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The language of leadership
Martin Osler
The Chief Executive of GTCS reflects on the opportunities and challenges facing the teaching profession, and the way his organisation can and does influence them.
Anthony Finn speaks a number of languages. The distinctive voice of a son of Ayrshire, it was in Cumnock that he first uncovered the value of education in among the rich seams of that mining town.
He speaks fluent French, Spanish and Portuguese following a degree in French and Hispanic Studies at Glasgow University as well as a little Italian. He keeps up these skills on holidays, by reading widely and watching foreign language films.
After a long teaching career working at St Andrew's Academy in Saltcoats and culminating in the Headteacher post at St Andrew's High School in Kirkcaldy, a job he held for 18 years, he then became Senior Manager in the education department at Fife Council. With this track record there is no doubt that Anthony Finn speaks the language of education.
And three months into the Chief Executive's job at the GTCS a straw poll of staff reveals that he is certainly speaking their language; he is well liked and respected, but there is something else in his voice. Something determined and resolute, forged in his childhood and grown during his teaching career. It is the language of pedagogy.
The language of pedagogy
"Pedagogy means the art of the teacher, the craft of the teacher. It is a word used widely in other European countries but for some reason has slipped out of use in Scotland.
"That doesn't mean to say that teachers are not skilled in the classroom in Scotland, they most certainly are, but I think it is part of our job as a General Teaching Council to promote discussion of what good learning and teaching means.
We need to look at the issue of leadership and develop ideas for addressing this in Scottish education ... GTCS will be at the forefront of this debate and should also be at the centre of delivery for leadership programmes
"This discussion applies to teachers when they are training, in the early parts of their careers and right through until they retire. We have a Standard for Full Registration and all teachers who have attained it have a responsibility to maintain it. We at the GTCS have a duty to talk to these teachers and listen, guide and advise them on this throughout their careers. I would like to see pedagogy being at the forefront of this discussion."
The desire to teach
It was the famous and still cherished Scottish respect for education and getting on that instilled the desire to become a teacher in Anthony Finn.
"I was always interested in education and I put that down to my family upbringing. I grew up in an environment where people thought education was important. Cumnock was a mining community where education could have a significant influence on the life chances of children and adults.
"There were people in that community who had benefited from courses set up by the mining unions. Places like Ruskin College and Newbattle Abbey helped lift people out of deprivation. There was very much the belief that if you gained qualifications you would advance. Miners didn't want their families to follow them down the pits, it was a common belief that you should aspire to education to change your life.
"That belief left its mark on me and I started out wanting to be a good teacher. I enjoyed working with pupils, engaging with them and seeing them making progress."
GTCS and the development teaching practice
Some might question whether the Chief Executive's post at the GTCS is an obvious step for a proponent of pedagogy. What can a regulatory body offer the development of learning and teaching practice?
"The GTCS has a number of responsibilities that are hugely significant for teaching. Firstly, it is responsible for the regulation of standards across every school in the country.
"The key areas it maintains affect the standard for entry into the profession; it accredits the courses in initial teacher education; and it is responsible for the Teacher Induction Scheme, Chartered Teacher Scheme and the Standard for Headship. And, of course, the GTCS is responsible for conduct and competence. These are areas that cut right across a teacher's career and have a significant impact on every teacher.
"People may not realise that because the GTCS is such a big player in Scottish education, it also has a huge influence on other bodies across the education community and is listened to by Government. It is expected to be involved in every debate that takes place in Scottish education and we will continue to use our voice in these debates.
"My message to teachers is that the GTCS is not a club you join and pay your subscription to every year. It is something that will impact on your professional development and assist you to gain access to initiatives that improve teaching performance and educational development in the classroom."
But what will this mean in practice for his time at the GTCS? How will the organisation change and further pedagogy?
Changes afoot
"The road to independent status for this organisation is obviously going to be one of the major issues I will deal with in my time here. It is likely the organisation will change structurally and in other ways that will not be visible to teachers except those actually involved in the work of the GTCS. Nevertheless, these will be important changes for the direction the organisation pursues in the future.
"I also think we need to look at the issue of leadership and develop ideas for addressing this in Scottish education. In the past too many people were appointed to posts and left to sink or swim. This is clearly not the best way of training people and getting the most out of them.
"In Scottish education there is a lot of discussion currently on leadership; some of the courses that are available are good and some of them less good. But out of this conversation on leadership we need to develop proper opportunities for people who might want to be leaders.
"England and Wales are starting to take leadership development seriously and we need to do the same in Scotland. The GTCS will be at the forefront of this debate and should also be at the centre of delivery for leadership programmes."
Discipline and competence
The man who once played in the same football team as the legendary European Cup winner Bobby Lennox, (Lennox, a parent at the school, made a guest appearance in the staff team), says recent high profile disciplinary and competence cases handled by the GTCS should strengthen public trust in both the organisation and teachers.
"You will understand that I can't talk about any specific case but it is important to recognise that the overwhelming majority of teachers are in fact very good at their jobs and show great commitment to the profession and the children in their care. We can't overstate that fact.
"But for a combination of reasons a small number of teachers will underperform. Often these reasons can be understandable and they might be short term and able to be addressed with support. But in that small number of cases where there is a chronic problem I think that the GTCS has a responsibility to children to ensure that they do not face standards of learning that are unacceptably low. People must know that GTCS will take action to address issues of incompetence in such cases."
Encouraging knowledge-sharing
"We have close links with Europe politically but not pedagogically"
The GTCS has been visited by educationalists from across the world in recent years, thirsty for knowledge about the regulatory system in Scotland and initiatives like Chartered Teacher and the Teacher Induction Scheme. Some of these initiatives have been adopted, most recently in Sweden for example. However, many of the visits have been by people from English speaking countries. Will that change now a linguist is at the helm of the GTCS and are there things for the organisation to learn from countries that speak a different language?
"We have close links with Europe politically but not pedagogically. We should perhaps encourage more contact and I think there is much we can learn from and perhaps offer these countries.
"So, you might yet see a GTCS Chief Executive addressing a European teaching conference in French or Spanish in the future."
Pedagogy is an interesting and useful word in anybody's language. Look out for it being used much more at the GTCS in the months and years to come.
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Latest comment...
would like to knowthe GTCS view on this scenario. I agree with Steve its a last option!
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