachers.

In fact so lofty are the expectations surrounding them, that their smallest error becomes a surprise, even a disappointment.

For this, too, the teaching profession is called, sometimes too glibly, a “noble profession.” Too “glibly” because while we express reverence for the profession, too often we do not transfer such verbal reverence into helpful support, even pushing the profession into unnecessary confrontation.

Apart from their high purpose, teachers have power they perhaps do not realise they have. Like the police, they can shut down a country.

But, like an essential service like the police, they know that with power comes responsibility.

And indeed, our teachers have overall displayed admirable responsibility and service to the country.

Their representative body, TTUTA, have fought the industrial battles but with a dignity and professionalism that deserve the nation’s respect.

They have not abused the powers they inherently possess. TTUTA has not been reluctant to disapprove of teacher absenteeism or indiscipline where these have been clearly pointed out.

Now, what do you think about this? We all know that some primary and secondary schools are not as good as others. In fact, some are badly off when it comes to academic performance, student discipline and even teacher frustration. One way out - largely counter-productive - is to blame one or the other. Anyhow, there are reasons why some schools under-perform; why their teachers get frustrated. Having examined this challenge over several years, I have come to the conclusion that one effective, productive way out is to examine the “kinds of school” so affected. That is, such factors as their social and economic environment, academic level of the student intake etc. And then supply the “best fit” of teachers for such schools.

“Best fit” means, for example, appropriate specialised training, additional incentives after their basic university degree; and as far as possible, mingling and sensitising parents or guardians to the joint objectives of the “new mission.” That is, moving the school upwards within three, then seven years. In other words, all teachers don’t fit all schools. We must move into a system of supplying the appropriate kind of teacher to the particular needs of the school (or district) and its students. It is worth the effort because the vast majority of gangs, delinquents and youth violence taking place now — and likely to increase — come from these affected schools.

So with this “best fit” strategy, out of the fourteen recommendations I made in my new book (Inequality, Crime and Education), one is: “To help specify what is exactly needed and what could be improved in the under-performing schools, a pilot project of ten such schools can be selected, and staffed with a selected group of appropriately-trained teachers.” The recommendation continued: “Enrol as a start only, Form One students who did not get into their preferred school, (first or second choice, or who got 60 percent - 80 percent in SEA) and see, with appropriate teaching techniques etc, the extent to which these students eventually match up with the success rate (eg CSEC, CAPE) of those who got into their preferred (prestige) schools.” (Recommendation #6, p.326) Of course, with this outline, the details will be worked out for implementation.

But this is an occasion to recognise the powers that teachers have, and provide them with the tools and opportunity to help them fulfill their noble purpose.