Summary of "Where do teachers fit"

Summary of “Accountability: Where do Teachers Fit?”

In "Accountability: Where do Teachers Fit?" Lorna Earl explores the impact that accountability has for classroom teachers. She acknowledges the policies and larger notions of accountability but focuses her text specifically on teachers.

Earl starts off by looking at the analysis of educational institutions around the world that was done by Geoff Whitty and his colleagues (1977) where they found many common denominators after governments 'reshaped education' using policy and accountability. Some of the changes include centralized assessment schemes, more power to parents, and standards for student learning (Earl 2001). The legislators in this situation has "capitalized on the concerns of a nervous public" (Earl 2001) in order to get the results they want at negotiation tables. The legislators believe the issue is purely accountability but it is unusual for accountability to have clear definitions. Earl suggests that the push for government mandates and large scale assessments can have both positive and negative effects but this type of accountability is not where the focus should be. The public worries that education quality is getting worse, but there is “still strong support for teachers" (Earl 2001) without whom no educational issues can be fixed. It is the teachers that have influence in the classroom and ultimately determine the effectiveness of instruction. Instead, it should be on the professional accountability of teachers. Earl lists the important questions to ask when discussing accountability as: Who is accountable? To whom? For what? In what manner? Under what circumstances? (Earl 2001).

Accountable to whom?
A teacher is most importantly accountable to students and parents but teachers also have responsibilities to their school districts, society, legislatures, and professional organizations. Students are teachers most important responsibility primarily because parents entrust teachers to "teach and guide them... because of their professional expertise and knowledge" (Earl 2001).
Accountable for what?

Teachers should only have professional accountability over things that they can control. They have a responsibility to be a 'quality teacher' meaning they need to know their discipline well and keep up with the increasing knowledge base in their subjects. Teachers need to be able to use a variety of assessment methods and understand different learning styles. Teachers need to create bonds with and among students in their classes and be responsive to students from a variety of backgrounds, and cultures. Teachers are also responsible for demonstrating life-long learning and meta-learning.
Teachers are also responsible to provide an equitable environment in their classroom so that students from diverse backgrounds can succeed. Earl suggests that students need not only become literate and numerate but also able to work in groups, individually, and be able to "confront messy, unpredictable tasks" (Earl 2001). Teachers must teach in a way that prepares students for these types of tasks and creates equity so all can succeed. Earl recognizes that the difference in school opportunities and high-quality teachers accounts for a lot of the discrepancies in student achievement. Equity, then, calls teachers to provide certain material and approaches for students. It calls teachers to pace activities according to student needs and to provide clear feedback to all students. Teachers need to ensure that alternatives are available so that all students are set up for success.

Respectful and open relationships are a key factor of successful accountability. This means that educators and people paying for education need to be conversing clearly and transparently about issues and successes in education. These conversations should include teacher, student and parent voices that share the responsibility of delivering information. Another important component that teachers are accountable for is the use of time within a classroom. Both teachers and students need to use their classroom time wisely and be completely focused and engaged in classroom activities if they want to find deep enjoyment in learning.

Accountable in what manner?
The manner in which teaching takes place needs to be fair and knowledgeable. As well, the manner in which teachers interact with parents and students needs to be fair and knowledgeable. This creates the mutual support necessary to have a properly functioning public education system. These conversations need to be occurring on a regular basis and include discussions of learning, success, and student aspirations. Creating positive relationships includes making students partners of learning, responding to parent needs, developing fair assessments, using emotional intelligence and investing in their own learning. These activities draw students, parents and teachers together so that difficult conversations can be had in a productive way.

Accountable under what conditions?
Earl highlights the environments that make it difficult for teachers, parents and students to have productive and informative conversations. She stresses the importance of quality, equity, openness and efficiency in learning because it makes it more likely that the conversations and relationships between teachers, parents and students will be successful and productive. These are some actions teachers can take to attend to their professional accountability.