Abstract
This thesis is based on the research conducted by the author when assigned by the National Foundation for Educational Research to take operational charge of the project entitled ’The Teacher’s Day’. The chief purpose of the project was to obtain a systematic, objective account of the work performed by teachers in the course of their job. Such a study had never been undertaken in this country, and a critical review of related research in other countries, mostly the U.S.A., revealed deficiencies in conceptual and practical approaches which made it essential to carry out a feasibility exercise: the aim of this exercise was to find the best way to, first, secure the co-operation of teachers and, then, observe and record their work. It was concluded from this methodological investigation that the type of research envisaged was, indeed, feasible, and a main project followed in which records were collected of the work of 129 teachers of junior children in 66 schools in the County of Surrey. The procedures entailed direct observation and systematic recording by independent (NFER) observers during school hours, while the teachers themselves recorded the professional activities they undertook in out-of-school hours - on schooldays, weekends and days in holiday periods. The resulting data provided a description, in quantitative and qualitative terms, of the work of teachers generally, and the evidence was further examined for differences in teaching days associated with teacher, school and class characteristics. It was suggested that the findings would be of considerable practical value to student teachers and their tutors, and could also illuminate various aspects of school management. Finally, both the methodological approach to direct observation in schools and the findings regarding the teacher’s activities in and out of school might provide valuable pointers towards future research concerning the teacher and his professional role.