European Journal of Education Studies
ISSN: 2501 - 1111
ISSN-L: 2501 - 1111
Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu
10.5281/zenodo.166340
Volume 2│Issue 9│2016
A STUDY REGARDING GREEK TEACHERS DURING
ECONOMIC AUSTERITY
Efrosyni-Alkisti Paraskevopoulou-Kolliai
University of Thessaly, Greece
Abstract:
This article deals with teachers’ feelings about teaching through their personal beliefs
and experiences. We tried to reveal the relationship between some of the factors
operating in the context of a teacher’s work, the constraints on her/his freedom of action
and judgement, teachers’ classroom practice and the possible rewards and the stresses
that s/he experiences every day during economic austerity measures. It looks at the
teacher as a person as well as a professional. The previously mentioned targets are
undertaken through semi-structured (and e-mail) interviews with teachers during 20152016 and are based on the main idea of our Master’s thesis (we asked the same
questions to teachers nowadays). The common ground and the differences across
respondents’ answers are identified.
Keywords: teaching, economic austerity, Greek education
Introduction
«There have been many steps in understanding teaching and the parameters that jointly
shape it. At the same time it is acknowledged that no analysis, however systematic it may
be, cannot fully attribute [...] the personality called "teacher"»
S(Papanaoum, 2003: 40).
Teaching is not a perfunctory procedure and being a teacher/educator is not an easy job.
Teachers’ voices could have been heard more (Majumdar, 2011 and see also Elbaz,
2005). We tried to give teachers the opportunity to express themselves, talk freely about
Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved
Published by Open Access Publishing Group ©2015.
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Efrosyni-Alkisti Paraskevopoulou-Kollia A STUDY REGARDING GREEK TEACHERS DURING ECONOMIC AUSTERITY
the experiences and relate these personal experiences to events and their context in
between economic crisis. From this main speculation derived the questions that were
used in the interviews that have been held. The questions asked are the same questions
that we asked one decade ago for the research that we conducted for our Master’s thesis
to teachers. We thought that it would be of great interest to ask the same questions to
other teachers some years after, in the heart of economic crisis for Greece.
Teachers’ feelings and professional profile
Dusek, Hall and Meyers' (1985) expectancy theory defined teacher’s aspirations, as well
as students’ resultant effort to attain those aspirations. Bruner also (1982) writes that the
confluence point between emotions, cognition and action is the culture (or, according to
others, the social environment) and defines the conditions under which persons
formulate their emotions, desires, actions, and behaviour in general. The aspirations
and expectations of teachers and students, the need for learning, and the environment,
constitute therefore elements that directly affect the teaching process. In concordance to
the above, Moyles, Suschitzky and Chapman wrote (1998) that the relationship between
teachers and pupils is formed by the different social contexts, in which every part of this
relationship lives reality.
Apart from the reality regarding the relationship between teachers and pupils,
there is also in-classroom reality. Teachers face complex in-classroom situations and
need to interpret all kind of possible meanings directly and, also be aware of ‘teaching
never equals learning’ (Doverborg and Pramling, 1996: 44). In the teacher-pupil
interaction the teacher should assert her/his role in keeping up an environment suitable
for her/him to teach and in which the individual pupils will operate with respect
towards each other and towards the educator. This is not always easy and the teachers
should possess competences which will allow them to manage in-classroom
environment (see Marton, 1980). A classroom is a place where the teacher and the
pupils function as a group. That means that teachers trying to teach in a better way
have to reflect firstly upon themselves and their performance (Baird, in Russell and
Munby, 1995).
Teaching is not what we think it is or what we see that it is (see Clark and
Peterson, 1986). One could claim that they are restricted and “imprisoned” in a
background (professionalism). Teacher professionalism has been a precarious matter;
when we think of teachers, we have to consider the governments, the bureaucracies that
arise around them and during the educational procedure (Goodson and Hargreaves,
1996). Government claims that a teacher should always work for the curriculum, but
what actually happens is the redirection of the teachers’ job (Papanaoum, 2003).
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Teachers’ low social and professional image should be examined in conjunction
with the stereotypical ideas of the Greek professional structure. As Pirgiotakis (1992)
mentions, the higher the socioeconomic the background of the person is, the lower the
respect s/he has for the teaching profession.
It should be considered that teachers are being criticized in to as a professional
group and not as individuals, fact which seems to be perfectly normal for every other
professional. Teachers are trapped in the ethics of their work code (deriving from the
state) and end up facing dilemmas concerning the conflict between their personal goals
and their dependent work relation (Paraskevopoulou – Kollia, 2009).
Methodology
This small-scale study was based on interviews with Greek teachers, enquiring about
their perspectives and feelings on teaching. It reflects the research that was held on
2015-2016. We thought that it would be necessary to view the above mentioned in the
contemporary context, Greek austerity, ceteris paribus. In order to do that we asked
some questions to ten Greek, nursery and primary, school teachers. It is important to
note that the results cannot be generalized –due to the small sample-, but there are some
interesting findings that we believe are worth mentioning.
Semi-structured interviews
Oppenheim (1992) has written that interviewing is ‘art’, which demands the meaning of
words such as adaptability, graciousness, and truthfulness, but also flexibility,
creativity and friendliness. Interviews in general give the ability to reveal and approach
people’s individual conceptualizations and are the most ‘common and powerful way’ to
comprehend people’s thinking (Fontana and Frey, 1994: 361). In this research we used
semi-structured interviews. They were taken from May 2015 to May 2016. Semistructured interviews are low-cost and they can appear to be a rapid method for
gathering information from individuals (Meho, 2006; Blomberg, et al., 1993).
“Semi-structured interview schedule acknowledges that not every word has the same
meaning to every respondent and not every respondent uses the same vocabulary.”
(Treece and Treece, in Barriball and While, 1994: 330)
Finally, mistrust or trust between the researcher and the interviewee is always
interlinked and therefore, by introducing an element of our own personal experiences,
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we confirm that the imperative need for a researcher to remain neutral and objective is
not always possible to meet (See also Rubin and Rubin, 1995: 12).
Using semi-structured e-mail Interviews
Semi-structured e-mail interviews have the possibility to give access to world-wide
samples simultaneously (Meho, 2006; Coomber, 1997). The researcher has the
opportunity to ‘eliminate any errors introduced through in correct transcription’ and
work on the exact words the respondent wrote (http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk/SRU21.html,
Selwyn and Robson, 1998) fact requiring little changes on ‘editing or formatting before
they are processed for analysis’ (Meho, 2006). E-mail interviews give the opportunity to
the respondents to answer when they feel they want to, being ‘calm and without
tension’ (Olivero and Lunt, 2004: 104), but time of response may be an element that
plays crucial role (see also Kivits, 2005). An immediate response pre-requires being in a
good mood for participating in the research and feeling secured (see also Meho, 2006). If
it takes long to respond the possibility of not participating or even be frustrated –both
the interviewer and the interviewee- could be a reality (Hodgson, 2004).
The sample
The sample consisted of primary and nursery teachers. There were in total ten persons.
All interviews were taken via e-mail. The time chosen for the interviews was decided
after telephoning or e-mailing them. All teachers who were interviewed accepted at
once to be involved in the research.
Teachers were chosen due to our personal experience that they are the ones
whose social image is not highly appreciated (since they deal with infants and young
children) (see also Korzcak, in Hoegemann, 2000: 54).
We knew most of the teachers quite well and they introduced us to their
colleagues, so as to interview them, as well, so no fear, or hesitation, appeared through
the interviews via e-mails. No event that needs to be highlighted was spotted.
Language affecting problems
The answers were in Greek and, in fact, there were some difficulties in transferring and
analysing the exact meaning of the words spoken. Some terms could not be accurately
translated. We tried to analyse the given data through being as accurate as possible;
through presenting the respondents’ points of view and expression.
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Findings
Discussion
The findings of this study have come from interviews that took place from May 2015 to
May 2016. The interview schedule comprises of twelve questions, which refer to
teachers’ feelings and experience through teaching. The analysis and comparison is
made between emotions, experiences, stresses, rewards, viewpoints and opinions
expressed and felt by teachers, in relation to each question. Each respondent gave their
own unique and personal answers, even though similarities were not uncommon.
To sum up, Filias (1994) has written that the answers, which derive from
sciences, are always hypothetical. Trochim (2002) has mentioned that we have the
tendency to generalise even though we usually contact individuals and, what we
should never forget is the fact that we are human beings and we interpret what we
study under our own theoretical and empirical prism. This small scale research is aware
of that; we tried not to homogenise and generalise the data and seeked to offer to the
reader a deeper understanding of the real meaning of teaching, via every-day life
experience and economic austerity (by trying to expel our personal attitude from the
data’s analysing procedure).
1.
Defining teaching (Could you, please, give me your definition of what
teaching is?)
Teachers talked about communication, transmission of knowledge, values, behaviour.
They defined teaching as a complex procedure that combines theoretical knowledge
and techniques, which help themselves, apart from their pupils. But teaching is not only
nice theories and “warm” experiences; it is also demanding and ambiguous regarding
the teaching material. They underlined that since 2010 Greece is in austerity and this
could not be underestimated for their profession and their everyday life.
o In the recent years, the ailing economy is taking its toll on teachers, who feel
morally and financially devalued. However, the overwhelming majority
continue to endeavour to deliver better teaching.
o The response could be multi-dimensional. I will limit it around the “definition”
that underpins my own effort with my students: teaching within the framework
of an education system is the organised, systematic effort by adults to support
their children as the latter are growing up, both at academic level (at least with
regard to the subjects that we regard as important – the range of which is beyond
the scope of this article), as well as at the level of personal and social skills. The
objective is to make the children feel safe and capable of learning, both within the
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class and in the wider context of the school; to empower them to move on,
beyond their starting points. Of course, this process is of learning value also to
me, an adult teaching professional.
o Teaching is the transfer of knowledge and skills from teacher to student. During
recent years, this procedure continues but the economic reality absorbs teachers’
empowerment, and so, they feel morally and economically degraded… the
majority tries hard for the best teaching.
o To teach is to transfer knowledge, behaviours and skills, to train the children’s
critical abilities and to cultivate their beliefs and life views. However, I feel
disappointed and anxious with the latest political events, which will inevitably
affect the way my job is done.
2 and 3. Understanding children’s learning process (How do you think children of
this age learn?)
Within the framework of answering this question, teachers mentioned that children
learn through experience, through acting upon things, observing; individuality and
personal elements play a key role in learning. However, the most important criterion
for learning is its post-cognitive utilization, i.e. children’s ability to use and explain
what they have learnt. Teachers also mentioned the eye ‘signals’ received from their
pupils; they referred to the information that they gain from pupils’ eyes.
The following remarks made by respondents are worth noting:
o If s/he can explain to the teacher or a classmate then that means that s/he has
completely conquered knowledge.
o Considering whether the information that I offer s/he can properly use it her/his
daily life.
o It depends on the learning object and the target that I set by teaching it.
o When working on something new, I pay attention to children’s eyes and the
expression of their faces. Also, in some subjects I may be coming back often with
questions / exercises etc., the answers to which we associate with the past,
helping us to move to new knowledge and to identify what we understand and
what not. Based on my observations, I plan my route and I rate (in large classes
of primary school).
o The questions that children make help me a lot; due to them I understand to
what extent they have reached an understanding. Regarding the most
introverted and weak children, I ask them privately and discreetly either in the
classroom or during the brakes. From their response, primarily, and, secondarily,
from what they say, I jump to my conclusions.
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o I check if the child manifests the learned object in everyday life, in the classroom,
in her/his relationship with the members of our team etc.
o From their eyes… also, if her/his attitude regarding the desired direction, if s/he
seems more certain in actions that we do in the classroom…
4.
Ability and willingness of matching teaching to children’s needs (How far are
you able to match your teaching to their needs?)
Teachers’ answers referred to the need of communicating, building bridges and
interacting with pupils. But they also referred to the relative autonomy that they gain
because of the curriculum and because of the minimum means that they have during
teaching. One teacher mentioned that sometimes it seems difficult to handle situations
in which teaching profession and teachers are undermined; the fact is that during
economic austerity families feel they have to express dissatisfaction and the easiest way
to do it is to respond negatively to people who are civil servants and easily accessible,
so as teachers (see also Clwyd and Hart, 2013, Lipsky, 2010).
o The curriculum does not leave much room for that to happen, since it is still not
flexible; the only exception may be the pre-school (nursery) education where
there is some flexibility.
o I try to be flexible with the few means available to me because of the crisis,
creating the best possible learning conditions.
o The predominant - for me - point of nowadays is to challenge, in part of the
parents, the political leadership of the dominant media and other factors of the
public ‘speech’, to teachers and their profession. Expression of questioning is
very often rudely and violently shown (complaints, use of force, etc.), with
slanders and threats against teachers. The formidable position of many families
due to unemployment, financial difficulties, fear etc. adversely affects children,
who carry this climate at school. We, teachers, are not always able to handle such
situations, as we do not have the appropriate training, thereby another difficulty
in the accomplishment of our work is added. Support we have certainly not, in
order to manage our own burnout, caused by a quite demanding, stressful and
multifaceted profession and which is being intensified this period due to
financial difficulties and the conditions that compose what we call "crisis".
o I try every day to listen to my students’ needs and to adapt the teaching to their
requirements and not to the Ministry of Education’s curriculum requirements,
without getting away from a certain context.
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5.
Differentiation and behaviour in school ‘atmosphere’ (How do you manage
classroom behaviour?)
On classroom management, teachers talked about light penalties and rules that have to
be settled from the very beginning of the school year. More specifically, teachers
mentioned the calmness and patience needed in order to manage children misbehaving.
Being positive with the children and developing a good relationship with them helps
the educator identify the problem and distract the child from it. Apart from that
element a teacher has to be firm on what s/he says and responsible about what s/he
agrees with the students. Actions do ‘have consequences’ and a teacher has to follow
this path in ‘making students responsible and accountable for their actions’ (Stipek, in
Jacobsen, Eggen and Kauchak, 2008: 45).
Children have to consider that their freedom is simultaneously their obligations.
Communication and especially dialogue that is aimed towards understanding identity
development, helps each child manoeuvre and work with her/his different backgrounds
in individual ways in the classroom environment. A communication that is intended to
be dialogic should above all offer the child respect as well as encouragement to identify
and develop her/his abilities and express problematic situations which are able to
distract the teaching procedure. This may then work to build up the children’s selfesteem and inner-psychological links (Paraskevopoulou-Kollia, 2004: 41). After all,
classrooms mirror society and there is always in existence a corresponding relationship
between social scheming and school, which remains the main vehicle of socialization
(Bowles and Gintis, 1976).
o With discussion mainly, but also with strict recommendations and reprimands.
o Discussing democratically we define acceptable and unacceptable behaviours
and as regards the case of the latter we discuss all together how we can solve the
problem.
o One of the very basic and useful procedures at the beginning of the school year is
to make the policy of our class ("What I want from this school year:", "what can I
do to accomplish it?"), to the help them shape and reinforce both team spirit and
the sense of belonging to a community of people where one takes care of
her/himself and the other team members. Also, by giving them space for
expression (in the Flexible Zone, but also when we work the other subjects)
through experiential activities, group work and different ways of working -with
painting, pantomime, role play, new technologies etc.
o In general, I give priority to the formulation of an educational climate that helps
them to feel good in a place where they can talk, decide on the issues that
concern them and so it makes sense to participate. I believe that via this path I
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have time to comprehend most of the behavioural problems that are manifested
from some bored children, who they do not like reading and mental work and
have other –outside school- concerns, who are shy or "excessive" confidence etc.
o In any case, with perseverance, a lot of patience, disposal to listen, but also by
setting the required limits.
o I am strict, but every time I explain to children why they should be quiet and
disciplined, without yelling, threats and punishments, using dialogue and
argumentation.
6.
Distinctions between children (Do you make distinctions between the
children?)
Teachers said that they make distinctions between children even though they try not to,
because it is difficult to avoid it. They make distinctions when they have to differentiate
teaching material. To this question, we only quote one answer, because it is
characteristic, analytic and highlighted that the teacher tries hard to be accurate and fair
and any differentiations made are made on teaching methods-strategies and not on
behaviour towards children.
o My goal is not to make a distinction as regards my behaviour towards children,
meaning not to neglect any child, give every day opportunities to everyone,
regardless of gender, religion, social or economic situation (etc.), encourage and
reward regardless of their school performance. I make distinctions when I have
to differentiate the teaching material which is used in my teaching: i.e. customize
worksheets, videos etc. in ‘weak’ students, i.e. with gaps in mathematics or fewer
skills in language, or to support children escaping upwards from ’average’ to
more demanding training material or wish to prepare for exams in secondary
schools. In short, I am interested in ensuring all my students that I'm there for all
of them. And because our classes are –have always been- heterogeneous in many
aspects, we need differentiations in teaching, but not differentiations as regards
our behaviour towards children.
7.
Showing affection to children (How do you show affection?)
Teachers commonly show affection with every expression that comes into their mind,
by understanding and communicating, by even touching gently and very carefully
(‘dangerous times’) as regards also children’s age and gender. Kamii (1998) has written
that there is no other way of communicating with the pupils apart from trying
unstoppably to transfer your meaning to them. The question which arises from this
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point of view: ‘who can say what is the best way of communicating and being
expressive is, in order to show affection?’ is not easily answered.
o With both verbal (positive feedback, praise) and physical contact (touch on the
head, back or to the students' shoulders, dangerous times indeed).
o If they are experiencing learning or personal - emotional problem, I discreetly
dedicate the necessary time to help them overcome.
o With gestures, such as plaiting the girls’ hair, patting they boys’ head, using
encouraging words, rewarding and supporting ones such as “my love..” “my
girl..” “let’s go my boy/ lad, keep trying!” “Who am I going to tease, you guys,
now that I won’t be seeing you for 15 days?” with hugs and kisses, with teasing,
with acknowledgements like “I’m lucky to have you as my students… you are
the reason I come to work with a smile on my face’ e.t.c.
o I talk sweetly to children, do humour, but avoid to touch (me first), because it's at
an age which mainly boys are embarrassed; they are becoming men. With the
girls I am more effusive.
8.
Criteria of judging the ‘self’, considering educational process (Do you judge
yourself? With which criteria?)
Teachers insisted on the relation they have with their pupils being the fair judge
regarding their self-judgment. The most important criterion of ‘self-judgement’ for
teachers is the knowledge that pupils have gained after each day in school and their
will to go back to it. Judging the ‘self’ also includes an ethical part, which is important
for every educator. They can see the response from children and they keep building
from what they have learnt. Understanding the child’s developmental knowledge is a
prerequisite for regulating the educational praxis and acting upon its basis (Bruner,
1982). All teachers who have been interviewed quoted that pupils’ emotions and
responses count as starting points for judgment of themselves and since they are closely
involved with them (the pupils), pupils’ judgments matters to them.
o I judge myself via children’s willingness to come to school. This is the first
criterion. Secondly I judge myself by understanding how much all children are
capable of taking part in the learning process without any discrimination.
o Regarding the learning part I judge myself based on results that children show in
the written and oral tests and as regards the pedagogical part by checking my
relationships with my students and their relationships between them and
feeding them back.
o Yes, I evaluate my work on a daily and longer term, starting by the aims I set and
the principles that I have as a teacher. Also, children’s behaviour is another
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criterion: when something does not function well on that issue, I try to find
whether I am responsible. Tests, worksheets are often on cognitive subjects. I ask
my students to fill in a descriptive evaluation form at the end of each semester.
What helps them, what needs to change on my teaching so as for them to be
easier to study etc. I group their answers and we discuss it a lot, because you can
imagine that they also write irrelevant things. Most of the times though their
comments are helpful to me.
o Every day I judge myself. By trying to be scientifically adequate, calm and by
showing my interest to children.
9. and 10. Classroom and home: is there a link between them? (When you go home,
do you think of what has happened in the classroom? When you are in the classroom,
do you think of what has happened at home?)
The ninth and tenth questions complement one another, since the first refers to the inhome situation and the next one to the vice-versa climate. Teachers said that they think
about school, they dream about school, they discuss school in their life outside it. On
the opposite occasion, when they enter classroom, they forget about anything else.
Teaching absorbs all their energy and thinking, with no exceptional viewpoints
expressed.
o It concerns me -on daily basis- what has happened during the morning and I
keep thinking what might went wrong, what right and what else could be done.
o Very much! Sometimes I even lose my sleep.
o Vey often!!!
o Some days, when something really tense happens, positive or negative, then yes,
I think about it at home…
o Rarely there is time to think about other things when you are in the classroom.
o I always forget my personal ‘issues’ when I am in the class. I am in there and
only there.
o I never think about anything else. My work and my students only absorb all the
rest.
o Rarely. When I think about something else it happens either in the break or be
the end of the school program. But in any case not when I am with the children.
“It is virtually impossible to manage a classroom or succeed in any part of teaching
without genuinely caring about students and their learning”
(Jacobsen, Eggen and Kauchak, 2008: 44).
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11. Stresses during educational procedures (Do you believe that teaching is a
stressful job?)
The eleventh question was one of the most essential to be asked, because stress is one of
the matters that teachers face on a daily basis (Burchielli and Bartram, 2006; Chrysafidis,
1999). Teachers do face stress and according to what they reported there are many
elements contributing to this. They referred to the preparation and to the balance
between learning and sentimental objects and they also referred to the size of
responsibility that they carry for each child’s future (and even her/his physical health).
Teaching is hard work, as mentioned previously, and even though teachers know that
children are worth it, they cannot stop themselves from feeling stressed and lack of
energy.
o I believe that teaching is a very stressful and tiring job. I think that one can really
dry up of energy.
o Yes, it is very stressful trying to daily collateral children’s learning and emotional
balance and physical integrity…
o For conscientious teachers, yes, our profession can be stressful. For the rest no.
o It is a very stressful job because on daily basis you are firstly interested in your
students’ physical integrity and then teaching.
12.
Gaining rewards from teaching (Do you believe that teaching is a rewarding
job?)
Teachers admitted that teaching can be a very rewarding job. They mentioned that they
are satisfied due to the relationship that they build with their pupils and they
underlined the fact that one needs to like her/his profession in order to gain satisfaction
from it. What teachers also mentioned is the fact that economic austerity nowadays in
Greece has caused degradation to their social profile and ‘technically’ (in effect/ in
practise) to their salaries.
o No way. Especially at this period, it is humiliation what educators are going
through.
o It gives me great pleasure to see in children’s eyes love and acceptance.
o If you want to work as a professional, you care about your work etc., yew, the co-
existence with children, sometimes, and the communication with their parents it
rewards you. But if you do not love this job, you find only negative elements ‘on’
it…
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o Economically, no, it is not rewarding, but the feedback and love from children is
my reward making me continue happily, even though the nowadays’ harsh
conditions that we are facing in Greece.
Having viewed the above mentioned attitudes, one thing needs to be mentioned
is that teachers that we talked to are focused on their profession and they ask
themselves questions as to how they can put across knowledge and how knowledge is
supposed to be put across/ transmitted as well as who this is defined by. In the field of
Philosophy of Education there are two ways of viewing things. As Aristotelis has stated
about maturity, which derives from education, it is on the verge between development
and decadence and is expressed and shown only in and for the community. Teachers
are participants of children’s education and they all try to develop mature persons who
will have the ability to judge critically and to gain their aims through free willing, as far
as this is possible. The aim of all these teachers, with whom we had the opportunity to
discuss with, is, at least, about children’s feeling good during school days. No one could
deny that attitude.
Conclusion
This work aimed to compare and explore a view of teaching through Greek teachers’
feelings, thinking and actions on daily basis through the educational process thirteen
years after our first relevant research took place. We asked the same questions to
different teachers and on an almost totally different period, -socially and economically.
This conclusion will focus on the similarities and the differences between
teachers’ responses. Teachers’ answers to the introductory question shared similar
viewpoints on defining what teaching is. Expressing themselves in many ways teachers
ended up declaring that teaching is communicating with pupils, encouraging them and
offering knowledge to them, helping their personality to be built. What is essential to be
mentioned is the fact that the nowadays teachers highlighted that teaching nowadays is
not so easy, since the economic and political circumstances have created lot of
difficulties and stress to them (element which is also revealed from their answers to the
eleventh question).
Discussing further teachers follow the National Curriculum with slight changes,
stay in school less hours, deal with frequent inspection and do not have to do paper
work on a weekly basis. Considering this group of questions teachers shared similar
points of view on the fact that they judge themselves through what the pupils have
gained after each day in school. Teachers do judge themselves and their abilities and
that causes them to be frustrated and experience more stress than normal (Leland and
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Efrosyni-Alkisti Paraskevopoulou-Kollia A STUDY REGARDING GREEK TEACHERS DURING ECONOMIC AUSTERITY
Harste, 2005). They said that they see whether and how children respond in the
classroom and they keep building from that point.
Teachers said that they match their teaching to pupils’ needs by building bridges
and communicating with them, by interacting with them and by paying personal
attention to pupils’ efforts. The responses revealed that the educational system
formally-typically remains the same. Even though the answers were not similar,
someone could claim that all teachers try to match their teaching to pupils’ needs and
that is the most essential and strong element. As regards the sixth question, teachers
admitted that they try not to make distinctions between the pupils; one teacher
mentioned that the important issue is not to make distinctions regarding the treatment.
In managing classroom behaviour issue the answers given were similar. All teachers
said that they try to be positive and to build the essential bridges between themselves
and the pupils.
It is true, that during the latest years the profession of the teacher requires a
constant renewal of one’s knowledge and abilities in order to cope with the demands of
an ever changing and fast progressing society (Anderson and Olsen, 2006; Burchielli
and Bartram, 2006; Mialaret, 1974). All teachers share similar viewpoints on how they
recognize how learning comes about. The answers revealed that they have observed
pupils’ gaining of knowledge; that they do not simply teach them, but they interact
with them through the educational process. Teachers gain important information by
recognizing when the children gain knowledge through observing children’s reactions
and expression every day in school. As Novak (2010) has written Meaningful learning
underlies the constructive integration of thinking, feeling, and acting leading to
empowerment for commitment and responsibility (: 3) and to this process teachers play
important role.
Summing up the conclusion, there still exist the need for in-service training and
holistic programmes for teachers that will be relative to their needs. Though,
introducing scientific developments in the large area of education and pedagogy
training programmes would be inadequate if not accompanied by well-designed
psychological and educative support material, in order to fight teachers’ relatively low
self (and social)-esteem.
“Teachers must be re-instated in the society as those who are to put into effect the
ambitious plans of the educational planners and the politicians, while reforms for more
frequent training, postgraduate studies and parents co-training must be secured”
(Palios and Paraskevopoulou-Kollia, 2012: 29)
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Efrosyni-Alkisti Paraskevopoulou-Kollia A STUDY REGARDING GREEK TEACHERS DURING ECONOMIC AUSTERITY
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