Comparative Analyze on the Legal Solution Relevant to Status of Teachers in Albania

Legislative reforms in the pre-university education system in Albania have paid special attention to addressing issues related to teacher status. In law no.69 / 2012, "On the pre-university education system in the Republic of Albania", these issues are treated in accordance with the requirements of International Labor Conventions, the Labor Code of the Republic of Albania and law No. 10171, dated 22.10. 2009 "On regulated professions in the Republic of Albania" amended. The law defines the teacher as the central figure of the school. In accordance with the recommendations of the ILO and UNESCO for the status of teachers, the Albanian law guarantees contemporary standards at every stage of the process for gaining and practicing the profession, for continuous professional preparation, scientific qualification, and career. The treatment of labor relations, relations with the social partners, with the associations and the community of parents and students, the definition of their rights and duties, salaries and rewards are components of the status of a teacher. The status of teachers reflects the social and economic conditions of the country, work culture and community traditions. The law treats teacher status as a key factor in developing the profile of a teacher capable of preparing the future citizens of an open and global society. The professional and academic freedom of the teacher is considered as an essential element of his status. Creating conditions for the exercise of civil rights related to the teaching profession, the right to participate in social and public life and to organize in trade unions are legislative achievements in line with EU standards and the requirements of international documents.

Do Teacher Status, Gender, and Years of Teaching Experience Impact Job Satisfaction and Work Engagement?

This study explored whether teacher status (full-time vs. substitute) and its interaction with teacher gender and length of work experience had an effect on the linear combination of teacher job satisfaction and work engagement. The study was conducted with 238 full-time and substitute teachers. The findings suggested that full-time teachers’ social engagement, social engagement with students, and job satisfaction were significantly higher than those of substitute teachers, and that female teachers were more engaged with students than their male counterparts and substitute teachers. Length of teaching experience did not have any significant effect on job satisfaction or work engagement. Implications for educational leadership are discussed.

The Status of Teachers

Internationally, the status of teachers is fraught with ambiguity, contradiction, and complexity. Status, simply defined as one’s “standing in society,” has undergone many redefinitions as lives and societies have become more nuanced and complex. Status, historically ascribed through inheritance and wealth, has been largely replaced by status achieved through individual effort, study, and achievement. The medical, legal, and clerical professions have traditionally enjoyed high status for their specialist qualifications and social responsibility, although the correlation between academic success and the comfortable family socioeconomic circumstances in which many aspiring to these professions also lends them a large element of ascribed status. Teachers experience a status paradox. For many, teaching has been a route out of the working class toward a more professional status. Teachers, in many countries but not universally, are highly trained, well qualified, dedicated, and trusted in their communities. Relative to the medical profession, however, teachers are poorly paid, and experience poor working conditions, limited professional autonomy, and high accountability. Their participation in trade union activities prompts debate as to whether teaching should be classed as a “profession.” Yet, despite the 1966 UNESCO and the International Labour Organization’s strong recommendation that teaching should be recognized as a profession and accorded high status, it remains at best a semiprofessional occupation. There is great variation across the globe in public respect and government treatment of teachers. International comparative surveys lack overall consensus but suggest that teachers in Taiwan, major Chinese cities, and Finland enjoy high status as compared with those in Brazil, Israel, and Italy, for example. Classic theories of status include those of Karl Marx and Max Weber. For Marx it is determined by socioeconomic status, but for Weber cultural and social affiliations can outweigh economic factors. Teaching straddles the two. Twentieth-century theorists, such as Talcott Parsons in the United States, have linked status to educational achievement. Pierre Bourdieu relates status to social reproduction of social class-related “habitus” in taste and consumption and Anthony Giddens to individual lifestyle choices not necessarily related to status. Recent research in England supports Weber’s cultural determinants, but international surveys reveal complex and debatable relationships between pay, student performance, and status. High percentages of the public think teachers deserve higher salaries that are linked to performance. Teaching as a lifestyle choice still appears to be motivated at least as much by intrinsic, “psychic” rewards as by well as extrinsic ones. Teachers rate their own status lower than do those who work with them. A recent international survey of teachers found over two-thirds in general, and over 95% in Sweden, France, and the Slovak Republic, thought teaching was not valued in society. The portrayal of teachers in the media may be relevant here. While this has become more positive in tone and prominence in England since the 1990s, there are wide cultural differences internationally. Improving teacher status is a complex challenge. Potential contributory factors include higher entry standards and competition to join; the creation of professional associations, as opposed to unions; improved and safe conditions of work; higher pay linked to performance; professional autonomy and involvement in decision-making; and teachers themselves rating their status more highly. The UNESCO Global Sustainable Development Goals for Education 2030 provide a set of overarching aims for the future of teacher status, envisaging teachers not as adults in a child’s world, but as orchestrators of national sustainable development.

Leadership in early childhood education: The case for pedagogical praxis

In this conceptual article, the authors examine the context of early childhood education and care in England and the underpinning predominant ideologies to explore how these impact on the framing of leadership. The English context entails several contradictions (antinomies) at ontological, epistemological and axiological levels, and is heavily influenced by an ideological struggle concerning the value of play within the sector as opposed to a climate of child performativity. Moreover, the predominately female workforce (a factor itself) has faced relentless changes in terms of qualifications and curriculum reforms in recent years. With the introduction of the graduate leader qualification (Early Years Teacher Status), a vast body of research has been seeking to conceptualise what leadership means for early childhood education and care. In this article, the authors argue that these attempts are helpful and contribute to this discourse of leadership, but it needs to be thought of not only abstractly, but also practically. Thus, the authors conclude, the (re)conceptualisation of leadership should locate it as pedagogical praxis after evaluating the inherent deep dispositions of leaders in conjunction with their history, surrounding culture and subjective perspectives/realities.

Characteristics of Yoga Practice and Predictors of Practice Frequency

Yoga is a globally popular mind-body practice used for health. The objective of this study was to characterize yoga practice and factors associated with frequency of practice. Yoga practitioners were sent invitations via email to participate in an online survey. Yoga characteristics and other sociodemographics were collected. Data from 309 consenting respondents were analyzed for patterns in practice characteristics (yoga techniques, location of practice, method of instruction, teacher status, and yoga type). Associations between characteristics of practice and yoga practice frequency were computed. The following characteristics were then analyzed as predictors of practice frequency in a regression model: location of practice, method of instruction, teacher status, yoga type, and techniques. Most respondents reported use of all three yoga techniques (movements, breathing, and meditation) and practiced an average of 4.5 ± 1.9 days a week. Key characteristics such as location of practice, method of instruction, and frequency significantly differed by teacher status and by yoga type (Viniyoga practitioners vs. other yoga styles). In our regression model, being a yoga teacher, being taught a one-on-one yoga practice by someone else, and regular use of movement were positively associated with increased practice frequency. Our analyses provide insight into how yoga factors such as teacher status, method of instruction, and use of tools relate to practice frequency. Understanding the relationships between practice characteristics and practice frequency may allow for the improved implementation of yoga for health.