Bold, Rude and Risky: Rethinking Educational Professionalism

Abstract

The Scottish Charter Teacher initiative to develop and recognise accomplished teaching is unique among such schemes, and offers exciting possibilities with its emphases on professional enquiry, collaboration, social justice, and especially teacher leadership. However, it is argued here that some troubling issues need attention if the CT movement is to achieve the impact of its promise. Problematic silences in its discourse may lead to more parochial rather than more expansive teaching; structural gaps in its implementation threaten its sustainability; and a certain timidity in the Standard steers away from the most compelling issues for public education and teaching. This discussion suggests that we consider ways of encouraging teaching to be more bold, rude and risky. The intent here is to provoke useful questions about how we all might better support educational professionalism for global complexity.