The evolution of professionalism - Centre for Policy Studies in ...

As Tymchak (2001) has noted, this concept borrows generously from the
community schools philosophy (discussed in greater depth later in this chapter).
At the centre of the debate around the SchoolPLUS report is concern over the
expansion of teachers’ role that has taken place over the last several decades.
Tymchak (2001) argues in the report that teachers need to get on with teaching.
They will need to work with other social service providers, referring students to
these other professionals to meet their total.
The Task Force fi nds the notion inescapable that the role of the teacher must be
clarifi ed if public education is to fulfi l the mission and expectations we as a society
have created for it.…We believe that it is vital within this expanded environment
for teachers to attend to teaching and learning….If we want teachers to do much
more, then inevitably there will be less teaching and learning, and there is
evidence to suggest that has already begun to happen.…Teachers will…need to
confer with other professionals, parents and community service personnel, but
the focus of their own efforts should be to promote learning (pp. 73-74).
The STF (2001) stated that this redefi ned role for teachers would not diminish
their work; they would have to learn to work in different ways to meet the needs
of children, in consulting and planning with others. As the STF has noted, “a
re-focused professional role for teachers will not mean, however, a return to the
traditional set of responsibilities…Teachers will also be expected to spend more of
their time working with parents, colleagues, and professionals from other sectors”
(p. 7). It is unclear how the government plans to bring about such a shift in teachers’
roles. Clearly, additional or realigned funding and human service coordination will
be required to relieve teachers of some of their extra-teaching responsibilities.
The RSTF Report argued for an expanded role for school-based administrators,
a redefi ned role that is anything but subtle.
Implicit within the support framework that will help teachers focus on the task
of public education is a changed and expanded role for in-school administrators.
The new role is nothing less than coordinating the full range of human services
available to children and youth. (Tymchak, 2001, p. 75)
The STF (2001) has expressed concern about the proposed expansion of the inschool
administrator’s role, arguing that it has the potential to make in-school
administrators more managers of social services than educators who are responsible
for the learning of children and youth.
For teachers who are principals, the changes to their current responsibilities will
be, if anything, even more substantial….Much of their (principals’) time will be
spent on the coordination of services in their schools.…This is a very tall order
for anyone to fi ll, especially for individuals who, as leaders in instruction and
professional development, already have a full agenda. (pp. 8-10)
The government of Saskatchewan (2002) signalled its concurrence with the
primary recommendations of the RSTF Report. In particular, the government agreed
that “schools serve as centres at the community level of the delivery of appropriate
social, health, recreation, culture, justice and other services for children and their
families” (p. 1). Further, the government response outlined key areas for education
52 Section 2: The Prairies