How Principals in "Hard-to-Staff" Schools Construct Graduate Teacher "Readiness": The Importance of Context

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  In Roundtable Session: International Perspectives and Measures Examining Critical Issues of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Leadership (Table 4)

Abstract

Global debate about teacher ‘quality’ has occurred alongside growing external professional regulation and auditing, including in Australia, where this study is located and where teacher shortages have given graduate teachers’ professional ‘readiness’ new impetus as a ‘quality’ indicator. In this paper, we present findings about how 12 principals of ‘hard-to-staff’ Australian schools constructed ways of saying, being and doing graduate teacher ‘readiness’ in their schools as a social identity with a strong ethical dimension. Our findings represent graduate teacher ‘readiness’ as a contingent and ongoing process of becoming that differs markedly from the fixed one-size-fits all ‘classroom readiness’ that limits education policy. We conclude with implications for enhancing education policy, particularly in terms of graduate teacher ‘quality’.

Authors

• Juliana M. Ryan, La Trobe University

• Babak Dadvand, La Trobe University

• Steve Murphy, La Trobe University