This study employed survey research methods to collect data from teachers from a district with long-term, high conflict between teachers and the school board and teachers from two districts with short-term, medium conflict between teachers and the school boards. Teachers in highly politicized school districts had quite different perceptions of teaching than those in more stable contexts. Differences included diminished perception of the value of teaching as a job, questioning the impact they could have on social inequities and disadvantages, and less support received from family and friends about their teaching career, among several others.
This study utilizes survey research methods to explore Florida K-12 public school teachers motivations to teach and to explore what extent teacher characteristics and teacher program characteristics had a relationship with particular motivational factors using the FIT-Choice scale.The recruitment and retention of high quality and diverse teachers is a continuous dilemma in the U.S. and beyond (Murnane & Steele, 2007; Ravitch, 2010). Currently, there are over 3.6 million public K-12 school teachers in the United States who are charged with the daunting task of preparing the next generation of students for the 21st Century global market, while typically working long hours with little financial compensation, low social status, and limited autonomy, with increased certification and education requirements, as well as major safety precautions, as evidenced by the recent events in Parkland, Florida (Spring, 2014, Darling-Hammond 2010, 2015. Given the high risk and responsibility of taking on this challenge, the critical question arises: Why teach? Consequently, significant efforts and resources-from teacher education program, communities, private enterprise to the state and federal government-have been devoted to advance the "recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most" ("Race to the Top Program Executive Summary," 2009, p. 2). Despite the myriad initiatives and investment, the efforts to increase both the quantity, quality and effectiveness of teachers have not resulted in the success desired (Darling-Hammond, 2010, 2013; NCATE, 2010). One potential shortfall of prior efforts is that the initial motivational factors that influenced people to become teachers may not have been taken into consideration when developing such initiatives. In other areas of teacher education research, practicing teachers, as well as pre-service teachers are being included in the research efforts to improve the state of teacher preparation and professional development (Dana & Yendol-Hoppey, 2003, 2008; Zeichner, 2012). One of the ways that Is It the Right "FIT"? Florida K-12 Public School Teachers Motivations to Become a Teacher teachers' voices have been overlooked is through the lack of research on their motivations. Until the last decade, there has been a limited amount of high-quality empirical research on both the use of, and potential for, motivational theory in teacher education until Watt and Richardson's (2007) landmark conceptual and methodological models: the FIT-Choice (Factors Influencing Teaching Choice) Scale (Butler, 2014; Heinz, 2015). Many recent researchers posit motivational theory can provide critical insights as to how to better recruit, prepare, and retain effective teachers by examining their aspirations, beliefs, values, and experiences as they relate to their role (
This constructivist study explores 16 graduate assistants’ (GAs) healthcare experiences and uses grounded theory to create a model of graduate assistants’ experiences with university-provided healthcare in a large research university. The model is composed of four broad components: (a) systems; (b) access, care and coverage; (c) knowledge, quality and cost; and (d) self. Graduate assistants’ needs and expectations constantly negotiate various systems in the model. Expanding upon the limited research regarding graduate student healthcare, this study provides implications for higher education administrators and policy makers. Based on our study findings we argue that it is not sufficient for university administrations to simply provide paid health insurance “options” without robust support systems on campus. Because students are often stressed out, lack time and energy, and find it hard to navigate the complicated systems of profit-driven health care industry, the lack of direct support in graduate students’ day-to-day healthcare needs can cause tremendous loss on their success and productivity. Hence, universities have tremendous opportunities to better understand and address their graduate students’ real needs so as to add value to institutional success and productivity.
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