ABSTRACT
It is easy for teachers to take schools for granted. Deeply immersed as they are in unique institutions they are kept so busy with the daily routine and the constant demands on their attention that it is very difficult for them to reflect on the fundamental purposes of schooling. Teachers instinctively react to the need for discipline and the fulfilment of social expectations, in raising academic standards and helping children pass exams. Even without the pressure of the examination system, or the concerns of parents, let alone the cajoling of the Department of Education and Science on the changing curriculum, teachers find themselves in a reactive role. Given the school as an institution in which pupils need to be organised this is not surprising. Teachers are expected to be able to control a variety of circumstances for a large number of individuals at the same time.
