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Carol HordattGentlesMairetteNewmanMarcelineCollins-FigueroaVileithaDavis-MorrisonLornaDownR E S E A R C H F O R D E V E L O P M E N T 2 0 1 1Understanding Teacher Professionalismin JamaicaI n the current context of educational transformation,policies tend to focus on accountability, quality assurance,and improved educational quality. Internationalresearch suggests that there is a strong link betweenquality in education and how teachers view and conductthemselves as professionals. The professionalization ofteachers’ work is therefore a key concern.Towards a Shared Vision of Teacher ProfessionalismUnfortunately, in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, howteachers think about their work as professionals and theeffect of this on their actual teaching is not a subject thathas been well-researched. In other words, we do notknow how our teachers conceptualize professionalism.We do not know what principles and norms are guidingtheir practice. We do not know what motivates theircommitment to the teaching profession or what factorsinfluence this commitment. It seems therefore thatthere is an urgent need to find out from teachers whattheir thinking is in regard to their practice, their level ofcommitment and standards for teaching. This type ofinformation is needed to improve our understanding ofteacher professionalism and can be very helpful for givingteachers a voice in the process of developing standardsfor teaching and the work of teachers.30 31