Abstract
This paper is based upon a unique mixed methods 4-year research project which focused upon the variations in teachers’ work, lives, and effectiveness of 300 elementary and secondary school teachers in a range of 100 schools across seven regions of England. Its findings challenge linear conceptions of teacher development and expertise and provide new understandings of the effects of personal, school and broader policy contexts upon professional life phase trajectories and teachers’ emotional identities. It finds connections between these and teachers’ commitment, resilience, and effectiveness. This paper discusses these in relation to the school standards and teacher retention agendas.
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Notes
The percentage of pupils in a school eligible for free school meal (FSM) provides an indication of low income and social disadvantage. It was used to divide schools into four categories from least to most disadvantaged. FSM 1 describes schools with 0–8% of pupils eligible for free school meals. This percentage rises to 9–20% for FSM 2 schools, 21–35% for FSM 3 schools, and over 35% for FSM 4 schools.
Readers should note that this accounts for differences in the total number of teachers indicated in each of the Figures/Tables in this paper.
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This paper draws from the work of the VITAE project, which the author led. It is the result of original work and acknowledgements are due to his colleagues for their contributions to the data collection and analyses, especially Professor Pam Sammons, Dr Alison Kington and Dr Qing Gu of Nottingham University and Dr Gordon Stobart, Dr Tamjid Mujtaba and Dr Rebecca Smees of London University, Institute of Education.
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Day, C. Committed for life? Variations in teachers’ work, lives and effectiveness. J Educ Change 9, 243–260 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-007-9054-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-007-9054-6