A Study On The Influential Factors Of Professional Development Of Geography Teachers In Senior High School

The education in senior school is a decisive factor that affects the success of our educational career. The geography education is an important part in the whole education system. In modern society, people should be able to have the concept of sustainable development and develop a civilized style of life and production on the basis of the harmonious development among population, resources, environment, and society. That’s also the mission of the geographic education in high school. The quality of geography teachers determines whether the mission can be accomplished. So it’s urgent to do research on the professional development of these geography teachers, which has the theoretical meaning and practical value.However, it’s worrying to know the recent situation about the professional development among these geography teachers. The geography teacher is still "a teacher". We can hardly imagine how the teachers lacking professional quality can take on the new course reformation and cultivate the students with creative, practical, scientific and cultural knowledge and environmental consciousness. Therefore, geography teachers’professional development is imperative and has a long way to go.In terms of theory, the writer uses the document research method and bases the essay on gathering and analysing the relevant information and study results about the teachers’ professional development and life history. Six geography teachers with different professional titles are interviewed in the high school. From their working experiences, we can reach the conclusion that there are3factors having an effect on these teachers’ development, namely personal factors, system and environmental factors. Personal factors include professional choice and pursue, comfort zone, cognitive ability and emotional attitude. System factors include teachers training modes, the permission system, the assessment system of professional titles, teachers evaluation system,and the changeable system of the college entrance examination. The last factor includes the social, school and family environment.According to the above research, I put forward the strategy to promote the professional development of high school teachers majoring in geography:1. Turn the teachers’professional development into their own demand by creating suitable environment and atmosphere.2. Make a personal and professional plan about development and record the teachers’ process of development.3. Strengthen the teaching introspection and action research.4. Perfect different kinds of system, and help and encourage the geography teachers’ development in high school.