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The relationship between high school students' perceptions of teaching as a career and selected background characteristics: Implications for attracting students of color to teaching

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Abstract

This study sought to determine: What influence do background characteristics of high school students have on their perceptions of teaching as a career choice? The independent variables, or background characteristics, were ethnicity, gender, the work status of parents, and grade level. Of particular interest was the extent to which African Americans were receptive to teaching as a career choice. The dependent variable of the study was students' perceptions of teaching as a career. Students perceptions were ascertained from their responses to an instrument administered to over 800 high school students. The inventory sought students' attitudes regarding: (a) the extent to which they valued teaching as a career; (b) the importance they assigned to teaching relative to other professions; (c) the influence of significant others in encouraging them to go into teaching; and (d) their desire to meet the prerequisites to becoming a teacher. Although the findings were in general those to be expected, some surprising ones were also observed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Teacher Education and Professional Development, Central Michigan University, Michigan, USA

    Diane Newby Ed.D. (Associate Professor), Grant Smith Ph.D. (Assistant Professor) & Denise Miller M.A. (Instructor)

  2. Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work, Central Michigan University, Michigan, USA

    Robert Newby Ph.D. (Professor)

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  1. Diane Newby Ed.D.
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  2. Grant Smith Ph.D.
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  3. Robert Newby Ph.D.
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  4. Denise Miller M.A.
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Newby, D., Smith, G., Newby, R. et al. The relationship between high school students' perceptions of teaching as a career and selected background characteristics: Implications for attracting students of color to teaching. Urban Rev 27, 235–249 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02354399

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