Teacher Professionalism and Teacher Accountability: Toward a more Genuine Teaching Profession

Abstract

With this issue, Educational Policy begins a Viewpoints section in which, from time to time, short discussion or opinion pieces will appear These will not be research articles but will rather express timely and, sometimes, controversial viewpoints on current issues of educational policy. We hope the Viewpoints section will stimulate discussion and debate. 7he editors invite readers to respond with comments or to present their own viewpoints.

A Balanced School Accountability Model: An Alternative to High-Stakes Testing

“…He also describes how such a process could be used in conjunction with professional development for improving teaching and school practice. 11 In order to evaluate the performance of a school as a whole, a school review process will be necessary. Variations of inspectorates and school-quality reviews have been developed in New York, Rhode Island, Maine, and other states, as well as in Britain, New Zealand, Australia, and other countries.…”

Investing in Professional Judgment-in-Action: Negotiating Relationships That Enhance Trust, Responsibility, and Efficacy

“…We need to move from the current bureaucratic emphasis on following established procedures to a new, flatter organizational style that recognizes and values professional accountability. 9 Professional accountability emphasizes responsiveness to student needs while considering the realities of daily life for teachers. Asserting our professional judgment about assessment practices is a good place to begin.…”