Til þess að aðrir virði mann verður maður að virða sig sjálfur : sýn grunnskólakennara á virðingu í starfi

Abstract

Meginmarkmið rannsóknarinnar var að rýna í sjálfsvirðingu kennara og reynslu þeirra af virðingu annarra fyrir kennarastarfinu. Jafnframt var markmiðið að leita eftir því hvernig þeir telja vænlegt að efla sjálfsvirðingu kennara og virðingu í samfélaginu fyrir kennarastarfinu. Viðtöl voru tekin við sex grunnskólakennara á höfuðborgarsvæðinu, þrjár konur og þrjá karla. Helstu niðurstöður eru þær að kennararnir sex telja sig búa yfir sjálfsvirðingu í starfi og álíta að það eigi við um flesta kennara; fáir endist í kennslu án sjálfsvirðingar. Þeir álíta að sumir þeirra kennara sem skortir sjálfsvirðingu tali niður til starfsins og/eða á afsakandi hátt um það. Þessi hópur sé fámennur en hávær. Einnig eru kennararnir þeirrar skoðunar að kennari, sem hefur ekki sjálfsvirðingu í starfi, sinni því ekki sem skyldi og geti það haft áhrif á nemendur, líðan þeirra, námsárangur og traust þeirra til kennarans. Þá telja kennararnir að nemendur og foreldrar sem þeir eru í samskiptum við beri flestir virðingu fyrir kennarastarfinu. Þeir upplifa aftur á móti að almenningur, sveitarstjórnir og menntamálayfirvöld geri það ekki og umræða um kennarastarfið sé oft neikvæð og ófagleg; þekking annarra á starfinu sé oft takmörkuð. Til að efla sjálfsvirðingu kennara og virðingu fyrir kennarastarfinu telja þeir m.a. að kennarar þurfi að efla jákvæða og faglega umræðu um kennarastarfið, bæði í fjölmiðlum og almennri umræðu, innan og utan kennarastéttarinnar. Þá eru þeir sammála um að fyrst og fremst þurfi að efla sjálfsvirðingu kennara enn frekar; það sé vís leið til að efla virðingu annarra fyrir kennarastarfinu.

Research on teachers’ professionalism has recently started to focus on their pro-fessional identity (e.g., Day et al., 2006; Kelchtermans, 2007; Lasky, 2005). How-ever, few studies have focused on their self-respect as part of their professional identity. Moreover, while some studies have explored teachers’ perceptions of respect for their profession, most of them have been conducted using question-naires (e.g., Kane & Mallon, 2006; Ólafsson & Björnsson, 2009). The main aim of this study, conducted in Iceland, is to better understand teachers’ self-respect and how they perceive respect both for themselves and their profession in general. A second aim is to explore how they feel this can be enhanced. Using aqualitative research approach, data were collected through semi-structured indepthinterviews with six teachers, three female and three male.The analysis revealed that the six teachers feel they have good self-respect asteachers. They also believe that, in general, teachers have good self-respect;those who do not, they say, are quick to leave the profession. They describesome teachers who lack self-respect, who talk about their work in a degradingand negative way, but they see this group as small but loud. Further, these sixteachers believe that without self-respect teachers would not be able to do theirwork adequately, in a way that affects their students, and their students’ emotionalwellbeing, academic achievement, and trust for their teachers. They alsobelieve that teachers’ self-respect is associated with the respect students havefor their teachers: students have more respect for teachers who respect themselves.The teachers think that most of the students and parents they interact with on adaily basis do respect teachers. In contrast, they feel that local governments,the Ministry of Education, and the public often do not respect teachers and thatdiscussions about teachers are often negative and unprofessional. Most of thembelieve that the teachers’ union struggle has had a negative effect on respect forteachers, and they find that upsetting. They feel that the emphasis taken in thatstruggle has been unproductive and has presented a negative image of teachersand the teaching profession.To promote teachers’ self-respect, along with respect for teachers, these sixteachers emphasize the need for a positive and professional discussion aboutteachers and their profession in the media, among teachers themselves and insociety in general. Moreover, they emphasize that promoting teachers’ selfrespectwill promote respect for teachers and their profession.The main limitation of the study is that only six teachers were interviewed. Also,their willingness to participate may indicate that they have good self-respect asteachers, that the teaching profession is important to them and that they areinterested in finding ways to enhance the profession and respect for it.The study has at least three key strengths. First, it explored several aspects ofrespect in and for the profession by focusing on how the six teachers view theirself-respect, teachers’ self-respect in general, and the importance of both, alongwith others’ respect for the profession and possible ways to promote teachers’self-respect and respect for their profession. Second, by using in-depth interviewswe could get a more holistic picture and deeper understanding of theteachers’ perspectives on the issues. Third, the topic has received little attentionin research. Given these strengths, the study should make an important contributionto this field of study, on both national and international levels.We do hope that our approach and findings can be of use to researchers in thisfield. Further, we hope they encourage all those involved in education, includingpolicy-makers, professionalists, and parents, to promote discussion and findways to enhance respect for the teacher profession for the benefit of children,their families and the wider society.