The Professional Identity and Status of the Advanced Skills Teacher

• In Event: 35.082 - Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: 35.082-27 - Division I Roundtable A: Professional Identity

Abstract

Even though public opinion positions teachers second only to doctors and nurses in terms of their professional status and prestige research in the UK suggests that teachers still believe that they have much lower status than other professions. The Advanced Skill Teacher grade was introduced in 1998 as a means to recognise and reward teaching expertise and also raisE the status of the teaching profession. Using survey data from 849 ASTs and in depth interviews with 31, this paper seeks to explores the ways that the AST designation impacts or not on teachers’ perceptions of their professional identity. The results from this research suggest that recognising the skills and expertise of teachers is clearly important in supporting teacher retention.

Authors

• Carol Fuller, The University of Reading

• Andrew C. Goodwyn, University of Reading