TEACHER PROFESSIONALISM - ONE MORE TIME

The paper explores the use of professionalism as a defensive strategy aimed to resist Conservative policy. It argues traditional professiona lism as well as models based upon the reflective practitioner are inad equate. These models fall back onto a notion of expertise that is less than empowering. The paper argues for the development of a form of pr ofessionalism that takes seriously social antagonism and social differ ence. If this is done teacher expertise will be less secure, more open and offer the potential for the development of democratic relations i n and over education.