What are the potential conflicts involved in the career cycle suggested by Fessler and Christensen (1992) between the organization and the individual?

With reference to the question I will focus on the UK as I have the most experience of this educational system. During a PGCE or GTP student teachers will be paired with more experienced teachers during placements. This relationship can offer a personal support, visualization of an APP and it can lead to the acquisition of advanced skills through observation. Furthremore, the application of this infered good practiced can be self evaluated and evaluated by an APP throughout observation and analysis of preparation.

On occasion conflicts can arise as the experienced teacher may be very busy and resent the time demanded by the training teacher. Moreover, when the student develops they may become frustrated by static constraints put upon on them in terms of school responsibilities.

As the teacher enters the profession, again experienced teachers are expected to give guidance. Though this offers the aforementioned advantages it again can lead to resentment from more experienced teachers. This resentment is often founded on the demands of time the NQT can have of the more experienced educator. The alternate side to this is that new teachers are asked to deal with difficult classes or arduous tasks because the more experienced teachers would like to avoid them.

During Fessler and Christensen’s (1992) building stage the developing teacher can often look to broaden their experience. This may mean that they are not on timetable for a set period of time. This can result in professional jealously as colleagues must cover lessons while the developing teacher is encourage to strengthen their CPD. Moreover, once experience has been gained the teacher may return and try to impress upon colleagues what was observed in another institution. Teachers encouraged to enhance their CPD should be sensitive to those around them but also resilient to the negativity that it may invoke from colleagues.

The enthusiasm and growth stage can be the most fractious among a staff. With the various career stages described by Fessler and Christensen (1992) educators have different emotions toward dynamic colleagues looking to progress their personal practice and their educational institution. There may again be resentment from more experience teachers in the decline in career stage. The latter may be very resistant to changes from their long standing teaching practice and changes that they are unlikely to see the result of. That said, institutions must not allow negative responses to enthusiasm to be a guiding force with the system. Enthusiasm and growth of the individual must be coupled with that of the organization. Resources must be provided for the individual and their enthusiasm and growth should be channeled by more experienced members of staff or the senior management team.

Seniority and freeze and professional frustration must be diffused by the SMT. It should be recognized and dealt with by identifying the issue and fundamental cause and then the ofference of either new roles which can initiate a new career cycle or a school directive as to how the situation can be resolved. A new career cycle could be a new project or could be a position where experience is recognized and called upon. This would provide the security and status which Fessler and Christensen (1992) suggest in their model. Most of all it is perhaps vital to listen to the voice of experience teachers feeling frustrations and give time to their emotions. They will have a lot of experience to offer and are integral to a successful school which can maintain high standards.

Finally, teachers moving toward retirement and the latter section can often overlap. Particularly with teachers moving toward retirement, organizations should consider the strains they put upon these individuals. An excessive use of these teachers may lead to a feeling of betrayal from organizations to which they have given so much. It may also lead to younger teachers questioning whether they want to commit a long time to the organization if that is the final treatment. That is not to say that these teachers are redundant, in fact their experience should be gathered and utilized as much as possible.