Introduction
The main aim of this research paper is to establish the nature of work of teachers and the motivation behind it. The interviewing process has been used as the data collection tool. Generally, interviews provide in-depth information pertaining to participants’ experiences and viewpoints of a particular topic (Turner, 2010, p.754).
After gathering data from a teacher through interview, the gathered data was analyzed and a comprehensive list of an average teacher profile was created. The findings from the teacher revealed that all teachers belonged to the teachers’ union, which participates in collective bargaining services on behalf of teachers with relevant authorities.
Literature Review
According to Macbeath (2012, p. 77), it is almost inevitable that schools in some form will continue to exist in the foreseeable future, and it is also inevitable that teaching and learning will continue to expand to sites other than schools. This statement triggered a research study on teaching profession.
Generally, teaching is a process of monitoring learners by way of inferring emotions, beliefs and knowledge, ability to detect gaps between correct knowledge and possible incorrect students’ knowledge, the ability to communicate this knowledge to the students, and finally, having the ability to provide feedback through assessment and corrections to students (Dessus, Mandin & Zampa, 2008, p. 51).
Several studies have established that teachers’ conceptions influence their practices (Kennedy, 1997, p.10), and an ideal teacher should show enthusiasm and passion in teaching (Gencturk, Akbas & Kaymakci, 2012, p. 1569). Other recent research results have shown that there is a moderate and positive relationship between the age of participants and their attitude towards ICT (Elsaadani, 2013, p.1).
Ball and Forzani (2010) argue in the American context that, the bias against detailed professional training impedes the improvement of teachers’ preparation for the work of teaching. This points out to the challenges that teachers are facing, not only in America, but also at the global level.
Aim/objectives of the Research
The philosophy of this research was that, a crowd starts with an individual. However, the main aim of conducting this research was to establish the nature of work that the teacher did, as earlier stated. In addition, the research aimed at finding out the reason that made the teacher decide to pursue a teaching career and determining whether it was innate or forced by an external force.
The study also wanted to establish the average teaching experience of the teaching workforce by determining the period that the teacher had been in service. Other aims include the need to know the challenges that teachers face in their career and bring them to the limelight in order to campaign for better working conditions, and to ascertain as to whether every teacher belongs to the teachers’ union, and reason why they decide to join it.
The research delved into finding out whether there are any other professional development options in the schools, and if any, ascertaining which forms of those professional development options are useful in their workplace. The final aim was to establish the standard performance measure the teacher being interviewed used to assess his students/pupils. These objectives are discussed in detail in the following section of the paper.
To establish the nature of work teachers do
Establishing the nature of work of teachers is like examining their job description. To achieve this aim, it was necessary to ask the interviewee what he did at an average day in school. This would allow one understand what teaching really is as well as help in getting rid of the ignorance that people have concerning teaching.
To find out the various reasons that made the teacher to pursue a teaching career and determine whether it was innate or just forced by another external force
It is the mandate of society to make sure that this education is in the right hands of people. Teachers with a passion to teach, and not merely forced by other external forces, are more likely to work productively and promote the education system to greater heights.
To establish the average teaching experience of the teaching workforce and its richness by determining the period that the teacher has been in service
The youthful and young members are supposed to introduce new concepts to the educational system in order to bridge technological, educational, and generational gap in education system. Additionally, older members provide guidance and teaching wisdom gained over the years. These two ingredients of the workforce will sustain the relevance of educational system for several generations.
To know the challenges that the teacher faces in his career, and bring them to the limelight in order to campaign for better working conditions
Without investigating the problems of teachers, it is never possible to know the challenges they face in delivering education to children. That is why the study inquired about the challenges that this teacher faces in the process of conduction his professional duties.
To ascertain as to whether every teacher belongs to the teachers’ union, and reason why they decide to join it
The strength of the teachers’ union seems to be the toughest in the country. This strength can be seen from the envy it has earned from other professions. Therefore, the research aimed at generating information from the teacher about general position of membership in this powerful union, and the reasons behind it.
To find out whether there is any other professional development options in schools, and which forms are useful in their workplace
Professional development is the acquisition of certain skills that build somebody as an individual while advancing his/her career. These development opportunities include conferences for teachers, seminars, learning opportunities, technical assistance, and mentoring, formal coursework among others. The study further tries to inquire which of these opportunities are helpful to the teacher.
To establish the standard performance measure that the teacher used to assess his students/pupils
A person develops in different ways. Likewise, there should be different metrics of measuring the development of an individual. This idea prompted the study to establish the standard performance metrics that the teacher used to assess his student’s/pupils.
Methods of Data Collection and Analysis
In order to gather sufficient views and data, an open-ended interview was conducted in light of this research paper. Importantly, open-endedness allows participants to contribute as much detailed information as possible and it also allows the researcher to ask probing questions as a means of follow-up (King & Horrocks, 2010).
The contents of the research interview were then analyzed in order to identify the main themes that emerged from the interview process. In order to determine the number of times a given theme emerged in the process, codes were assigned to main themes. After classifying responses under themes, they were integrated into this report.
Findings
Each of the main aims was assigned a question to collect data from interviewee. In trying to find out what the nature of work for teachers entailed, the teacher responded by highlighting the following: Developing schemes of work for various classes; actual teaching; participation in co-curricular activities; and translating lesson plans into actual learning.
The teacher stated that the teaching profession is not his favorite but he just ended up there as a fallback plan after failing to achieve his preferred career option. In addition, financial challenges and family obligations forced the teacher to pursue the available option in order to make ends meet. The teacher also insinuated that several of his colleagues were of the same opinion, and surprisingly, he has encountered only one teacher in his school with passion in teaching.
In trying to establish the experience of teaching workforce in the school, the teacher responded by stating that he was 36 years old and he had been in teaching profession for 10 years. He also said that most of his colleagues were youthful and only the head teacher was above 50 years of age. The greatest challenge that the teacher faced was lack of enough teaching/learning materials as opposed to the expected response of low salary and incentives, which came second.
The teacher also responded that he was a member of teachers’ union, and is mandatory for all teachers to register with the union; he did not choose but was made a member of the union by default. However, his main reason for being a member of the union was to achieve a common bargaining power for better working conditions.
The teacher said he had taught in two schools, with the former school being in a rural village and the current one being in urban center; he was categorical that the two were extremely different in relation to access of professional development. Nevertheless, the teacher said that he used continuous assessment tests (CAT) and exams as the main assessing metrics in gauging performance of learners.
Discussion
The above responses from the teacher interviewed were generalized to show that they applied to all teachers. From the responses received, the average teacher in the country really puts the well-being of learners where it is supposed to be. Their nature of work is almost up to the task of aiming to develop a holistic person out of the learner, as even some of their time was spent in co-curricular activities aimed at benefiting learners.
However, the performance metric that centered on exams as the standard indicator of the well-being of learners failed to illustrate the picture of the purpose of education – transforming a whole being socially, academically, physically and even spiritually. This shows that teachers are diverting from their main purpose of empowering learners as a means of achieving economic development (Robertson, 2012).
Conclusion
To enhance the teaching system in the country, there is need for all stakeholders in the education system to come up with motivational methods for teachers. It is urgently required to review the performance indicators to enhance the overall performance of an individual. Indeed, improved performance of teachers in their career will not only contribute to development of the education system, but also the development of the whole economy, as every player in the economy must pass through the education system.
References
Ball, D. R., & Forzani, F. M. (2009). The Work of Teaching and the Challenge for Teacher Education. Journal of Teacher Education, 60(5): 497-511.
Elsaadani, M. A. (2013). Exploring the Relationship between Teaching Staff’ Age and Their Attitude towards Information and Communications Technologies (ICT). International Journal of Instruction, 6(1): 216-226.
Gencturk, E., Akbas, Y., & Kaymakci, S. (2012). Qualifications of an ideal teacher according to social studies preservice teachers. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 12(2): 1569-1572.
Dessus, P., Mandin, S., & Zampa, V. (2008). What is Teaching? Cognitive-Based Tutoring Principles for the Design of a Learning Environment. Common innovation in e-learning, machine learning and humanoid, 6: 49-55). Web.
Kennedy, M. (1997). Defining an Ideal Teacher Education Program. Web.
King, N., & Horrocks, C. (2010). Interviews in Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications.
Macbeath, J. (2012). Future of Teaching Profession. Web.
Robertson, S. (2012). Placing Teachers in Global Governance Agendas. Comparative Education Review, 56(4): 584-607.
Turner, D, W. (2010). Qualitative Interview Design: A Practical Guide for Novice Investigators. The Qualitative Report, 15(3): 754-760.
Appendix
Sample of the questions asked during the interview process
- Why did you decide to become a teacher?
- How long have you been teaching?
- What study did you do to get into teaching?
- Did you come into teaching straight from school or have you worked in other places before coming into teaching?
- What do you do in your average day at work?
- What are the most rewarding parts of being a teacher?
- What are some of the biggest challenges associated with being a teacher?
- What career opportunities and pathways have you taken up or do you plan to take up?
- Are you a member of any professional organisations (Union, professional association, state registration body, etc). What benefits accrue from being part of these organisations?
- What professional development options are there in your school? What forms of professional development do you find most helpful in your workplace?
- How would you describe your first year of teaching?