Richard Selby Smith Oration 2022 -Teachers and teaching: The politics of respect

In interviews with teachers (and students) over many years, on many different topics, and in many different locations the word ‘respect’ comes up regularly. In this lecture I want to explore the meaning of ‘respect’ in the context of contemporary constructs of the ‘ideal teacher’. It will be argued that paying attention to ‘respect’ is central to addressing many of the issues facing teachers, including their retention in the education system. The notion of respect is tied closely to matters of inequality, thus underpinning this talk will be a strong commitment to social justice and to enhancing the place of respect in schools – both as workplaces and as sites of learning. The paper will draw on research conducted in the UK and observations about the Australian context.

BIO: Professor Martin Mills

Martin Mills is currently a Research Professor in the School of Teacher Education and Leadership at QUT, Australia. He was previously the inaugural Director of the Centre for Teachers and Teaching Research at the Institute of Education, University College London. Prior to that he had been at The University of Queensland for 23 years, where he was Head of School before taking up the position in London. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and a former President of the Australian Association for Research in Education. He has conducted multiple projects for government and research councils. He has authored and edited 15 books and has published widely on teachers’ work, curriculum and pedagogical practice, and alternative education. He is an editor in chief of Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice.