0) TITLE: Science Teacher’s narratives on motivation and commitment – a story about
recruitment and retention
1) Context
Teacher recruitment and retention of teachers has been an area of much interest (Cooper &
Alvarado, 2006; Guarino, Santibanez & Daley 2006) due to among other things the current
aging of the teacher population (Nordisk Ministerråd, 2009; Hare & Heap, 2001). Within
science teaching this problem is even bigger as national studies show imminent shortage of
science teachers (Danmarks Lærerforening, 2007; National Comprehensive Center for
Teacher Quality, 2007). Recruitment and retention studies on teachers use quantitative
approach such as questionnaires among first year teacher students in order to understand the
social and cultural background for recruitment to teacher education (Petersen, 2010), other
studies apply qualitative methods like narrative inquiry in order to understand details
teachers’ life and work contexts (Day et al, 2007).
2) Rationale, Aim and Phase
Science teachers’ narratives on their choice of education and on their practice is a way to
learn more about the recruitment into science teaching as a profession, and the retention in it
over an entire career. The teachers’ tell about motivation for choosing teacher education and
their commitment to teaching. This study wants to clarify how teacher narratives can
contribute to a larger story on recruitment and retention in science teaching.
The study is in its initial analysis phase. This proposal will focus on narratives on the initial
motivation and maintained commitment of two primary school science teachers in Denmark
with different seniority in the profession. The science teacher narratives on motivation and
commitment illustrate aspects of recruitment to and retention in science teaching as a
profession.
3) Methods
The narratives were collected during an ongoing research in Denmark into science teachers’
life histories in order to get a deeper insight into their motivation for and commitment to
science teaching. The study includes life history interviews with 10 primary school science
teachers and subsequent observation of their teaching. The research design is inspired by
Goodson (2008) and Clandinin and Connelly (2000). The narratives will be presented in a
condensed form in this proposal, all translation is done by author.
4) Outcomes
The two teachers in focus are chosen as they represent different commitment to and
motivation for science teaching. Jane teaches at a school with 400 all Danish pupils in a small
town. She is married to a farmer and lives on a farm; she was born in a town 30 km from her
present home. Tove teaches at a school in a town. The school has 800 pupils where 200 are
bilingual. She is married to a mechanic and lives in the town where she was born and now
teaches. They both have biology and sports as their major teaching subjects.
Teacher Gender Birth High
alias
year school or
similar
finished
Jane
♀
1954
1974
Erik
♂
1957
1977
Lars
♂
1956
1976
Diana
♀
1970
1990
Linda
♀
1956
1994
Other training or
Start of
Graduation
employment prior to teacher
as teacher
teacher training
education
Clerk
Unskilled worker
China Painter, shop
owner
Sten
♂
1971
1990
Laboratory worker
Tove
♀
1975
1996
Unskilled worker
Frede
♂
1973
1997
Farmer
Karen
♀
1966
1985
Industrial worker
Ruth
♀
1972
1992
Unskilled worker,
Ergo-therapist
Table 1: Background data on the teacher-narrators.
1974
1977
1982
1992
1994
1978
1981
1986
1996
1998
1997
1997
1999
2001
2002
2001
2001
2004
2005
2009
Motivation for choosing science teaching
The majority of the 10 teacher-narrators tell that they chose teaching because they care for
children and other people. Tove is in accordance with this majority in describing her
motivation for choosing teacher education.
“I had the nicest teacher when I was in 1st to 6th grade, that experience I also
wanted to give other people.” (Tove)
Jane has another motivation for choosing teacher education, she considered university
studies in biology or wildlife studies, but started directly on teacher training after high
school.
“After high school I wanted to be either ballet dancer or wildlife biologist, in
teacher education I could get a bit of both. The teacher college wasn’t that far
away, I had a sick mother at that time.” (Jane)
All the teacher-narrators have positive experiences with science education, nature
preservation or wildlife prior to entering teacher training. Jane and Tove illustrates these
different types of motivation for choosing biology as a major teaching subject
“I loved helping at my uncle’s farm.” “Our holidays were fishing trips” “It was
obvious for me to choose biology as a subject for teaching, biology has been THE
line for me” (Jane)
“I had a very inspiring biology teacher during high school.” (Tove)
Jane is still very active hunting and caring for wildlife in her spare time. Tove tells of no
science related hobbies.
Commitment to science teaching
The teacher-narrators have very different reasons for still being committed to science
teaching. Jane is committed to improving the possibilities for outdoor oriented science
teaching as she has raised money to restore a lake near her school, so that it can be used in life
science teaching.
“This lake is a little diamond, it but needs restoration not to become choked and end
without water insects and water plants.” (Jane)
Tove has taken on the task of being coach for pupils with emotional problems and has an
emphasis on sex and health education in her biology teaching.
“I have developed a curriculum for the sex education at my school.” “I’m being
trained as a pupils coach, as part of an EU-project.“ (Tove)
Tove’s commitment is the relation to the pupils and their well-being both physically and
emotionally as whole human beings.
.
5) Puzzle – Discussion on:
How to analyse the microlevel of teachers’ narratives on everyday life and teaching in order
to make significant statements about the macrolevel of educations systems recruiting and
retaining teachers through educational and employment policies?
Supplementary puzzles:
- Presentation of the narratives
- Choice of policies to engage
- Initial and developed teacher identity
6) Technology needed: Projector and PC
7) References
Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (2000). Narrative inquiry: Experience and story in
qualitative research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Cooper, J. M., & Alvarado, A. (2006). Preparation, recruitment and retention of teachers.
Paris: UNESCO
Danmarks Lærerforening. (2007). Naturfag - en udfordring for alle. [Kbh.]: Danmarks
Lærerforening.
Day, C. (2007). Teachers matter: Connecting work, lives and effectiveness. Maidenhead:
Open University Press.
Goodson, I. (2008). Investigating the teacher's life and work. Rotterdam: Sense Publisher.
Guarino, C. M., Santibañez, L., & Daley, G. A. (2006). Teacher recruitment and retention: A
review of the recent empirical literature. Review of Educational Research, 76(2), 173208.
Hare, D., & Heap, J. L. (2001). Effective teacher recruitment and retention strategies in the
midwest: Who is making use of them?, Report: ED477648. 95p.
National comprehensive center for teacher quality. (2007). Recruiting quality teachers in
mathematics, science, and special education for urban and rural schols
Nordisk Ministerråd, & Nordisk Råd. (2009). Komparativt studie af de nordiske
læreruddannelser. Kbh.: Nordisk Ministerråd.
Stage Petersen, D. (2010). Rekrutteringsproblematikken på de nordiske læreruddannelser.
København: Nordisk Ministerråd.