ABSTRACT
The teaching profession is not immune to changes in the social and political culture which impinge upon and are reshaping attitudes towards career development. Given the changing psychological contract between employer and the employee, personal development is gaining precedence over organisational development. The paper examines whether self-development is essentially in conflict or in support of professional development. How other professions approach continuing professional development challenges the appropriateness of current INSET arrangements and TTA strategies. An exploratory survey of new teachers confirms their focus on ‘employability’, and schools constraining rather than facilitating their professional development.
