A profession in transition: Implications for curriculum leadership
Author(s)
Sim, Cheryl
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2010
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This paper explores the implications of a future workforce that is different to current understandings about what it is to be a teacher. It does this in the context of the introduction of a national history curriculum. The political debate around history teaching is far from new or peculiar to Australia. However the move to a compulsory national curriculum does have important consequences for the curriculum enactment by teachers. This is the central role of the teacher as decision maker in the classroom. Right now we know the profession is experiencing major changes in workforce composition. Therefore it is critical in ...
View more >This paper explores the implications of a future workforce that is different to current understandings about what it is to be a teacher. It does this in the context of the introduction of a national history curriculum. The political debate around history teaching is far from new or peculiar to Australia. However the move to a compulsory national curriculum does have important consequences for the curriculum enactment by teachers. This is the central role of the teacher as decision maker in the classroom. Right now we know the profession is experiencing major changes in workforce composition. Therefore it is critical in discussions about curriculum change to examine the characteristics and aspirations of those who will teach. Their personal and professional identities will influence the classroom implementation of a history curriculum that is centrally imposed and that has as its major purpose the promotion of nationalism and national identity. This paper examines recent research into the professional and personal identities of teachers to highlight that discussion about the content and enactment of the history national curriculum cannot be disconnected from the characteristics of those who are currently choosing to enter the teaching profession.
View less >
View more >This paper explores the implications of a future workforce that is different to current understandings about what it is to be a teacher. It does this in the context of the introduction of a national history curriculum. The political debate around history teaching is far from new or peculiar to Australia. However the move to a compulsory national curriculum does have important consequences for the curriculum enactment by teachers. This is the central role of the teacher as decision maker in the classroom. Right now we know the profession is experiencing major changes in workforce composition. Therefore it is critical in discussions about curriculum change to examine the characteristics and aspirations of those who will teach. Their personal and professional identities will influence the classroom implementation of a history curriculum that is centrally imposed and that has as its major purpose the promotion of nationalism and national identity. This paper examines recent research into the professional and personal identities of teachers to highlight that discussion about the content and enactment of the history national curriculum cannot be disconnected from the characteristics of those who are currently choosing to enter the teaching profession.
View less >
Journal Title
Curriculum Perspectives
Volume
30
Issue
3
Publisher URI
Copyright Statement
Self-archiving of the author-manuscript version is not yet supported by this journal. Please refer to the journal link for access to the definitive, published version or contact the author for more information.
Subject
Teacher Education and Professional Development of Educators
Curriculum and Pedagogy
Sociology