A High Calling: Christian and Secular Perspectives of Teaching

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A High CallingChristian and Secular
Perspectives of Teaching

• A Research Study
• Ralph G. Leverett, Ph.D.
• Thomas R. Rosebrough, Ph.D.

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St. Paul reminds the members of the Corinthian
church to

• lead the lifeto which God has called you.

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Profile of the Schools

• Union University Private University dating to
  1823, TN Baptist Convention. Liberal Arts the
  Professions. Nearly 2500 students of which about
  500 are graduate. 500 Education
  Majors (300-UG and 200 Grad).
  73 UU faculty terminal degrees (86 in Ed.
  Dept.). Residential Campus.
  Admission is selective (ACT mean 24.8,
  Freshmen 01).

• Missouri Southern Public college dating from the
  late 1930s. Liberal
  Arts the Professions. Approximately 6000 UG
  students.
  Non-residential campus. Nearly 700
  Education majors. About 30 non-traditional
  students. Admission is
  moderately selective.

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Vocation

• n. 1. A regular occupation, especially one for
  which a person is particularly suited or
  qualified. 2. An inclination, as if in response
  to a summons, to undertake a certain kind of
  work, esp. a religious career a calling. Lat.
  vocatio, a calling.(American Heritage
  Dictionary)

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INTRODUCTION

• Wadsworth (2000) in a Public Agenda study
  explored a similar topic the sense of call
  among young teachers. She found them to be an
  enthusiastic group with a commitment to the field
  despite low salaries and behavior problems among
  students.

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Comparing the Wadsworth Study findings

• Although our study differed somewhat in focus
  from the Public Agenda study, there were
  remarkably similar findings.
• Wadsworth had 3 conclusions
  (1) teachers enjoy teaching
  (2) salary is not a
  primary motivator (3) reduced
  class size and better student behavior are
  preferable to salary

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Other Related Studies

• Cruickshank (1990) and Walling (1994) looked at
  reasons teachers selected the profession 90
  said helping children grow and learn, 63 chose
  seems to be a challenging field. Other high
  percentage choices were like work conditions,
  inspired by favorite teachers, sense of
  vocation and honor of teaching.

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More Related Research

• Snyder and Hoffman (1994) found encouraging
  responses from teachers when they were asked
  whether possible problems were serious. Large
  majorities reported these problems as not
  serious physical abuse of teachers, student
  disrespect for teachers, student absenteeism,
  student apathy, lack of parental involvement.
• Ornstein and Levine (1997) conclude that most
  teachers are motivated by a desire to work with
  young people and to enter a challenging and
  honorable field. And, while there is some
  dissatisfaction, burnout, stress and time
  pressures, most teachers are satisfied with their
  jobs.

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Purpose and Design of the Study

• Purpose to operationally define a sense of
  calling among young teachers who were graduated
  from a Christian university (Union) and a state
  college (Missouri Southern). Specifically, young
  teachers were asked
  1. Why did you enter the field?
  2. Why have you
  remained?
  3. Did you have a sense of calling. And,
  if so, what does that mean to you?
• Design young teachers (5 years experience or
  less) were surveyed. 11 of 25 Union and 13 of 30
  Missouri Southern surveys were returned (44
  return rate).

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Union and Missouri So.Motivators in Choosing
Teaching

• Weakest Influences Salary.
  Benefits Package. Appeal of other jobs.
  Convenience of the school calendar.
  Opinions of family and friends.
  Not knowing what else to do.

• Strongest Influences Interaction with students.
  Helping others. Being called.
  Sharing their knowledge.
  Doing what God wants me to do.
  Being committed to teaching.

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Strongest Influences for Entering the Field

• Interest in Children Union 11/11 MSSC
  8/13
• Desire to Help Union 11/11 MSSC
  6/13
• Called to Teach Union 10/11 MSSC
  9/13

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Weakest Influences for Entering the Field

• Didnt know what else to do
  Union 11/11 MSSC 12/13
• Salary Union 11/11
  MSSC 12/13
• Benefits Package Union 10/11
  MSSC 12/13

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Union and Missouri Southern Motivators to
Remain in Teaching

• Weakest Motivators Salary.
  Benefit package. Convenience of the school
  calendar. Appeal of other jobs.

• Strongest Motivators Interaction with students.
  Helping others. Being
  called. Doing what God wants me to
  do. Commitment to teaching. Feeling
  called keeps me from quitting.

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Strongest Influences to Remain in the Field

• What God Wants Me to Do
  Union 10/11 MSSC 10/13
• Service to Others Union 11/11
  MSSC 12/13
• Commitment to teach Union 6/11
  MSSC 8/13

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Weakest Influences on Remaining in the Field

• Desire to be Someone Union 6/11 MSSC
  12/13
• What I want to do (disregarding call) Union
  10/11 MSSC 6/13

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Considered Quitting

• Considered Quitting at Least One Time
  Union 7/11 MSSC 7/13
• Never Considered Quitting
  Union 4/11 MSSC 6/13
• (One MSSC student wanted to quit 1000 times)

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Union and MSSCMotivators for Quitting

• Weakest Influences Salary.
  Paperwork. Preparation Time. Lack
  of Fulfillment. Cost of Graduate
  Degree. Lack of Respect from
  Admin/Community. Influence of Friends and Family.

• Strongest Influences Discipline.
  Lack of Respect from Students.
  Lack of Respect from Parents.

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Reasons for Quitting

• Student Discipline Union 4/7
  MSSC 4/7
• Lack of Respect from Students
  Union 4/7 MSSC 2/7
• Lack of Respect from Parents
  Union 2/7 MSSC 3/7

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A Sense of Calling Defined by Union and
Missouri Southern

• God wants me to do this.
• Need to help/serve others.
• An inner drive
• A talent to be used
• A feeling that I was to teach
• The drive to overcome all obstacles to foster
  learning
• Gifted with talents, instinct and personality to
  succeed
• Delight in seeing children succeed . . . or
  become interested in learning

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Vocatio

• n. 1. A regular occupation, especially one for
  which a person is suited or qualified. 2. An
  inclination, as if in response to a summons, to
  undertake a certain kind of work, especially a
  religious career a calling.
  (American Heritage Dictionary)

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FindingsEntering Teaching

• Teachers from both schools chose their
  profession for two strong reasons
• 1. They desired interaction with students
  and were keenly interested in teaching them.
• 2. They felt a strong sense of call
• -the call was defined more religiously by
  Christian university students
• -its definition by these 24 teachers was very
  consistent with the classical definition
• And, salary was not a primary motivator.

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FindingsRemaining in Teaching

• Teachers from both schools have remained in
  teaching for three strong reasons
• 1. Their call was a compelling influence.
• 2. They felt a need to continue to serve.
• 3. They felt a commitment to their students.

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Historical Contrast

• Teachers of the early 1900s were expected to
  commit fully to teacher preparation. John R.
  Kirk, President of what is now Truman State
  University, in 1907 addressed the rationale for
  summer programs for teachers the prevailing
  notion of summer vacations for teachers as a
  means of rest had nothing for its support but
  tradition. Able-bodied people did not need the
  summer time for rest. There was no reason for
  becoming worn out in the spring time since it was
  the season of the year when all nature is at its
  best. Teachers could attend the summer quarter
  and live as well and just as inexpensively as
  they would in a condition of idleness, perhaps
  better because they would live more regularly.
  (Shrenker, 2001)

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Conclusion

• Kirks seemingly insensitive appraisal of
  in-service teachers of his day would likely find
  a less than sympathetic audience among teachers
  today. Teachers of our own period often fill
  their summers with advanced training or summer
  employment to supplement the meager salaries of
  many school systems. In view of our own limited
  study, but consistent with that of Wadsworths,
  we would believe that the commitment of
  yesteryears teachers as idealized by John Kirk
  is no less than that of todays. We might
  suggest that todays teachers exhibit an even
  greater degree of commitment. While the early
  1900s offered few professional choices for women
  other than teaching and nursing, todays young
  bright females (and males) have many options more
  lucrative and well respected than teaching. We
  believe that the commitment stated by the young
  teachers of our study indicate that teaching is
  very much a choice among several possible
  vocations and those entering and remaining in the
  field are living out a call.

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