En legitimering av läraryrket
Kan det höja statusen?
In May 2008, the Swedish Government proclaimed several proposals in order to increase the status of the teaching profession. One of the proposals was that each teacher should be obligated to obtain a "teaching license" to be allowed to teach. The license/certification will guarantee that the teacher has the sufficient knowledge of pedagogy and subject obtained from University. The existing teachers who do not hold a proper certification today will be given a certain time period to attain one. The teachers that are certificated teachers but that are giving lessons in subjects not certificated in will be given a chance to obtain the proper knowledge of the subject. Newly graduates must perform a year of teaching under the supervision of a mentor before becoming certified teachers. Teachers that have been active in more than six years has the possibility to become "Särskilt kvalificerade lärare", which means the teacher will receive more responsibilities in the school and therefore will be higher compensated.The theory I have used in the memo is Bourdieus? division of capital, which is dividing professions after capital. According to his classification, teachers have a higher culture capital (knowledge and education) than economical, which might explain the professions current status in the society today.The method I used in the memo was to interview three teachers and a principal at a school in one of the western suburbs of Stockholm to see their point of view of the Government?s proposals. The teachers and the principal interviewed were positive to the Governments proposals and thought that a teaching license/certification could contribute to a higher status of the teaching profession. By eliminating not certificated teachers and at the same time demand a higher subject competence among teachers will contribute to boost the professions status in the society. The interviewees were, however, questioning how the certification will be adapted in real life and how it shall be financed.