Professional Teacher Theoretical Review

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CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter covers a priory logical truth of the meaning of teachers‟ lived experiences in their professional development. It covers a theoretical review, which is to clarify concept and their relations. The theoretical descriptions include the theories o f a professional teacher, teachers‟ lived experiences, self-construction, teachers‟ professional development, senior high school, and teaching English in non-English speaking countries, particularly, Indonesia.

A. Theoretical Review

In this part, there are descriptions on several theories supporting this study. The discussions below are the explanation of theories of a professional teacher, teachers‟ lived experiences, self-construction, teachers‟ professional development, senior high school, and teaching English in non-English speaking countries. In relation with the trustworthiness of the study, the researchers considered to set aside the pre-understanding bracketing. The lived-experience text are authentive, not tainted by the res eacher‟s pre-understanding.

1. Professional Teacher

Teachers are believed to be educational practitioners, who play an important role in determining the effectiveness of the teaching learning process. In line with this 14 responsibility, particular standards to support the quality are strongly needed. This necessary condition, which focuses on almost all the activities that derive from the theory of teaching into practice, needs particular concern. The new pride in professionalism takes the perspective that teachers are not slaves to rules and routines established in state education departments and textbook publishing houses. Rather, they are reflective decision makers, selecting objectives, and teaching procedures to meet the needs of different learners. They must know their subject matter, learning theory, research on different teaching methodologies, and techniques for curriculum development. This view provides the rationale for transforming teaching into a true profession. Sadker, 1997. This framework states that teachers need to be concerned more on developing themselves with a positive attitude such as being self-reflective to meet with their own needs and their students‟ improvement. This self-improvement then can be useful to be applied in their concept of teaching. The concept of teaching indeed is about the ways or the sequences techniques can deliver or transfer the knowledge to the learners. Brown states that it is “the ways in which a body of knowledge should be structured so that it can be most readily grasped by the learner” Brown, 2000:5. It includes the experience in choosing appropriate methods and instructions. Since it derives theories into practices, good consideration is strongly needed. Along with a necessary condition of an effective teaching learning process, teachers need to expand their paradigm to an improvement or development of their proficiency. It is because teachers are designers of instruction, managers of instruction, guides of instruction, evaluators of student learning, and counselors Crooks, 2000. The improvement will enrich teachers in doing their responsibility. 15 Furthermore, the characteristics of teachers also have a specific influence on doing and sustaining their tasks. According to Banner Jr. and Canon, teachers need to be consistent and acknowledged, sociable, mature with an edge, distinct and individual, and also abstract-concrete Banner Jr. and Cannon, 1997. Being good language teachers can be very helpful to the development of the profession. It essentially motivates teachers to improve and upgrade their proficiency. It will lead teachers “to think about problems, ideas, goals, purposes, beliefs, understandings, and proceeds about their business by doing what comes naturally. They are the expression of his thoughts, hopes, and goals” Combs, 1965:23. The participation of critical thinking, self-upgrading, self-subordination, and professional citizenship are the characteristics of good teachers Allen, 1980. A professional teacher is also closely interchanged with change. In relation with change, teachers must maintain their personal qualities which includes honesty, responsibility, tolerance for fallibility, lack of blame, tolerance for ignorance, a sense of responsibility, power, courage, vision, insight, realism, open-self image, self-indulgence, resourcefulness, flexibility, and diplomacy” Guy, 1989:92-102. Teachers need to develop characteristics which are called base values which cover vision, stability, energy, clarity, coherence, and also the quality of communication and community Guy, 1989. In Indonesia, teacher development has become a particular concern. Indeed, it is stated in the national education framework. The government has established the decree of the National Education Minister of the Republic of Indonesia No.15, 2008, which contains specific standard competences to supplement academic requirements 16 that must be fulfilled by all teachers in all educational levels in order to be professional teachers. Those specific competences are pedagogic competence, personal competence, social competence, and professional competence. Pedagogic competence covers an understanding of the educational foundation, learners‟ characteristics, curriculumsyllabus, lesson plan, education, dialogic implementation, evaluation, and self-actualization. Meanwhile, personal competence focuses on the characteristics that the teacher should develop in being a teacher, which includes spirituality, maturity, stability, and so on. Social competences focus more on using oral and written communication, applying communication technology and information functionally, and having effective relationships with colleagues, parents, students, and society. Moreover, professional competence covers the concepts, structures, methods, and materials stated in a curriculum, the relationship with any subject-matter, the implementation of science concepts in daily life and global competence with the national culture and values Jejen, 2011. Professional teachers are those who are well-educated and trained and have competencies which cover knowledge, attitudes, and professional skills Kusnandar, 2009. The consideration is also on personal, social, intellectual, moral, and spiritual responsibilities. Moreover, professional teachers also need to have professional qualifications, subject matter knowledge, communicative knowledge, creative and productive personalities, high commitment, and continuous improvement Sidi 2003, as in Kusnandar, 2009. Meanwhile, according to Purwanto, good teachers need to be fair, believe in their students, be well-behaved, be cheerful, build good relationships 17 with colleagues and society, master the subject-matter, and have extensive knowledge Purwanto, 2002, as in Kusnandar, 2009. In the Education Act Number 23, 2003, teachers need to be creative, be dynamic, be dialogic, have a commitment to improve the educational quality, and maintain the quality of improvement. In the National Government Act No.19, 2005, it also states that teachers should have sufficient academic qualifications, which are being physically and mentally healthy and also competences in order to achieve the national education purpose. The competences include pedagogic, personal, professional, and social competence Kusnandar, 2009. It is supported by the teacher certification program. Teacher certification is the process of certifying teachers in order to fulfill the qualifications and competence standards Kusnandar, 2009. The National Education Ministry Act states that professional teachers will create high quality education as well as intellectual and competitive humans. Glickman 1991 states that to be a professional, teachers need to have high competence and commitment as in Mulyasa, 2007. Teachers need to be aware of their responsibilities. As educators and teachers, they need to master subject-matter aspects and curriculum and have good personalities. They also need to have communicating and collaborating abilities. As leaders, teachers must have leadership abilities. Meanwhile, as administrators, teachers should understand the educational management as well as understand learning strategies and their stude nts‟ abilities Mulyasa, 2007. Act No.14, 2005, about teachers and lectures, also states that teachers should have talent, passion, idealism, commitment to improve the education quality, religiosity, specific academic 18 qualifications and educational level, required competencies, responsibilities, proper income, continuous professional development, law protection toward their profession, and professional organization Mulyasa, 2007. Professional teachers need to have abilities to create a conducive teaching and learning environment, develop learning strategies and management, give feedback and reinforcement, and maintain self- improvement Mulyasa, 2007.

2. Teachers’ Lived Experiences