Belief Statement

Professional engagement means engaging with both key stakeholders in students lives and education and developing strong professional knowledge across an ever-changing profession. A teacher needs to facilitate the connections between all stakeholders in a student’s education. This means valuing and building connections with both other teacher, administrators, parents, and wider community and building engagement and relationships with these stakeholder (Kim et al, 2013). Building these relationships specifically those with parents, does benefit teachers in the long run and can also bolster parent involvement in their student’s education and have positive effects for students’ education. Further engagement within the professional bounds comes with corresponding with colleagues as a teacher. As positive collegiality can build staff knowledge and adaptability in the workplace (Shah, 2012).

Gaining professional knowledge through professional development scenarios is also key as a teacher as it provides teachers with up-to-date information and knowledge on rapidly changing subjects and policies. Professional development opportunities are not only important for teachers to undertake but they also build a degree of knowledge and can help in achieving career goals and pushing teachers forward (Phillips, 2008). Professional development offers teachers with opportunities to experience specific learning and participate in professional dialogue (Phillips, 2008).

Kim, E., Koziol, N., Kwon, K., & Sheridan, S. (2013). Parent beliefs and children’s social-behavioural functioning: The mediating role of parent–teacher relationships. Journal Of School Psychology, 51(2), p. 175.

Phillips, P. (2008). Professional Development as a Critical Component of Continuing Teacher Quality. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 33 (1).

Shah, M. (2012). The Importance and Benefits of Teacher Collegiality in Schools – A Literature Review. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, Volume 46, pp. 1242-1246.