A Way Out To Self-empowerment

It is a worldwide-recognized fact that the professional level of teachers has great impact on the quality of school education, and teacher professional development program must be considered in school development plan. Malaysian Independent Chinese Secondary Schools (MICSS) system is of no exception. MICSS is a community-run and non-profit school system; contains 60 Independent Secondary Schools (Duzhongs) throughout the country. MICSS is part of the Chinese mother-tongue education movement, which protests against the Government's assimilation policy on school education, safeguards the mother tongue education, and aspires to achieve democracy in education and society. The characters of social movement are embedded in Duzhongs since the day they were established. Therefore, professionalization of Duzhongs' teachers is more than 'professionlaization of a mere teacher'. The special context in which Duzhongs and the teachers encounter needs to be taken into full account.In view of the special background and context of Duzhongs, the thesis looks into the professional development of Duzhongs' teacher by the following questions: What kind of teacher and teacher professional development is necessary for the Duzhongs? Why is autonomous professional development a necessity for Duzhongs? What are the meanings of autonomous professional development for MICSS and Duzhongs' teacher? What are the influential factors in autonomous professional development of Duzhongs' teacher? How to realize autonomous professional development of Duzhongs' teacher?The thesis consists of 4 chapters. The first chapter explains the concept and autonomous professional development of teacher, and the conditions needed for autonomous professional development. The term 'autonomous' is the core element of autonomous professional development. The professional development of teacher is autonomous only when teacher him/herself to be the subject along the way of professionlization. There are three main characteristics of teacher's autonomous professional development: the needs for development come from within the teacher and are aware by the teacher, the content of the development program is exclusively teacher-based, and, the teacher is an independent and responsible subject towards his/her professional development. In short, autonomous professional development of teacher is that of the teacher, by the teacher, and through the teacher. Further on, the realization conditions specifically for autonomous professional development are discussed in this chapter. They are conditions on individual teacher regarding the teacher's identity, and, his/her ideal of education and life. The school conditions that are conducive for autonomous professional development are school's autonomy and democratic school management.The second chapter elaborates two distinctive characteristics of Duzhongs after reviewing its history and current situation, the appeals for democracy and school's autonomy. The impact of these two characteristics on Duzhong's teachers and their profession development are crucial. Duzhong's teachers are not recognized by Malaysia Government, and are excluded from the community of government school teachers. Thus, Duzhong's teachers are all by themselves. The hardship that Duzhong's teachers undergo is undoubtedly detrimental to the teachers and their profession as well. Critical reflection on the reality is necessary to break through the disadvantages and unfavorable situation they encounter. The social and political elements hidden under the reality of Duzhong is to be revealed. Besides, the contribution of teachers and the role they play in transforming a more democratic society and school education must not be overlooked. As for the teacher professional development, since there is no governmental teacher education institution for Duzhong's teacher, the community of Duzhong's teachers comprises of graduates from various educational backgrounds and qualifications. The current situation needs a way out as Duzhong's teachers move on towards the goal of profession. In relation to the above-mentioned circumstances, a sense of subjectivity of Duzhong's teachers is to be cultivated. How to prepare the Duzhong's teachers for the so-called 'transformative intellectual' is then a crucial task lays ahead the teacher professional development program.The third chapter contains the findings of questionnaire and literature review, to reveal problems in Duzhong's teacher autonomous professional development. They are: ordinary identity embraced by the Duzhong's teacher, the weak sense of subjectivity, limited professional autonomy, and technical and efficient oriented in-service training programs. Apparently, the causes of these problems lie in the special context of Duzhong that are understandable, but they are obstacles along the way of teacher's autonomous professional development which are unfavorable to the development of the sense and ability of teacher's autonomy.Accordingly, the fourth chapter proposes some strategies for Duzhongs' teachers' autonomous professional development: establishing a professional subjective identity of Duzhongs' teacher, cultivating the humanity qualities of teachers, renewing the notion of in-service training, and forming organization of Duzhong's teacher. In the last section of the chapter, two cases of autonomous professional development of an individual teacher and a Duzhong is studied respectively with the objectives of providing other teachers and Duzhongs some practical experiences towards autonomous professional development.