Teachers' Professional Growth

Teachers’ professional growth

Professional development is one of the paramount features of study and investigation within the educational field. This assignment aims at analysing Howley, A. and Howley, C. (2005) viewpoint on this issue. Besides, specific use of discourse markers included in the article is examined.
According to Howley & Howley (2005) policymakers and educators agree that professional development is needed for a better learning and teaching situation. However, there is no positive evidence of practical and meaningful changes within the classrooms after participating in professional development. Thus, an appropriate selection of the correct type of professional Development is suggested to benefit not only teachers’ growth but also students’ success.
As regards discourse markers and their functions included in Howley & Howley’s (2005) text, we can mention the following:
• But / and: connective conjunction
• (even)Though / Despite: conjunction used to emphasise contrast
• In addition / Furthermore / Moreover: connectors used to add relevant information
• However: conjunctive adverb to introduce / connect clauses
• So: conjunctive
• Nevertheless: Conjunctive adverb to connect clauses
• As a result / therefore: connectors to show consequence/ reason.
• That: subordinating conjunction to join and independent clause and a dependent one.
• Because (of): subordinating conjunction to join an independent and a dependent one.
Concerning Teachers’ enrichment, Howley & Howley (2005) claim that focusing on some TQM (Total Quality Management) techniques, strategies and / or skills there has been some kind of improvement as regards the setting of criterion for teachers’ performance continuous assessment. This orientation favours professional development. An eminent example of this would be The Malcolm Baldrige program.






Reference
Howley, A, & Howley C. B. (2005). High-Quality Teaching: Providing for Rural Teacher’s Professional Development. The Rural Educator.