Interactions Between Objective And Subjective Factors Of Teacher Professionalization

The concept of professionalization is one of the key topics in the oratory of today's school reform in the Republic of Congo.Teachers,being at the fueling crux of the educational system,it is therefore vital to look at various key essentials that concur to developing their professional capabilities.The goal of this study was to tackle and establish holistically the interactions between objective and subjective factors in the process of teacher professionalization.This research made use of semi-structured-in-depth interviews and document mining as data sources,to descriptively explore the stakes of teacher professionalization,from a general context to specifically that of the Congo Republic,the objective and subjective factors in the context of this study,and establish the relatedness of these factors and how both affect teachers in the process of professionalization.Six main themes emerged from the data analysis:(a)motivational aspects of becoming a teacher;(b)motivational features of staying in the teaching industry;(c)traits to raising the status of teachers;(d)relational traits between the psychological working environment and the beliefs,attitudes and professional identities of teachers;(e)relational factors between the social reputation and the beliefs,attitude & autonomy of teachers;(f)relational trends between the government responsibilities and teacher development.The results confirmed,authenticated and validated the research hypotheses as pre-understood and emitted by the researcher.In fact,the preponderance of the teaching population constituting the educational system of the Republic of the Congo,especially in primary schools,did not join the teaching industry vocation based;but both majority non-vocation based teachers,and vocation based minority teachers encounter most demotivating problems along their carrier,related to poor objective conditions,and such reality clear their motivational features to stay longer in the teaching industry.That is the reason why most Congolese teachers fail to display professionalism in the undertaking of their duties.Still in the light of the interviews conducted,the findings of this study also showed that the prestige and social standing of teachers is currently at its lowest state,and most teachers are displeased of their current status that they consider very low,especially in the primary education sector,and they all pointed at the government's responsibility,that has a major part to play,in raising the status of teachers in the Republic of the Congo.A part from the poor payroll experienced at the education sector,and non-encouraging school climate,the findings also pointed that teachers themselves are addicted to some antivalues behaviors damaging the more their social recognition in the society.As well the findings of this study reiterated the incredible part of implication of government to redefine and implement policies that will enforce the enhancement of objective conditions such as good working and teaching conditions,school safe and sound climate and the social reputation of teachers,in order to facilitate the subjective factors including the teachers ‘attitude and morality,professional identities of teachers,and the teachers' beliefs and autonomy;and when both factors act interactively,the result will definitely foster the process of teacher development.Finally,recommendatory initiatives were made to the attention of policy makers,educational leaders and the teaching force,and others suggested areas of studies were projected on the basis of this research.