TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVES AND BELIEFS ABOUT TEACHING: INSIGHTS FROM THE MAURITIAN MULTICULTURAL CONTEXT

Though not new, concern with teachers’ beliefs and perspectives of teaching appear to become increasingly important for teacher education institutions on two grounds. Firstly , as a response to the claim that teacher preparation programmmes are unrealistic and contribute little to improve teacher quality (Korthagen 2001). Second, as an outcome of the growing body of research evidence which reveal the developmental nature of professional identities (Brilhart, 2010). The present study offers an insight into teacher’s perspectives for a cohort of 222 beginning teachers who are enrolled on an in-service teacher preparation programme. It charts out their perception of what is means to teach, the values and beliefs that underpin these perceptions and how these have developed in the course of their personal and professional life. The Teaching Perspectives Inventory developed by Pratt (2001) was used to gather data that were later categorised along the lines of transmission, developmental, apprenticeship, nurturing and social reform standpoints. Further, the developmental nature of values and beliefs as nested in their personal, cultural and professional contexts are examined through their teaching statements. Findings reveal that many teachers may not hold a single dominant perspective of teaching and, in many cases, even hold contradictory beliefs about teaching. These are interpreted within the broader framework of their own experience as learners and the current Mauritian cultural and school contexts.