ABSTRACT
The word 'teacher' is one of the most chameleon-like of words, changing not only its colour but its dimensions with every change of speaker or context. To the latter extent the teacher is typical; but in the sense that every teacher's work should be a personal response to other people's needs, that personal responsibility may accentuate distinctiveness and challenge. The teacher must be distinctive enough to be a challenge; big enough in personality and knowledge to command respect; and at the same time close enough to evoke partnership. The demand for specialized subject teaching over a very wide range of 'new' subjects accentuates the overall drop in the recruitment of good people. The whole position in teacher recruitment is hard to envisage 'at one go', because there is so much continuing change. In addition to the long-standing Soviet practice of teachers' conferences, there are now in-service seminars and 'refresher courses' conducted by specially successful teachers.
