Resilient Teachers, Resilient Schools: Building and Sustaining Quality in Testing Times

Abstract

I begin this paper by considering the learning entitlements of every student in every school in every country of the world. I believe that each one has an entitlement not only to the provision of educational opportunities, but also to be taught by teachers who, as well as being knowledgeable about curriculum and pedagogically adept, are constant and persistent in their commitment to encouraging their students to learn and achieve, regardless of the students’ own motivation and existing knowledge or ability; and who are themselves demonstrably passionate about their own learning. In one sense, these are self-evident truths about the core task of every teacher to engage students in learning which will assist them in their personal, social and intellectual development. In another sense, however, the ambitions which are embedded in these truths will not always be easy to achieve consistently over a 30 year career span.