Changes in the field of teaching profession? The limits of leadership.

Abstract

The transfer of responsibility to schools that could be observed in recent years has gone hand in hand in most Swiss cantons with the introduction of school management boards (Schulleitungen). This has created opportunities for a pro- fessional career for teachers, which has long existed in other countries. However, previous efforts to establish career opportunities or role differentiations in Switzerland have encountered resistance from teachers and, as a consequence, neither professional associations nor public authorities dealt seriously with these concepts. In the context of the above-mentioned new framework, a research project at IZB (Institute for International Cooperation in Education) studied how the groups involved position themselves today with respect to the introduc- tion of career schemes and to what extent the former resistance is still wide- spread. Teachers from different levels in compulsory schools in four German-speaking cantons were interviewed using questionnaires. Furthermore, in-depth interviews were conducted with teachers as well as with representatives of administrations and professional associations. The results of the study show that an overwhelming majority of teachers is in principle in favour of the introduction of career schemes. However, the results also show that very different expectations are attached to these schemes, raising the question as to what extent pedagogical leadership is feasible in the existing professional culture in Switzerland. Finally, the results reveal that teachers are in principle willing to take on pedagogical leadership.