Over the course of the student teaching experience, a student teacher's intention to teach can increase, decrease, or remain the same. The purpose of this study was to explore differences in student teachers that were representative of each category. Teaching intention of 103 student teachers at four universities in 2005-2006 exhibited little…

Little is known about when adolescents' vocational interests begin to surge. For the author's study with students participating in Georgia's Future Educators Association (FEA) conference, the sample had students from 13 to 19 years of age, and the author found that there was a dramatic change in interest between ages 15 and 16. FEA offers middle…

According to the research literature, there are three reasons that draw teachers into teaching: (1) gender-related reasons, (2) altruistic reasons, and (3) monetary rewards and job flexibility. Based on data from three teacher preparation programs, this article argues that teachers who were trained at elite colleges and who chose teaching in urban…

When the author retired from teaching after thirty-seven years, he had taught elementary school, junior high school, and thirty years at Johns Hopkins University. He always loved being in the classroom with his students. They energized him, inspired him, humbled him, and taught him in many ways. He learned more from them than they learned from…

As English is now promoted as an academic subject in primary and secondary schools in China, creating an enormous demand for qualified English teachers, there is a need to understand English teachers' motivation and commitment to the teaching career. In this paper, the author reports on a biographical study of 12 teachers who taught in schools in…

The purpose of this study was to explore how the student teaching experience and other variables influenced student teachers' intentions to teach. Data were collected from 80 student teachers at three universities--a land grant/research I institution, a non-land grant/doctoral degree granting institution, and a comprehensive regional institution.…

This study contends that multiple psychosocial factors mediate students' pursuit of the teaching profession, including beliefs, ethnic identity, acculturation, efficacy, and motivation. Despite the myriad literature addressing teacher characteristics, less is known about how these factors influence the academic or personal development of teacher…

This qualitative study focuses on messages to gifted girls about their choice of a career in teaching. Participants consisted of 18 female teachers identified as gifted. The methodology consisted of semistructured interviews and focus group discussions. Findings indicate that messages of discouragement toward a career in teaching were more…

Carol Pilgrim received her PhD from the University of Florida in 1987 with a specialization in the experimental analysis of behavior. She is currently Professor of Psychology and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. She has been honored with a Distinguished Teaching Professorship, the…

This paper draws on findings from a research project funded by the Scottish Executive which analysed the gender balance in teaching and explored the underlying reasons for the decline in the number and proportion of men, particularly in secondary schools. As in other developed countries, such as Australia, the USA and Canada, the proportion of men…

This study is a retrospective look at adult female siblings' perspectives of their childhoods and present identities based on having a brother with a disability. This paper focuses on siblings' experiences within educational and public domains, and how such experiences have shaped their personalities and career choices. Qualitative findings were…

The article examines data collected from six primary schools in the ESRC Project: Primary Teacher Identity, Commitment and Career in Performative Cultures, and compares it to classic analyses of teacher commitment made by Dan Lortie and Jennifer Nias in order to assess continuity and change. The "mission" to teach is still there, as is…

This study uses a unique, longitudinal statewide database to track students through the new teacher supply pipeline from high school through college and initial teacher certification. The report examines how each stage influences the characteristics of those who enter the teaching profession, with particular attention to academic skills and…

As the largest public sector institution in the United Kingdom, education is a key site for studying the context of "choice" and changes in the identities of professional workers in contemporary society. Recruitment and retention problems in education have led to the creation of new routes into teaching to attract career changers from…

This case study used photo elicitation interviewing (PEI) to analyze perceptions of Latino students and their teachers in a multilanguage high school academy. It examined student involvement in school, dropout rate, and pursuit of a college education. Ten academy teachers and 10 Latino senior students were interviewed. Observations obtained…