Work and society

In teaching, there is a very close link between theory and practice. One informs the other. Practice provides a basis for theory building and is itself guided by theory. The reverse of the situation is equally true. Theory provides a basis for practice and is itself guided by practice. Practice, therefore, is theory in action. This way, the teacher can be seen both as the theory builder and the practitioner. Theory for teaching is not something that can be created by others and then handed over to be applied by the teacher.

Of course, theories created by those outside the classroom world, sometimes referred to as educational theories, can be helpful to the teacher but such theories have first to be assessed by the teacher, transformed into a model of practice to suit a particular situation, tried out and refined in practice. In this way educational theory may become, in the hands of the teacher, practical theory. Take, for example, Maslow’s theory of human needs or the theory about educational objectives proposed by Bloom, Krathwohl and others.

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These theories are useful to teachers, but they first of all have to be transformed so that they become relevant to what happens in the classroom. Each theory has to undergo a kind of metamorphosis to make it ready for classroom use. The theory has to be translated by each teacher into a form that can allow it to be embedded into a lesson. What teachers do in the classroom is largely shaped by their own personal theories that they carry round in their heads.

Obviously, teachers do not invest precious hours constructing and re-constructing their notions about how to teach with no good reason for it. They do this because it provides a basis for action. They continue doing it because they want to improve practice. Their commitment to this process in turn grows out of an acute sense of obligation to their students, the school and educational system in which they work, and the society. Accordingly, the level of effectiveness a teacher displays is closely linked to the quality of his or her theory as expressed in classroom behaviors.

If, for example, the way a teacher conducts role play lessons consistently results in very disappointing results, the teacher would probably want to review the ideas that gave rise to that approach. Or if the use of questioning techniques is frequently associated with student passivity or unwillingness to respond, then the theory that underpins the questioning practice would undergo critical scrutiny by the teacher and a better basis for practice sought. The teacher would seek out reasons for the student reactions and ways of obtaining better results. Teacher education finds itself in a critical stage.

The pressure towards more school-based programs which is visible in many countries is a sign that not only teachers, but also parents and politicians, are often dissatisfied with the traditional approaches in teacher education. Barone, Berliner, Blanchard, Casanova, & McGowan (1996). Nowadays, change is a constant part of our lives and, if anything, the calls to change are becoming more frequent and more strident, so much so that change is now an imperative. A reluctance to change within an organization is often seen nowadays as a precursor to decline and even extinction.

Schools and teachers in the 21st century are no strangers to change. In this sector, as in most others, there has been wide-spread change. Change and contemplation of change are realities ever-present for teachers. Change has become so rampant, fast-paced and pervasive that it has induced a kind of ‘change weariness’ in some teachers and a reluctance on their part to contemplate any further change. These are some of the symptoms of the malaise which Toffler predicted would afflict many people and which he referred to, in 1970, as ‘future shock’, an incapacity to cope with continuous change.

Yet no teacher would accept that refusal to change, maintaining the status quo or returning to the past, offer anything like a viable alternative. The realities of the present world must inform what we teach and how we teach if we are to honor our responsibilities and obligations to the youth in our care and the future of our world. One of the ways of making the processes of change a little more comfortable and acceptable is to gain some sense of why change is necessary and of the directions of change.

If change becomes purposeful, if we have some understanding of why we need to change, and can generate commitment to the change, then the disruptions to routines, the anxiety associated with change and all the extra work become more tolerable. Moreover, we may be able to anticipate and prepare for change and thus be able to manage change and even become agents of change. Changes to teaching practice are intentional and require careful thought. Significant changes are not the product of whim or caprice. In other words, change to practice is accompanied by change to the theory that informs such practice.