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Statute Of The Teaching Profession

Posted on:2003-09-29Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:R Z ZhouFull Text:PDF
GTID:1117360062495955Subject:Principles of Education
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
In a modern society knowledge and power are going hand in hand, a phenomenon that has still kept teachers' position as social martyrs from being substantially changed. Education functions as a system of motive power generators and direction indicators in the chariot of a hierarchical society. Therefore, education will not end up its bumpy journey before social contradictions are eliminated from within. The same is true of teaching as a profession. With the true aim of education in their minds, the teachers are constantly motivated by a profound complex for the society and the younger generation. And, this complex or concern on the part of the teachers poses two sides to the legitimate power: exploitable and uncontrollable. Thus teaching as a profession is destined to the "dilemma" in its social status.Under the discipline of legitimate power, not only the social masses are classified into different groups, but also knowledge system. As proved by facts: the most valuable knowledge is the one that can satisfy the needs of a particular group and represent the will of that group. Such knowledge, however, is not generated from outside pressure, but an autonomous choice of existence.The limitations of a government come not from its form of organization, but from the restriction of the concrete form of organization upon the possible development of the society as a whole. The differences of affinity between knowledge and legitimate power are key factors deciding the fate of all kinds of knowledge. The transformation of knowledge into power and power into knowledge are the main features of the institution of knowledge.The prescriptions possessed by legitimate power in regulating the production, reproduction, circulation, distribution, and consumption, constitute the institution of knowledge.For their livelong company with mute knowledge and young people, teachers' morality is no doubt elevated to such a high plain that it is impossible for professionals of other fields to possess. But under the discipline of the institution of knowledge, teaching as a profession acts both as a "performer'' and a passive "conspirator with power." In a sense, teaching is confined to a special space between "stage" and "backstage," as depicted by the author as "middle stage"-teaching platform is a "middle stage". And this situation of dilemma have made the teachers a victim of role uncertainty and conflicts, and distortion of feelings.Technical reform of the power is a tact of the rulers whose desire in doing soIVis to protect their power will. The traditional Chinese legal system is a model of this technical reform. The phenomena of disruption and stagnation in education development have a negative effect not only on the teachers' professional rights, but also on their philosophy of education, knowledge structure, activity procedures, and role awareness.Organization is man's social prop. And the organization of culture serves as a protection for various social divisions of labor to fulfil their functions and achieve constant progress. Meanwhile, the organization of culture is attached to old institutions, ideologies, and conceptions. On the other hand, teaching as a profession is obviously characterized with individuality, isolation, and rhythms-traits of organization associated with agricultural economic society. And these traits can not go along with efficiency, quality, purpose, and responsibility pursued by a modern society. In a degree, teaching as a profession is a "forgotten corner" in the industrial society. For the reasons that the teachers as a group neither have strictness, counterbalance, and perfection-seeking quality evaluation cherished by other professional organizations in a modern society, nor do they have the autonomous rights indispensable to professional activities, their professional organization becomes loosed connected and their professional behavior inflexible. It is these two disadvantages that have caused a discourse hegemony in their contact with students.Discourse is not only a tool o...
Keywords/Search Tags:discipline, teacher, professional, knowledge, institution
PDF Full Text Request
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