Abstract
In this article, we reflect upon what research and other evidence tells us about the effects of many years of sustained, centrally initiated government reforms upon teachers’ work, lives and effectiveness. It is important to note that whilst the general intentions of school reform are almost always to improve standards of teaching, learning and achievement in increasingly unstable and turbulent economic and socially fragmented environments, their singular and cumulative effects are not always perceived to be efficacious or beneficial by those whose responsibility it is to enact them. In other words, reform may not always lead to renewal. As we approach the end of the first decade of this century, then, it is important to take stock of what, in some countries, have been 20 years of root and branch reform in schools, in pre-service teacher training (aka education) and in teachers’ conditions of work. Whilst the specifics of reform efforts differ in pace and in the ways they are managed in different countries, the general direction is the same.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Apple, M. W. (1986). Teachers and texts. A political economy of class and gender relations in education. London: Routledge.
Apple, M. (1987) Mandating computers: The impact of the new technology on the labour process, students and teachers. In S. Walker & L. Barton (Eds.), Changing policies, changing teachers: New directions for schooling? (pp. 75–95). Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
Audit Commission and OFSTED (2002) Recruitment and retention of teachers and headteachers: Strategies adopted by LEAs [HMI 709]. London: OFSTED.
Ball, S. J. (2000). Performativities and fabrications in the education economy: Towards the performative state. The Australian Educational Researcher, 27(2), 1–23.
Ball, S. J. (2001). Labour, learning and the economy: A ‘policy sociology’ perspective. In M. Fielding (Ed.), Taking education really seriously: Four years hard labour (pp. 45–56). London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Ball, S. J. (2003). The teacher’s soul and the terrors of performativity. Journal of Education Policy, 18(2), 215–228.
Barber, M. (2001). High expectations and standards for all, no matter what: Creating a world class education service in England. In M. Fielding (Ed.), Taking education really seriously: Four years hard labour (pp. 17–42). London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Bingham, C. (1991). Teachers’ terms and conditions: A view from the schools. In G. Grace & M. Lawn (Eds.), Teacher supply and teacher quality: Issues for the 1990s (pp. 47–53). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Bourdieu, P. (1990). The logic of practice. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Bourdieu, P. (1998). Acts of resistance: Against the new myths of our time. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Braverman, H. (1974). Labour and monopoly capital: The degradation of work in the twentieth century. London: Monthly Review Press.
Brennan, M. (1996). Multiple professionalisms for Australian teachers in an important age. New York: American Educational Research Association.
Day, C. (1997). Teachers in the twenty-first century: Time to renew the vision. In A. Hargreaves & R. Evans (Eds.), Beyond educational reform. Bringing teachers back in (pp. 44–61). Buckingham: Open University Press.
Day, C. (2000). Stories of change and professional development: The costs of commitment. In C. Day, A. Fernandez, T. E. Hauge, & J. Møller (Eds.), The life and work of teachers (pp. 109–129). London: Falmer Press.
Day, C. (2002). School reform and transitions in teacher professionalism and identity. International Journal of Educational Research, 37(2), 677–692.
Day, C. (2004). A passion for teaching. London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Day, C. (2007). Sustaining success in challenging contexts. In C. Day & K. Leithwood (Eds.), Successful principal leadership in times of change: An international perspective (pp. 59–70). Dordrecht: Springer.
Day, C., & Leithwood, K. (Eds.). (2007). Successful principal leadership in times of change: An international perspective (pp. 59–70). Dordrecht: Springer.
Day, C., Fernandez, A., Hauge, T. E., & Møller, J. (Eds.). (2000). The life and work of teachers. London: Falmer Press.
Day, C., Sammons, P., Stobart, G., Kington, A., & Gu, Q. (2007). Teachers matter: Connecting work, lives and effectiveness. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
DCSF (2008). The national strategies: Secondary. Accessed August 27, 2009, from http://www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/secondary/framework/.
Department for Education and Employment (DfEE). (1998). Teachers: Meeting the challenge of change. London: DfEE (Cmd. 4164).
Department for Education and Skills (DfES). (2001). Professionalism and trust—the future of teachers and teaching. Pamphlet to accompany Estelle Morris’ speech to the Social Market Foundation. 12 Nov 2001. Accessed July 19, 2003, from http://www.remodelling.org/downloads/21.pdf.
Department for Education and Skills (DfES). (2003). Every child matters: Summary. London: DFES.
DfES (2005, January). School workforce in England (revised), National Statistics First Release SFR 41/2005. London: DfES.
Dinham, S., & Scott, C. (2000). Moving into the third, outer domain of teacher satisfaction. Journal of Educational Administration, 38(4), 379–396.
Fielding, M. (Ed.). (2001). Taking education really seriously: Four years hard labour. London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Foucault, M. (1983). On the genealogy of ethics: An overview of work in progress. In H. Dreyfus & P. Rainbow (Eds.), Michael Foucault: Beyond structuralism and hermeneutics. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Fullan, M. G. (2001). The new meaning of educational change: (3rd ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.
Fullan, M., & Hargreaves, A. (Eds.). (1992). Teacher development and educational change. London: Falmer Press.
Gideonese, H. D. (1988). Practitioner oriented inquiry for teachers: Meaning, justification and implication for school structure. Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, 4(1), 65–77.
Gitlin, A., & Margonis, F. (1995). The political aspect of reform. The American Journal of Education, 103, 377–405.
Gleeson, D., & Husbands, C. (Eds.). (2001). The performing school: Managing, teaching and learning in a performance culture. London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Gold, Y. (1996). Beginning teacher support. Attrition, mentoring, induction. In J. Sikula, T. J. Buttery, & E. Guyton (Eds.), Handbook of research on teacher education (pp. 548–593) New York: Macmillan.
Goodson, I. F. (2001). Social histories of educational change. Journal of Educational Change, 2(1), 45–63.
Goodson, I. F., & Hargreaves, A. (Eds.). (1996). Teachers’ professional lives. London: Falmer Press.
Grace, G. (1997). Politics, markets, and democratic schools: On the transformation of school leadership. In A. H. Halsey, H. Lauder, P. Brown, & A. S. Wells (Eds.), Education: Culture, economy, and society (pp. 311–319). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Grace, G., & Lawn, M. (Eds.). (1991). Teacher supply and teacher quality: Issues for the 1990s. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Hall, C. (2004). Theorising changes in teachers’ work. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, 32 (special edition). Accessed November 11, 2006, from http://www.umanitoba.ca/publications/cjeap/articles/noma/theorising.change.html.
Halsey, A. H., Lauder, H., Brown, P., & Wells, A. S. (Eds.). (1997). Education: Culture, economy, and society. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hansen, D. T. (2001). The moral heart of teaching: Towards a teacher’s creed. New York: Teachers College Press.
Hargreaves, A. (1997). From reform to renewal: A new deal for a new age. In A. Hargreaves & R. Evans (Eds.), Beyond educational reform. Bringing teachers back in (pp. 105–125). Buckingham: Open University Press.
Hargreaves, A. (2003). Teaching in the knowledge society: Education in the age of insecurity. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Hargreaves, A. (2005). Educational change takes ages: Life, career and generational factors in teachers’ emotional responses to educational change. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(8), 967–983.
Hargreaves, A., & Evans, R. (Eds.). (1997). Beyond educational reform. Bringing teachers back in. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Hargreaves, A., & Goodson, I. (1996). Teachers’ professional lives: Aspirations and actualities. In I. F. Goodson & A. Hargreaves (Eds.), Teachers’ professional lives (pp. 1–27). London: Falmer Press.
Harris, K. (1994). Teachers: Constructing the future. London: Falmer Press.
Helsby, G., & McCulloch G. (1996) Teacher professionalism and curriculum control. In I. F. Goodson & A. Hargreaves (Eds.), Teachers’ professional lives (pp. 56–74). London: Falmer Press
Holly, M. L., & McLoughlin, C. S. (Eds.). (1989). Perspectives on teacher professional development. London: The Falmer Press.
Honig, M. L. (2003). Building policy from practice: District central office administrators’ roles and capacity for implementing collaborative education policy. Educational Administration Quarterly, 39(3), 292–338.
House of Commons. (1997). Education and employment committee sixth report: The professional status, recruitment and training of teachers. London: T.S.O.
Ingersoll, R. M. (2003). Who controls teachers’ work?. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Jackson, P. W. (1999). Teaching as a moral enterprise. In M. Lang et al. (Eds.), Op. cit., pp. 81–90.
Jeffrey, B., & Woods, P. (1998). Testing teachers: The effect of school inspection on primary teachers. London: Falmer Press.
Johnson, S. M., Berg, J. H., & Donaldson, M. L. (2005). Who stays in teaching and why: A review of the literature on teacher retention. The project on the next generation of teachers. Harvard Graduate School of Education. Accessed April 16, 2006, from http://www.gse.harvard.edu/~ngt/.
Johnson, S. M., Birkeland, S. E., Donaldson, M. L., Kardos, S. M., Kauffman, D., Liu, E., et al. (2004). Finders and keepers. Helping new teachers survive and thrive in our schools. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Lawn, M. (1996). Modern times? Work, professionalism and citizenship in teaching. London: Falmer Press.
Leithwood, K., Day, C., Sammons, P., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2006). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership. Nottingham: National College for School Leadership.
Levin, B. (1998). An epidemic of education policy: What can we learn from each other? Comparative Education, 34(2), 131–142.
Lortie, D. C. (1975). Schoolteacher: A sociological study. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Mahony, P., & Hextall, I. (2000). Reconstructing teaching: Standards, performance and accountability. London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Miliband, D. (2003, October 22). School leadership: The productivity challenge. Speech by David Miliband MP, Minister Of State For School Standards at The National College For School Leadership, Nottingham.
Nias, J. (1989). Teaching and the self. In M. L. Holly & C. S. McLoughlin (Eds.), Perspectives on teacher professional development. (pp. 155–171). London: The Falmer Press.
Noddings, N. (1996). Stories and affect in teacher education. Cambridge Journal of Education, 26(3), 435–447.
OFSTED. (2005). The annual report of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools 2003/04: Summary. London: The Stationery Office.
OFSTED. (2008). Every child matters. Framework for the inspection of schools in England from September 2005 (2nd ed.). London: OFSTED.
Paton, G. (2008a). 15,000 teachers are off sick each day. The Daily Telegraph, 29 December, 2008, p. 2. London: The Daily Telegraph.
Paton, G. (2008b). Ofsted: Schools ‘teaching to the test’. The Daily Telegraph, 21 July, 2008. London: The Daily Telegraph. Accessed September 4, 2008, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2440091/Ofsted-Schools-teaching-to-the-test.html.
PricewaterhouseCoopers (2001). Teacher workload study. Accessed March 16, 2004, from http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=932.
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) (2008). Teaching of new secondary curriculum begins. Accessed on August 27, 2009, from http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/News-and-updates-listing/News/Teaching-of-new-secondary-curriculum-begins.aspx.
Robertson, S. (1996). Teachers’ work, restructuring and postfordism: Constructing the new ‘professionalism’. In I. F. Goodson & A. Hargreaves (Eds.), Teachers’ professional lives (pp. 28–55). London: Falmer Press.
Sachs, J. (2001). Teacher professional identity: Competing discourses, competing outcomes. Journal of Education Policy, 16(2), 149–161.
Sachs, J. (2003). The activist teaching profession. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
School Teachers’ Review Body [STRB]. (2003). School teachers’ review body 12th report CM5715. London: The Stationery Office.
Seddon, T. (1997). Education: Deprofessionalised? Or re-regulated, reorganised and reauthorised? Australian Journal of Education, 41(3), 228–246.
Select Committee on Education and Skills (2003). Seventh report: Pupil achievement in secondary education. http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200203/cmselect/cmeduski/513/51305.htm.
Sergiovanni, T. J. (2001). Leadership: What’s in it for schools?. London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Sikes, P. J. (1992). Imposed change and the experienced teacher. In M. Fullan & A. Hargreaves (Eds.), Teacher development and educational change (pp. 36–55). London: Falmer Press.
Sikula, J., Buttery, T. J., & Guyton, E. (Eds.). (1996). Handbook of research on teacher education (pp. 548–593). New York: Macmillan.
Smithers, A., & Robinson, P. (2003). Factors affecting teachers’ decisions to leave the profession. DfES Research Report RR430. London: DfES.
Smyth, J. (Ed.). (1995). Critical discourses on teacher development. London: Cassell.
Smyth, J., Dow, A., Hattam, R., Reid, A., & Shacklock, G. (2000). Teachers’ work in a globalizing economy. London: Falmer Press.
Teacher Training Agency (TTA). (1999). Supporting induction for newly qualified teachers: Overview. London: TTA.
The Daily Telegraph (2008, December 29). Parents blamed for primary pupils’ bad behaviour (p. 10). London: The Daily Telegraph.
The Guardian (2000, February 29).
The Guardian (2003, January 7).
The Guardian (2006). Too many teachers ‘teaching to the test’. London: The Guardian. Accessed September 2, 2006, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2006/jul/20/schools.uk5.
Tickle, L. (2000). Teacher induction: The way ahead. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Totterdell, M., Heilbronn, R., Bubb, S. & Jones, C. (2002). Evaluation of the effectiveness of the statutory arrangements for the induction of newly qualified teachers. DfES Research Report 338. London: DfES.
Totterdell, M., Woodroffe, L., Bubb, S., & Hanrahan, K. (2004). The impact of NQT induction programmes on the enhancement of teacher expertise, professional development, job satisfaction or retention rates: a systematic review of research on induction. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education.
Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA). (2007). Professional standards for teachers: Why sit still in your career?. London: TDA.
Walker, S. & Barton, L. (Eds.) (1987). Changing policies, changing teachers: New directions for schooling? Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
Whitty, G. (1997). Marketization, the state, and the re-formation of the teaching profession. In A.H. Halsey, H. Lauder, P. Brown, & A. S. Wells (Eds.), Education: Culture, economy, and society (pp. 299–310). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Woods, P., Jeffrey, B. & Troman, G. (2001). The impact of New Labour’s educational policy on primary schools. In M. Fielding (Ed.), Taking education really seriously: Four years hard labour (pp. 84–95). London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Day, C., Smethem, L. The effects of reform: Have teachers really lost their sense of professionalism?. J Educ Change 10, 141–157 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-009-9110-5
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-009-9110-5