The editor of the book, R.W. Connell is Professor of Sociology at Macquarie University and one of Australia’s leading social theorists, has to be congratulated on having achieved publication of such a masterpiece. This book is an outcome of a research project (described in the earlier book, ‘Making the Difference’ undertaken with D.J. Ashenden, S. Kessler and G.W. Dowsett). His noteworthy works include; Which Is Up?( 1983), Making the Difference( 1982), The Child’s Construction of Politics(1971) etc.
I have decided to choose this book because it is related to my interest and career. I love teaching and doing it. I want to be a value based teacher because I love being with people, working with and sharing what I have as of now. I found exactly right this book which enlighten, sensitized, moved my heart and strengthen my understanding giving realistic and vivid portrayal of Teachers’ lives, classroom and staffrooms providing an absorbing description of the life and work of teachers.
This book is divided into three parts including various sections. First Part of the chapter deals with teachers’ lives. As the author has taken interview with many teachers and found different perspectives and attitude towards their teaching job. This whole part is devoted to teachers’ lives. As we can see different-2 teachers,. Margrel Blackall is a teacher who comes from a working class background. For her,’’ School is different world, that’s all. We didn’t have books at home. I didn’t join a library until I was 14’’ (p.14) and for Terry, he is a also technical teacher of working class background. “I look on teaching as my bread and butter. It is not a ministry” (pp. 36). On the contrary, Angus a elite school grammar teacher” So I came over here, I have not got something going here if you were interested. And seeing as the he offered me more money-not that that was any inducement (laugh)-so I came. And I would think that one of the good aspects of the state system is that it does provide for mobility.” (p.40)
It seems that the concept of school varies person to person and it depends upon to socio-cultural, economical background. Money matters for everyone .Although the role of teachers in elementary school in Indian context are viewed negative performance and image as Poonam Batra (2005) rightly pointed out “for the last two decades the school teacher as a former centre piece of progress of social change is reduced to a mere object of educational reform or worse a passive agent of the prevailing ideology of the modern state’’
The Part Two, ‘Teachers’ Work’ , it deals with an industrial sociology of teachers that concerns the workplace, the labor process and division of labour, the curriculum, relationship with kids, and the school as a workplace. This book emphasizes teachers’ labor process as a point of departure for a wide range of problems. Teachers’ work can be understood as a particular labor process and as governed by a particular division of labor. The division of labor segregated in the schools according to the different contents of learning, the age of the student and difficulty of the content (subject), and complex set of rule of time table. We can see
“Rosa Marshall noted how as a new member of staff, she got’ all bottom class’. This is common and even in Indian education system. Another teacher, “Alan Watson teaches the year 12 lower stream in his boy’s private school because the upper stream is monopolized by a teacher who has been there since 1944, and is an expert on exam techniques.” (p.82)
Apart from teaching segregation of labor, the sexual division of labor is one of the most conspicuous issues about the teaching workforce which is operating between sectors of education as well as within schools. We can notice in the textbook as Rosa Marshall mentions that “in the state school, all the subject heads, and the principal, were men. Even at St Margaret’s College, a school for girls, only the mathematics teachers were all men. She finds that it has now changed to some extent. Though the head of the science department is still a man and there are no men at all in English and social sciences department.” (p.83)
“Rosa Marshall noted how as a new member of staff, she got’ all bottom class’. This is common and even in Indian education system. Another teacher, “Alan Watson teaches the year 12 lower stream in his boy’s private school because the upper stream is monopolized by a teacher who has been there since 1944, and is an expert on exam techniques.” (p.82)
Apart from teaching segregation of labor, the sexual division of labor is one of the most conspicuous issues about the teaching workforce which is operating between sectors of education as well as within schools. We can notice in the textbook as Rosa Marshall mentions that “in the state school, all the subject heads, and the principal, were men. Even at St Margaret’s College, a school for girls, only the mathematics teachers were all men. She finds that it has now changed to some extent. Though the head of the science department is still a man and there are no men at all in English and social sciences department.” (p.83)
In same Part Two, The Curriculum’ is a definition of the pupils’ learning, and also a definition of the teachers’ work. The way it is organized and the social practices that surround it, have profound consequences for teachers. We can see “the first is a direct consequence of the hegemony of the competitive academic curriculum. Marginalized curricula can gain space, status and resources in the schools by redefining themselves as part of the hegemonic curriculum. The process is like the ‘Sanskritisation’ of upwardly mobile caste in India. To register their arrival and claim prestige, they adopt more and more Brahmin social custom and religious observances.” (p.98)
It is clear from the above explanation that relations of class, culture and gender are embedded in the curriculum. It follows that reform of curriculum itself, in some measure, a reconstitution of these structures. Likely Apple has showed that ‘’the role of school in selecting, preserving, and passing on conceptions if competence, ideological norms, and values (and often only certain social groups ‘knowledge’)-all of which are embedded within both the overt and hidden curricula in schools’’ (p. 58)
In same Part Two, ’Relationship with Kids’, it points out about teachers relation with kids is crucial for overall development of children. And discipline is considered as guarantee to the parents that the kids will not get into trouble. Discipline is also important theme in the public image of private schooling. Parents say giving example that he /she studies in private school it means, children will be civilized and will become something after coming out from the school. Discipline will not be barrier in way of teaching if teachers are having professional teaching pedagogy. A professional teacher focuses on subject content and innovative methods (how to plan a lesson and how to make learning as fun using by innovative activities and plays). If teachers are well equipped of these professional skills then problems would not occur what Shulman (2004) says ‘’ What makes teaching impossible (is) within the classrooms, the teacher is constantly torn among competing and incompatible pedagogical demands’’
In same Part Two ‘The School as a Workplace’ generally parents think that social control in schools is come under in terms of teachers’ control of the students. On the contrary, all most workers, even teachers themselves are subjects to be a system of supervision. “Close supervision causes resentment among them. And close supervision also contradicts the ideology of professionalism which education authorities often want to encourage among teachers for other reasons. This notion has been an effective weapon in campaigns by teachers unions against management control.” It seems that under supervision, teachers now have become robot just like artificial electronic device. It would be better if I say in words of Michael Fullan and Andy Hargreaves ‘‘teachers must be appreciated and understood in terms of their purpose ,as people, and in terms of their work context-as ‘total teachers’. Teachers in other words, should not be seen as mere technicians, ‘delivering’ a national curriculum or anything else’’ (p.58)
In same Part Two ‘The School as a Workplace’, under the subtitle ‘The Gender Regime’ even gender relations inside a school are of course interwoven and schools mark out gender division for their pupils. We can visualize such as in the textbook “uniforms (skirts and blouses vs slacks and shirts), sports (netball vs football), forms of address (Yes, Miss), curriculum tracks and electives (typing vs technical drawing) and so on’’ (p.139). Even monitors of the class often are selected to boys so that they can control the class in absence of teacher. I am reminded of Rubina Saigol’s paper, also regarding the same critically examines how the civics text describes ‘’The portrayal of women and men in sex bound roles confirms the patriarchal notion that men are the legitimate, inside real actors in the social arena: women are the unworthy outsiders.” (p.138)
The best example i can offer from Nandini Battacharjee’s paper ‘’ our teacher tells the monitor, you are a girl and you can’t keep the class quiet. See Gagan.( Raju,10;4b) ‘’ Still, these practices are in existence and seem operating quite similar in Indian context. It is seen that girls are told to opt for easy and soft subjects as optional course because of people stereotype thinking towards women.
Similarly, we can also see good example as AnnMarie Wolpe examines in her paper critically some of the conventional approaches which explain different achievement between the both sexes. “Woman’s ambition is tied to her role in marriage and to the goals directly related to marriage, whereas man’s ambition is linked to his occupation and as such of a material nature.” (p. 297)
Last, Part Third is devoted to being a teacher, teachers’ outlook, and teachers’ politics and power.
‘Being a Teacher’, the major goal of each teacher should be the development of their students in accordance to the basic demands of the modern world as independent, intellectual, social, and responsible citizens. The basic goals of education and teaching in particular, may be achieved in different ways and in this respect, the effectiveness of teaching depends on a type of a teacher which may vary dramatically being feminity and masculinity. John Welton, a conservative teacher in a conservative boys’ school, seems a model of patriarchal attitudes, strong on discipline and regimentation, affirm supporter of the cadets. When he is asked what do if he were principal, after stressing academic work, he goes on: “The second thing would be to have a very strong cultural school………………..and I think the schools have a part to play here, by showing sensitive and civilized behavior that this sort of thing is abhorrent.” (p.157)
It is clear from the above explanation that relations of class, culture and gender are embedded in the curriculum. It follows that reform of curriculum itself, in some measure, a reconstitution of these structures. Likely Apple has showed that ‘’the role of school in selecting, preserving, and passing on conceptions if competence, ideological norms, and values (and often only certain social groups ‘knowledge’)-all of which are embedded within both the overt and hidden curricula in schools’’ (p. 58)
In same Part Two, ’Relationship with Kids’, it points out about teachers relation with kids is crucial for overall development of children. And discipline is considered as guarantee to the parents that the kids will not get into trouble. Discipline is also important theme in the public image of private schooling. Parents say giving example that he /she studies in private school it means, children will be civilized and will become something after coming out from the school. Discipline will not be barrier in way of teaching if teachers are having professional teaching pedagogy. A professional teacher focuses on subject content and innovative methods (how to plan a lesson and how to make learning as fun using by innovative activities and plays). If teachers are well equipped of these professional skills then problems would not occur what Shulman (2004) says ‘’ What makes teaching impossible (is) within the classrooms, the teacher is constantly torn among competing and incompatible pedagogical demands’’
In same Part Two ‘The School as a Workplace’ generally parents think that social control in schools is come under in terms of teachers’ control of the students. On the contrary, all most workers, even teachers themselves are subjects to be a system of supervision. “Close supervision causes resentment among them. And close supervision also contradicts the ideology of professionalism which education authorities often want to encourage among teachers for other reasons. This notion has been an effective weapon in campaigns by teachers unions against management control.” It seems that under supervision, teachers now have become robot just like artificial electronic device. It would be better if I say in words of Michael Fullan and Andy Hargreaves ‘‘teachers must be appreciated and understood in terms of their purpose ,as people, and in terms of their work context-as ‘total teachers’. Teachers in other words, should not be seen as mere technicians, ‘delivering’ a national curriculum or anything else’’ (p.58)
In same Part Two ‘The School as a Workplace’, under the subtitle ‘The Gender Regime’ even gender relations inside a school are of course interwoven and schools mark out gender division for their pupils. We can visualize such as in the textbook “uniforms (skirts and blouses vs slacks and shirts), sports (netball vs football), forms of address (Yes, Miss), curriculum tracks and electives (typing vs technical drawing) and so on’’ (p.139). Even monitors of the class often are selected to boys so that they can control the class in absence of teacher. I am reminded of Rubina Saigol’s paper, also regarding the same critically examines how the civics text describes ‘’The portrayal of women and men in sex bound roles confirms the patriarchal notion that men are the legitimate, inside real actors in the social arena: women are the unworthy outsiders.” (p.138)
The best example i can offer from Nandini Battacharjee’s paper ‘’ our teacher tells the monitor, you are a girl and you can’t keep the class quiet. See Gagan.( Raju,10;4b) ‘’ Still, these practices are in existence and seem operating quite similar in Indian context. It is seen that girls are told to opt for easy and soft subjects as optional course because of people stereotype thinking towards women.
Similarly, we can also see good example as AnnMarie Wolpe examines in her paper critically some of the conventional approaches which explain different achievement between the both sexes. “Woman’s ambition is tied to her role in marriage and to the goals directly related to marriage, whereas man’s ambition is linked to his occupation and as such of a material nature.” (p. 297)
Last, Part Third is devoted to being a teacher, teachers’ outlook, and teachers’ politics and power.
‘Being a Teacher’, the major goal of each teacher should be the development of their students in accordance to the basic demands of the modern world as independent, intellectual, social, and responsible citizens. The basic goals of education and teaching in particular, may be achieved in different ways and in this respect, the effectiveness of teaching depends on a type of a teacher which may vary dramatically being feminity and masculinity. John Welton, a conservative teacher in a conservative boys’ school, seems a model of patriarchal attitudes, strong on discipline and regimentation, affirm supporter of the cadets. When he is asked what do if he were principal, after stressing academic work, he goes on: “The second thing would be to have a very strong cultural school………………..and I think the schools have a part to play here, by showing sensitive and civilized behavior that this sort of thing is abhorrent.” (p.157)
Now, we can find out easily how a teacher’s work is considered and she/he is given order by senior officer/ principal in schools. Teachers have no autonomy to take decision and freedom to teach their own way. ‘’Deputy Headmistress of St. Margaret’s College and a social science teacher of twenty years experience is of view that helping children to learn is deceptive simple proposition. She suggests and points out to teachers “you have to like kids, and be prepared to explain things over and over’’ page 69. Here, I am reminded of Shuman’s(, Autonomy and Obligation ,2004) paper talks “The choices are severely constrained by decision made outside the individual classroom, e.g., the assignment of pupils to schools and of pupils-within schools to classrooms, the section of text book series….with an increased emphasis on controls from above, on the remote control of teaching via policies’’
In the Third Part,’ Teachers’ Outlooks’ it deals four types of outlooks that teachers’ have towards students. The first is a set of terms that have to do with their success at formal learning: academically ‘good’ or ‘weak’ or ‘poor’, ‘average’ ‘middling’. The same teachers’ outlook towards Black students we can find also in C. Wright mentions in his paper conversation between Black students and White teacher; Paul says (black student) “I am not saying that we cause trouble, but I am just saying the teachers think black boys are always going causing trouble. That is what they think.” (pp.109-125)‘’ The second set of concepts, one is ‘a trier’, another is ‘slack’; one is a hard worker’, another ‘will not work’ at all. We can see as Mary Coleman neatly rings the changes on the two axes, speaking of working-class kids who are not being selected by the school: “ I think you can divide them into two categories: those that can work and won’t, and those that can’t work and won’t.” (p.169)The third set of concepts is ‘quiet’ vs ‘noisy’; cheeky’ ‘behavior problem’, ‘trouble maker’. Hell in the classroom and ‘normal easy-going kids’. The fourth set of concepts is, ‘personality clash, disorganized’, ‘manly little bloke’ and a ‘mouse emerging. This all classification comes under’ “Labelling’ Approachas as discussed by Sarup’s The Importance of Classroom Studies (pp.68-80) and also explained by Ray C. Rist’s On Understanding the process of Schooling : The Contributions of Labeling Theory (pp.292-303). They have unraveled in their paper how students are decoded and given certain title by their respective teachers on the premises of students’ performance and background.
In Third Part, under subtitle ‘Images of Teaching’ it deals that an important element in Teachers’ thinking about teaching is belief that it is a socially responsible, and dignified job. For”Margaret it is clear that the dignity of teaching is very much bound with the ability to teach your subject properly, that is with the academic curriculum.” (p.173) but we find opposite that the teacher who had the Guru image (Kale, 1970) in the society, can no longer image analogous reverence. The teacher is viewed as an instrument of imparting of whatever is decided by the system. Leaving apart what is to be taught, her/his voice has no representation even in how teach and assess the children. This is the worst problem our teachers especially the elementary school teachers are facing.
In Third Part ‘Teachers’ Politics and Power’ is a discussion of teachers as a social group and as a force in educational politics. Teachers are divided among themselves by the institutional arrangement of the education system. The big issue on which a progressive or conservative division opens up is discipline. The staff of Greenway High is spilt on this as Len Johnson reports;
“You get interpretations of rules. I look at the spirit of what is being done and I do not really care if the kids-in what way they are doing it, and I tend to bend all the time, just so long as I can see the kids are genuine and not mucking around……………………………….There is such a diversity of opinion on discipline.” (p.165)
“You get interpretations of rules. I look at the spirit of what is being done and I do not really care if the kids-in what way they are doing it, and I tend to bend all the time, just so long as I can see the kids are genuine and not mucking around……………………………….There is such a diversity of opinion on discipline.” (p.165)
Conclusion
Thus, taking into account, all above mentioned, it is possible to conclude by saying that teachers play an extremely important role in the process of education. Connell has explored the role of teachers as a social responsible group involved in educational reform; their social and political ideas; the divisions among them; and how their interests may be served or damaged in attempting to change highly unequal education systems at large The book’s main objective is to contribute to a difficult but strategic debate about social inequality and the future of public schooling. This book has become relevant in helping and developing my understanding of these processes in certain ways: teachers ‘lives, an absorbing description of the life, Teachers’ work, teachers’ world. These lessons should be viewed as an essential experience that provides opportunities for the further professional growth of those who are involved in teaching or want to become a good teacher. I can say only this that teacher’s work can never end. From the role of everyday teaching process to managerial to the role as a member of the society, teachers play various roles to ensure that the education system and the society as a whole move along side by side. In actuality, they can define the outcome of the teaching process and it is their responsibility to provide possibly more efficient development of students. As the analysis of the lessons discussed above has shown there are different types of teachers among which democratic one is the most effective one. At the same time, to achieve positive results in teaching it is necessary to provide harmonic development of students, including not only their intellectual but also aesthetic and social skills.
Thus, taking into account, all above mentioned, it is possible to conclude by saying that teachers play an extremely important role in the process of education. Connell has explored the role of teachers as a social responsible group involved in educational reform; their social and political ideas; the divisions among them; and how their interests may be served or damaged in attempting to change highly unequal education systems at large The book’s main objective is to contribute to a difficult but strategic debate about social inequality and the future of public schooling. This book has become relevant in helping and developing my understanding of these processes in certain ways: teachers ‘lives, an absorbing description of the life, Teachers’ work, teachers’ world. These lessons should be viewed as an essential experience that provides opportunities for the further professional growth of those who are involved in teaching or want to become a good teacher. I can say only this that teacher’s work can never end. From the role of everyday teaching process to managerial to the role as a member of the society, teachers play various roles to ensure that the education system and the society as a whole move along side by side. In actuality, they can define the outcome of the teaching process and it is their responsibility to provide possibly more efficient development of students. As the analysis of the lessons discussed above has shown there are different types of teachers among which democratic one is the most effective one. At the same time, to achieve positive results in teaching it is necessary to provide harmonic development of students, including not only their intellectual but also aesthetic and social skills.
REFERENCES
.
Classroom and lecture notes during contact period
Sarup,M (1978). Marxism and Education, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Wright C.(1987)Black Students-White teachers, in Tryona,B.(Ed.). (1987). Racial Inequality in education, London: tavistock Publications
Nandini Bhattacharjee; Through the Looking Glass: Gender Socialization in a Primary School, Published in Sarswati.T.S(ed).( 1999). Culture, Socialization and Human Development Theory, Research and Applications in India New Delhi: Sage Publications.
Kohn, A and Wolpe A. (1978). Feminism and Materialism: Women and Modes of Production, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Michael Fullan and Andy Hargreaves ; The Teacher as a Person ,pub. in Teaching and Learning in the Primary School (ed.) Andrew Pollard and Jill Bourne, first Indian reprint 2005,Routledge.falmer in association with the Open University.
Batra,Poonam (2005): ‘’ Voice and Agency of Teachers-Missing Link in National Curriculum Framework 2005’’ EPW,October 1-7,No.4(1986),pp.4347-4356.
Hargreaves, Andy (1996): ‘’ Guit-exploring the Emotions of Teaching’’ in Changing Teachers, Changing Times- Teachers’ Work and Culture in the Postmodern Age, Cassell, Reprinted 1996.
Lee S. Shulman (ed.) (2004) Autonomy and Obligation: the Remote Control of Teaching,Chapter 4,The Wisdom of Practice,Jossy Bass,pp.133-161.
Kale, Pratima (1970) The Guru and the Professional- the Dilemma of the Secondary School Teacher in Poona, India’’ Comparative Education Review, Vol.14,No.3,(Oct.,1970),pp.,371-376
Michael and Andy Hargreaves, The Teacher as a Person in Andrew Pollard and Jill Bourne (ed.). Teaching and Learning in Primary School, Routledge Falmer,(pp.67-72.)
Lee Shulman ,Those Who Understand Knowledge Growth in Teaching, in Andrew Pollard and Jill Bourne (ed.) Teaching and Learning in Primary School,Routledge Falmer,pp.84-88.
.
.
Classroom and lecture notes during contact period
Sarup,M (1978). Marxism and Education, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Wright C.(1987)Black Students-White teachers, in Tryona,B.(Ed.). (1987). Racial Inequality in education, London: tavistock Publications
Nandini Bhattacharjee; Through the Looking Glass: Gender Socialization in a Primary School, Published in Sarswati.T.S(ed).( 1999). Culture, Socialization and Human Development Theory, Research and Applications in India New Delhi: Sage Publications.
Kohn, A and Wolpe A. (1978). Feminism and Materialism: Women and Modes of Production, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Michael Fullan and Andy Hargreaves ; The Teacher as a Person ,pub. in Teaching and Learning in the Primary School (ed.) Andrew Pollard and Jill Bourne, first Indian reprint 2005,Routledge.falmer in association with the Open University.
Batra,Poonam (2005): ‘’ Voice and Agency of Teachers-Missing Link in National Curriculum Framework 2005’’ EPW,October 1-7,No.4(1986),pp.4347-4356.
Hargreaves, Andy (1996): ‘’ Guit-exploring the Emotions of Teaching’’ in Changing Teachers, Changing Times- Teachers’ Work and Culture in the Postmodern Age, Cassell, Reprinted 1996.
Lee S. Shulman (ed.) (2004) Autonomy and Obligation: the Remote Control of Teaching,Chapter 4,The Wisdom of Practice,Jossy Bass,pp.133-161.
Kale, Pratima (1970) The Guru and the Professional- the Dilemma of the Secondary School Teacher in Poona, India’’ Comparative Education Review, Vol.14,No.3,(Oct.,1970),pp.,371-376
Michael and Andy Hargreaves, The Teacher as a Person in Andrew Pollard and Jill Bourne (ed.). Teaching and Learning in Primary School, Routledge Falmer,(pp.67-72.)
Lee Shulman ,Those Who Understand Knowledge Growth in Teaching, in Andrew Pollard and Jill Bourne (ed.) Teaching and Learning in Primary School,Routledge Falmer,pp.84-88.
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