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In my View: Quality without prejudice
By Anthony Finn, Chief Executive, GTC Scotland
It is a truth universally acknowledged that the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers.
And, yet, in Scotland, we sometimes put too small a price on the value of the job that is done by teachers. In particular, we often underestimate the impact of quality teaching, failing to recognise the difference that very good teachers can make to the learning of their pupils. Perhaps we need to take more pride in our best achievements and show less ill-informed prejudice about the areas in which we can still improve?
At a time when plans are being put in place to allow English schools to employ more unqualified teachers, Graham Donaldson's report 'Teaching Scotland's Future' offers a welcome contrast. It is both positive and constructive about teaching and teachers; it reaffirms the need for teaching to be seen as a highly skilled profession, staffed by well-educated colleagues with knowledge, expertise, a good understanding of pedagogy and high level classroom skills; and it encourages teachers to show a willingness to develop these skills throughout their careers.
The report starts from an assumption that the vast majority of Scottish teachers already operate to a high-level; and that much of our current systems and procedures are both sound and appropriate. For example, the Report highlights the Teacher Induction Scheme as a significant advantage to beginning teachers and recognises the importance of our professional standards in setting expectations of teachers at different stages in their careers.
The report is not, however, complacent about what we need to do to improve teaching in the future. It suggests that we need to maintain and improve standards and it makes a number of proposals for the future. In particular, we need to ensure that the support and opportunities available to some teachers are extended to all teachers; that a continuum of learning is established from entry to the profession to probation; and from probation to the later stages of a career.
There is much to commend in the Donaldson Report and we must now take some time to consider more fully its challenges. The role of GTC Scotland in this process will be significant, given our responsibility for professional standards throughout a teacher's career. Some recommendations can be taken forward relatively easily, while others will require the establishment of consensus and the availability of suitable systems to support implementation. To underpin a career-long culture of learning, we will, I feel, require to find new ways to support our teachers and to recognise and reinforce good practice within a culture of collegiality.
At a time of budget constraints, there will be those who argue that we cannot afford to invest so significantly in our future. Like Graham Donaldson, I would argue that we cannot afford not to.