PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ EXPECTATIONS FOR TEACHING AS A CAREER: A SNAPSHOT AT A TIME OF TRANSITION

Recent graduates of teacher-education programmes in Ireland are entering their careers at a time characterised by an erosion of teacher autonomy, increased bureaucratic demands, and narrower curriculum specifications. These changes are typical features of what Sahlberg (2011) has termed the global educational reform movement (GERM), which evidence suggests may have a negative impact on teacher morale, and on how teaching as a career is perceived. This, in turn, may adversely affect teacher recruitment and retention. The study presented in this paper examined the career expectations of two cohorts of Irish pre-service teachers (n=494) at the point of transition between college and work. The data gathered were also used to investigate if recent changes to the B.Ed. degree programme are associated with changes in career expectations. It was found that teachers indicated strong expectations on doing a worthwhile job, finding satisfaction in pupil achievement and on personal fulfilment. Expectations with regard to the adequacy of salaries were low, however, diminishing further in the period from 2014 to 2016.