First, from a theoretical perspective, this thesis makes reference to existing literature toexamine the notion of the professional teacher and the approaches that have been set up toencourage his/her development. Secondly, it seeks to contextualise this notion within theKenyan context and, specifically, analyse the evolution of the teaching profession based onhistorical data as well as on an empirical study carried out amongst student teachers. In thisregard, this thesis analyses the emergence and evolution of the teaching profession in Kenyawhile placing a particular emphasis on social and professional representations. Finally, thiswork examines the sense that educational policies and pre-service student teachers accord tothe notion of the “professional teacher”.
