How can principals enhance teacher job satisfaction and work commitment?

Teachers leave the teaching profession at different stages throughout their careers. When mid-career teachers leave the profession, there is a potential loss of experienced, quality staff. Increasingly principals have the responsibility for recruiting and keeping quality staff, which translates to responsibility for arresting the attrition rate. This paper reports on an ongoing study that investigates how school leadership may affect teacher job satisfaction in order to understand how principals can enhance teacher work commitment. This paper uses the domains of leadership identified in Education Queensland’s Leadership Matters Framework (2008) to compare school leaders’ and teachers’ perceptions about mid-career teachers’ leaving the profession. Five current principals and five ex-teachers participated in semi-structured, qualitative, individual interviews about which leadership practices impact on teacher work commitment. The ideas identified by each cohort were coded through a content analysis. The five domains of leadership (i.e., personal, relational, intellectual, organisational and educational leadership) provided an analytical framework. Both participant groups indicated relational leadership practices as the strongest influence on teacher work commitment. The relational skills, such as valuing staff, being approachable, being consistent with staff interactions, having good interpersonal skills and developing staff strengths, were noted to have specific impacts on teachers’ work commitment. There were significant differences between the groups, with the ex-teachers rating the personal leadership practices as the second most important practice that can influence teacher work commitment. In contrast, the principals felt that the organisational and education leadership practices were of next importance for teacher work commitment. The findings have implications for principal leadership professional learning. Improving relational skills may help school leaders to increase teacher work. Teacher attrition is a serious concern to many education jurisdictions and by understanding reasons for decline in commitment, jurisdictions can redress the negative impact of leadership practices and keep teachers committed and in the profession. However, further research needs to incorporate more participants through a quantitative study to validate connections with the qualitative findings presented in this current study.

Teacher professional growth : a study of primary teachers involved in mathematics professional development

The overall purpose of this study was to examine whether professional development programs can act as appropriate vehicles for the professional growth of teachers of primary mathematics. A longitudinal study was conducted of primary teachers involved in a Victorian mathematics professional development program — Exploring Mathematics In Classrooms (EMIC). The professional growth of six teacher participants in one EMIC course was examined over a period of 18 months. The teachers selected were from four different schools located in the southern metropolitan region of Melbourne. The central interest of this study was in teacher professional growth and accordingly the perspective sought was predominantly that of the teacher. A case study research approach was adopted and data were gathered through observations, interviews, questionnaire, and the collection of teacher work documents. A theoretical model of teacher professional growth was used to represent the teachers' growth. The study generated data on the nature of teacher professional growth and the features of professional development programs likely to influence teacher professional growth. All of the teachers reported and demonstrated growth with respect to their mathematics teaching, in areas associated with their: Classroom Practice, Knowledge and Beliefs, and Professional Attributes. The teachers' growth was highly individualistic, with no two teachers demonstrating exactly the same professional growth outcomes, or the same growth processes. The data provided evidence to confirm that teacher growth is a complex and gradual learning process. For each of the teachers several different routes to change and growth were evident, drawing attention to the non-linear nature of growth. The teachers' responses to the professional development program were influenced by various contextual and personal factors. The data provided evidence of a strong link between the content and outcomes of professional development programs — the outcomes reported and demonstrated by the teachers reflected the content of the EMIC program. Key factors associated with mathematics professional development programs perceived as influencing growth were: program content; program structure; and program presentation. A significant finding was the strong influence on teacher growth of the presenters of professional development programs—some data suggested that the 'quality' of the program presenter is fundamental to the success of any professional development program. The study provided insight into the processes involved in teacher professional growth and factors associated with the way in which professional development programs influence growth. The theoretical model of teacher professional growth used in this study has been elaborated and recommendations which might inform the design and implementation of future professional development programs have been made.

Work, Professional Development And Teaching Commitment: Deconstructing Meanings

The paper we present is part of the research project "The professional identity of teacher studies", that we are development for last 3 years. The third phase of this research put the focus on the experience of job placement of novel teachers, graduated no more than 5 years. We work with focal groups and professional experience and teacher education accounts of teachers implied in this research. Also, for any teachers, we do biographical interviews to deepen on processes of construction of professional identity. In this paper we present the Ana Belen History, a female teacher of pre-school education with an experience of 4 years in school, working in a urban school with students in risk of exclusion. This school have a educative project, commitment with the neighbourhood, joint with the community and other social groups. Ana Belen story, from professional perspective, is linked with the social politic and educational commitment of this school. Our interest is focused in the comprehension of professional identity that Ana Belen has gone forging along her personal story and how her education and job placement has contributed for it. Also we are interested in knowing how early professional experiences have influenced in her professional development as teacher. Specifically we ask ourselves about what influence have for her professional identity, that her career starts in this particular school. In consequence, this paper leads us to question the current teacher education model. In particular we are interested on the kind of professional experience that have place and, so, the kinds of commitments that enables. We understand that frameworks in which professional education and experience have place are relevant to enable more or less transformer understandings about teaching. From conceptual perspective this paper adopts a socio-critical point of view (Gergen, 1985; Kincheloe, 2001; Wenger, 1988, etc.). We understand that teaching has to be analysing according work contexts and personal stories of teachers, because we face processes historical and collective building. Teaching is the result of action of their actors, over time, and in specific stage. So, with this research we intend to break with the old gap between pre and in-service education. We think that both of them are part of the same process and are formed according similar logical; although scenes change. We understand that they are part of a continuous process in which is giving sense to different and complex settings where teaching profession is built, but they are not differenced and independent stages. The teacher work, so, is subject to particular conditions, generated from such different fields as institutional, corporative, cultural, social, political, moral, etc. It displays a kaleidoscopic view on space, time, context, ... These are the axis in which the teaching is formed, from the complexity and heterogeneity. How this complexity is articulated results in different ways to face the teacher work, according different personal and professional stories. The teacher acts with subjects in instituted contexts from relationships he has with them, which gives a situated and contingent character. But, these contexts are strongly structured and ruled according centralized and generalized positions; which is, at the very least, paradoxical. Possibly, from our point of view, same of the crisis of teaching have to explain from this paradoxical perspective and the conflict, which characterize this job (Rivas, Leite y Cortés, 2011)

Irakurle konpetenteak lortze aldera

[EUS] Irakurriaren ulermenaren eremu ezin zabalagora hurbiltzeko hainbat arlo ukituko ditugu artikulu honetan. Lehenik eta behin, gai honen gaineko garraztasunak arintzeko Wiki bat diseinatu dugu eta bertan hainbat atal ikuskatuko ditugu. Wiki hau, Lehen Hezkuntzako nahiz DBHko hainbat irakasleekin landu da, beti ere, irakurriaren ulermena eskolan zertan hobetu daitekeen ikusteko. Beraz, artikuluarekin batera wikiaren jarraipena egitea gomendatzen da. Hona hemen helbidea: www.letutaletu.wikispaces.com . Artikulu honek lau atal aski diferente izango ditu. Atal hauen helbururik behiena, Lehen Hezkuntzako hirugarren zikloko nahiz DBHko lehenengo zikloko irakasleei zein ikasleei irakurriaren ulermenaren gaineko hainbat lanabes praktiko ematea litzateke. Horretarako, lehen atalean, eskolak irakurriaren ulermenaren gainean diagnosia egin dezan hainbat gogoeta ekarpen gisara planteatuko dira. Bigarrenik, irakasleek klaseetan irakurketa estrategiak lan ditzaten lan eskema bat proposatuko da. Hirugarrenik, azalpen testuek dituzten zailtasunen inguruan hausnartuko da eta zailtasun horiek gainditze aldera irakasleari hainbat erreminta emango zaizkio. Eta azkenik, bibliografiak edota irakurketak errazteko hainbat ekarpen egingo dira.

Programa Escola Ativa: educação do campo e trabalho docente

O Programa Escola Ativa (PEA) foi implementado no Brasil a partir de 1997 no marco de um convênio com o Banco Mundial, com o objetivo de melhorar o rendimento de alunos de classes multisseriadas rurais. O PEA tem seu foco na formação de professores e na melhoria da infra-estrutura das escolas, e propõe amplas mudanças na organização do trabalho docente, constituindo-se na único programa voltado especificamente para as classes multisseriadas no Brasil. Seu histórico é marcado pela coexistência com movimentos sociais que sintetizam e defendem novos princípios para a educação do meio rural alinhados com os seus próprios interesses e configurando-os em um novo conceito: Educação do Campo. Estes princípios devieram em 2002 em Referências para uma política nacional de educação do campo e passaram a orientar, em tese, a reformulação e redirecionamento do PEA. O objetivo desta pesquisa é analisar as mudanças no trabalho docente a partir da introdução do Programa Escola Ativa nas escolas multisseriadas rurais. Três frentes de análise foram abertas: uma análise macro, relativa ao contexto histórico da formulação do Programa e início de sua implantação no Brasil; uma análise meso, relativa aos processos de apropriação e resistência de diferentes grupos de interesse; e uma análise micro, relativa às mudanças no trabalho docente no campo a partir da implementação do Programa, considerando os sentidos que adquire o mesmo para o professor, a partir das novas prescrições e condições engendradas. Ao reconstituir o percurso do PEA, da origem à universalização, buscou-se identificar o papel do professor que atua nas escolas aderentes ao PEA e o papel dos movimentos sociais, ao proporem uma política nacional de educação do campo. Inicialmente, realizou-se uma análise macro dos contextos do desenvolvimento e da implementação do PEA, por meio de revisão da literatura. Observou-se uma retórica modernizadora e uma racionalidade tecnocrática que impunha-se de cima para baixo orientando as políticas, em matéria de autonomia e profissionalização dos docentes. No nível meso, por meio de entrevistas, pesquisa participante e análise documental buscou-se mapear pontos convergentes e divergentes na interlocução da coordenação do PEA com os movimentos sociais que discutem a educação do campo no Brasil. Detectou-se um considerável acúmulo de informações construídas de maneira coletiva e utilizadas pelo movimento crítico de maneira isolada dos articuladores das políticas públicas. No nível micro, foram utilizadas técnicas em que o grupo foi meio e estratégia de abordagem das trabalhadoras e de análise reflexiva dos conteúdos evocados. As técnicas foram utilizadas durante um seminário, com a participação de todas as professoras das Escolas Ativas de um município de Goiás. Observou-se que, da perspectiva das professoras, houve melhora das condições materiais para o exercício da profissão docente a partir do PEA. Contudo, esta foi insuficiente para garantir condições adequadas para todos os professores e alunos e uma ampliação da autonomia do professor, que está condicionada a uma intensificação do trabalho e extensão da jornada. Observou-se ainda o caráter vertical da relação com a coordenadora municipal do Programa. Conclui-se que o Programa Escola Ativa possui um traço de verticalismo forte no modo como é implementado, nas esferas macro, meso e micro, que abarca todo o processo de formulação, implantação, avaliação e universalização e reflete na sua dificuldade de incorporar produções críticas e análises coletivas para além do nível do discurso

Tornar-se professor de história: um estudo das experiências de professores iniciantes com a formação e o trabalho docente

A presente dissertação se situa no debate que envolve os saberes, as práticas, os processos formativos e o trabalho docente. Os referencias teóricos elencados propõem um debate teórico amplo sobre a realidade atual que perpassa a formação institucionalizada de professores, bem como a educação escolar pública. Assim, evidencia-se na atualidade um campo de forças na educação, que ora revela um sistema educacional marcado pela perversidade, ora aponta para a possibilidade de movimentos transformadores capazes de romper com as mazelas instituídas na educação escolar. Algumas questões orientam a discussão, tais como: Como o sujeito se torna professor? Qual o papel da formação inicial no processo na preparação dos professores? Como é ser um professor iniciante de História na realidade atual do ensino público? Como os professores experenciam o choque de realidade ao ingressarem profissionalmente em sala de aula? Quais os maiores desafios e possibilidades no início de carreira? Neste sentido, o trabalho tem como propósito central compreender o processo de tornar-se professor, dialogando com as experiências formativas e profissionais de dois professores iniciantes de História, egressos da Faculdade de Formação de Professores FFP-UERJ e atuantes na rede estadual de ensino do Rio de Janeiro. A pesquisa é embasada nas contribuições de Arroyo, Frigotto, Gatti e Barretto, Guarnieri, Monteiro, Nóvoa, Tardif, e, notadamente, nas experiências narradas pelos docentes. A investigação é de cunho qualitativo e sobre/com os sujeitos do cotidiano escolar, lançando mão da abordagem teórico-metodológica das histórias de vida com recorte temático. Como procedimento metodológico, utiliza-se as entrevistas/conversas a fim de se ter uma escuta sensível, além de um entrosamento maior e mais profundo com as narrativas dos participantes. A dissertação dialoga com temáticas forjadas no debate entre a literatura na área e as experiências docentes, tais como: trajetória e escolha profissional, formação inicial na FFP-UERJ, desafios do início de carreira, dentre outros. A partir dos achados da pesquisa e das reflexões feitas juntamente com os professores de História, aponta-se para a necessidade de (re)pensarmos elementos que perpassam as instituições formadoras de professores, assim como a cultura escolar e as políticas públicas educacionais. A pesquisa tenciona, assim, lançar luz e contribuir no debate sobre a formação inicial institucionalizada e o trabalho docente, os processos formativos, saberes e práticas de professores.

O Plano de Metas e seus possíveis efeitos no trabalho docente na rede estadual de ensino do Rio de Janeiro

O tema desta pesquisa é o Plano de Metas e seus possíveis efeitos no trabalho docente, com domínio de interesse no estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. O estudo também procura apresentar um breve e recente histórico das políticas de educação do Estado, no que tange ao período de transição do Programa Nova Escola para a implantação do Plano de Metas, procurando contextualizar o momento da implantação do Plano. Como desdobramento deste tema, buscase de um lado, analisar as características, estratégias e desdobramentos do Plano. De outro lado, como o profissional docente se relaciona com estas mudanças e quais alterações elas promovem no seu trabalho. A pesquisa tem como marco principal as reformas que adequam o estado burocrático ao modelo gerencial e as reformas educacionais brasileiras iniciadas na década de 1990 e seus impactos nas políticas estaduais fluminenses, apontando como ambas interferiram nas condições de trabalho dos professores no período de 1990 a 2013, sendo que o foco do estudo é o período de 2011 a 2013, momento da implementação do Plano de Metas. As análises tiveram por base a realização de pesquisa qualitativa, constituída por análise documental e procedimentos complementares, tendose por referencial teórico central o autor italiano Antônio Gramsci. Seus estudos foram de grande valia para analisarmos o Plano de Metas como um programa de ação que a todo tempo combina coerção e persuasão, com vistas ao controle do trabalho docente e ao fortalecimento da hegemonia do projeto político governamental. Por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas, como recurso complementar, foram obtidas informações relevantes a respeito da avaliação dos professores em relação ao Plano, às experiências vinculadas a sua implementação, bem como a respeito dos impactos do Plano no seu trabalho.

Percepción de residentes de medicina de urgencias en Colombia del ambiente educativo en los servicios de urgencias

Introducción: La atención de calidad en urgencias sólo es posible si los médicos han recibido una enseñanza de alta calidad. La escala PHEEM (Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure) es un instrumento válido y fiable, utilizado internacionalmente para medir el entorno educativo, en la formación médica de posgrado. Materiales y métodos: Estudio de corte trasversal que utilizó la escala PHEEM versión en español para conocer el entorno educativo de los programas de urgencias. El coeficiente alfa de Cronbach se calculó para determinar la consistencia interna. Se aplicó estadística descriptiva a nivel global, por categorías e ítems de la escala PHEEM y se compararon resultados por sexo, año de residencia y programa. Resultados: 94 (94%) residentes llenaron el cuestionario. La puntuación media de la escala PHEEM fue 93,91 ± 23,71 (58,1% de la puntuación máxima) que se considera un ambiente educativo más positivo que negativo, pero con margen de mejora. Hubo una diferencia estadísticamente significativa en la percepción del ambiente educativo entre los programas de residencia (p =0,01). El instrumento es altamente confiable (alfa de Cronbach = 0,952). La barrera más frecuente en la enseñanza fue el hacinamiento y la evaluación fue percibida con el propósito de cumplir normas. Discusión: Los resultados de este estudio aportaron evidencia sobre la validez interna de la escala PHEEM en el contexto colombiano. Este estudio demostró cómo la medición del ambiente educativo en una especialidad médico-quirúrgica, con el uso de una herramienta cuantitativa, puede proporcionar información en relación a las fortalezas y debilidades de los programas.

Accountability and the affective labour of teachers: a Marxist-Vygotskian perspective

This article addresses the issue of affective labour in education in the context of standards-based reforms and accountability. In particular, it focuses on neoliberal strategies of rationalization and control that produce a number of social pathologies, such as alienated teaching and learning and reified social relations between teachers and students. The article turns to affective labour as something that enables teachers to counteract these effects. This argument arises from the analysis of interviews with teachers who continue to generate and sustain the sociality of teaching and learning. Affect directs teachers’ commitment to practice that is governed by feeling, passion and the ethics of care. What gives affective labour such an important position is that it is both outside and beyond accountability and performativity measures. It is identified with the general pedagogical activity that cannot be structured by measuring devices such as students’ test scores or standards. The article concludes with the application of Vygotsky’s ideas about the role of affect in education and argues that affective labour has an expansive power of ontological freedom that cannot be controlled. of ontological freedom that cannot be controlled.

Trabalho e formação docente na rede municipal de ensino de natal

The study Teacher work and education in the municipal schools of Natal objectifies the analysis of the education and work conditions of the teachers in the municipal schools of Natal, placing them within the scenario of the public policies outlined for Basic Education (2005-2010). The thesis is based on the perspective that the educational reforms implemented by the Brazilian government in an attempt to answer to the new contextual demands originated from the world of work and globalization, demanding increasingly higher levels of qualification and constant extension of the teaching functions in school from the teachers, have been configured withal as a strategy for intensifying the teacher s work. The empirical field of study was constituded by thirteen municipal schools that offer basic education. Four hundred and seventeen teacher subjects that work in the municipal school system of Natal, two representatives of the Secretaria Municipal de Educação de Natal (SME)1 that work in the pedagogical team and one representative of the Sindicato dos Trabalhadores em Educação do Rio Grande do Norte2 took part in the study. The procedures/instruments used in the research were: bibliographic review, document research, questionnaires and recording of information in a field journal. The study confirmed that the majority of the teachers that work in the municipal school system were admitted by means of public entry exams, therefore meeting the requirements set by Law 9.394/96. Most of the teachers have the initial education demanded to work in basic education, although with some limitations due to the fact that they do not correspond to the needs of the educational system. The SME has a plan for continued training of the teachers in accordance to the current ideas defended by researchers of this field. There is, although, a disconnection between the purpose of the plan and the training strategies, because, in truth, predominate repetitive and specific actions that do not contemplate the training needs of the teachers, nor the demands of the system. Although the work conditions are evaluated, by the teachers, as relatively good, limits in relation to the physical structure of the schools are observed (dirty walls with holes in them, broken ceiling fans, old chairs and desks, old and stained black boards, inadequate restroom installations, poor maintenance of the computers, amongst other items). It was also verified the an increase in the functions of the teachers and an intensification of their work, materialized through an overburden of activities undertaken daily at school (and outside of it) and through the demand in taking part in activities that go beyond those inherent to the teaching process, such as the elaboration of political-pedagogical projects, participation in collegiate, registration of student information solicited by the SME and the participation in commissions, has been happening

Caracterização do ciclo sono/vigília de professores do ensino médio em natal/rn

In the school environment is fundamental the knowledge about the sleep-wake cycle (SWC), because we find children and adolescents with excessive sleepiness and learning difficulties. Furthermore, teachers with high demand and with different work schedule, which may contribute to changes in SWC. The aim of this study was to describe the SWC of high school teachers in Natal/RN. Habits and knowledge about sleep, chronotype, SWC, daytime sleepiness, sleep quality and job satisfaction were described in 98 high school teachers from public and private school. These parameters were compared according to the characteristics of work, family structure and gender. Data collection was performed with the use of questionnaires in two stages: 1) "health and sleep" (general characterization of sleep habits), Horne & Ostberg questionnaire (characterization of chronotype), Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Index of Pittsburg Sleep Quality, 2) The sleep diary for 14 days. From the results, we observe that the teachers woke up and went to bed earlier in the week and showed a reduction of time in bed around 42min comparing to weekend. This reduction in time in bed during the week was accompanied by an increase in nap duration on weekend. In addition the teachers woke up earlier on Saturdays than on Sundays, probably due to housework and leisure. The teachers' knowledge about sleep was low in relation to individual differences and effect of alcoholic beverages on sleep, and high in the consequences of sleep deprivation. The differences found in comparisons on the characteristics of work, family structure and gender were punctual, except concerning the work schedule. The teacher who started work in the morning and finished in the night, woke up earlier, went to bed later and had less time in bed, when compared to teachers who work only in two shifts. In addition, teachers with late chronotypes who begin the work in the morning had a greater irregularity in the wake up time compared to teachers with earlier and intermediate chronotypes. Half of teachers have excessive sleepiness, which was positive correlated with work dissatisfaction. In general, teachers showed IPSQ averages equivalent to poor sleep quality and the women showed worst averages. From the results, it is suggested that the SWC of teachers varies according to work schedule, leading to irregularity and partial sleep deprivation in the week, although these responses vary according to chronotype. These changes are accompanied by excessive daytime sleepiness and poor sleep quality. However, it is necessary to expand the sample to clarify the influence of variables related to work, family structure and gender together

A formação do professor de matemática e o trabalho com projetos na escola

O objetivo do presente texto é apresentar os resultados de uma pesquisa que procurou discutir a formação dos professores de Matemática que trabalham com projetos e documentar a maneira da implementação dessa proposta na escola. Os dados são provenientes de entrevistas com dez professores de Matemática, os quais atuam no Ensino Fundamental ou Médio. Seus relatos possibilitam identificar três formas diferentes de trabalhos com projetos: i) individualmente e por iniciativa própria; ii) por sugestão da escola, de forma fragmentada; iii) coletivamente. Não há indícios de que a formação inicial desses professores os tenha influenciado a trabalhar com projetos. Esse preparo foi construído ao longo de suas carreiras, através da participação em cursos de formação continuada, da experiência com a prática e das interferências de suas características pessoais.

Atlas escolares municipais: a moda e os professores

Neste artigo abordamos o crescimento das pesquisas e da produção de atlas escolares municipais e a relação entre pesquisadores e professores, considerando o atual contexto curricular e a concepção do trabalho docente segundo a racionalidade técnica que caracteriza as reformas educacionais na sociedade neoliberal. em uma análise dos trabalhos apresentados sobre o tema atlas escolares, nos cinco eventos científicos realizados no Brasil sobre cartografia para crianças, notamos que predomina a produção desses materiais por pesquisadores e especialistas, externa ao âmbito do trabalho dos professores.

Educação ambiental e o trabalho com valores: um estudo de caso

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Saberes e práticas de uma professora alfabetizadora bem sucedida

Pós-graduação em Educação Escolar - FCLAR