SOCIAL CONTEXT: ESSAY

EDUC 3603 Assignment #1

A'st$a)t
O!tion #1: *e a+e e,amine# an# #is)-sse# a +a$iet( o. .a)to$s t at in.l-en)e tea) e$ satis.a)tion an# tea) e$ .$-st$ation"#issatis.a)tion% In t is essa(/ I &ill i#enti.( some ma0o$ )a-ses o. tea) e$ 0o' satis.a)tion%

Elaine Kao
tt!:""#$eamsan#ins!i$ations%&ee'l(%)om

Elaine Kao February 2014 EDUC 3603 Social Context

Teacher Satisfaction
Quite often, we ear new! of "i!#ute! between teac er!, a"$ini!trator!, an" #arent! in t e new!, an" t e %ariou! factor! w ic affect teac er "i!!ati!faction a%e been "i!cu!!e" at len&t in our Social Context cla!! t u! far' ( e a!#ect! of a teac er)! career w ic cau!e "i!!ati!faction an" fru!tration can ea!ily be analy*e" an" turne" into #o!iti%e factor! of &rowt if loo+e" at wit a #o!iti%e attitu"e' ,! !uc , - wi! e" to in%e!ti&ate t e $ore #o!iti%e !i"e of our c o!en career an" #in#oint t e factor! w ic lea" to teac er .ob !ati!faction a! a way to re%itali*e $y own $orale, !o to !#ea+' ,! #re/!er%ice teac er!, - belie%e we are all !till in t e 0,ntici#ation 1 a!e2 of our career!' ,lt ou& t ere i! #lenty of e%i"ence an" in!tance! #ortraye" in t e $e"ia, an" e%en #er a#! a few fir!t an" encounter! fro$ teac er a!!ociate! an" $entor! t at warn of t e i$#en"in& 0Di!illu!ion$ent 1 a!e,2 t ere i! literature a%ailable to re!tore our fait an" o#e, if only a little' 34oir'5 - a$ intere!te" in $ulticultural !tu"ie!, !o - al!o too+ t i! o##ortunity to re!earc teac er .ob !ati!faction in Cana"a, a! well a! a few countrie! -)$ intere!te" in teac in& in one "ay' ,"$itte"ly, t ere are $ore !ource! of infor$ation on #roble$! an" i!!ue! teac er! a%e to "eal wit t rou& out t eir career t an t ere are article! about !ati!fie" an" a##y e"ucator!' reco&ni*e t at ulti$ately, an in"i%i"ual)! attitu"e an" #er!onal outloo+ on life can influence ow we "eal wit certain !tre!!ful an" #otentially fru!tratin& !ituation!' - belie%e we a%e t e c oice of learnin& fro$ our $i!ta+e! or lettin& t e ar"! i#! brea+ u! "own' ,! - a$ !till in t e

antici#ation !ta&e t i! #a#er will be focu!e" on #re!entin& fin"in&! of i"eal !ituation! an" en%iron$ent! t at will $a+e $y career bot fulfillin& an" !ati!fyin&' 6et u! fir!t loo+ to Finlan", a nation +nown to a%e a !u#erior e"ucation !y!te$ wit %ery !ati!fie" e"ucator!' 7 at factor! contribute to t i! fa$e8 -t i! %ery "ifficult to beco$e a teac er in Finlan", an" t e !c oolin& i! co$#arable to t at of !tereoty#ically i& #ayin& career! in $e"icine, "enti!try an" t e .u!tice !ector' ,ll uni%er!itie! t at #re#are teac er! for t eir #rofe!!ion a%e a clinical trainin& !c ool li+e t at of uni%er!ity teac in& o!#ital!, #art of a # y!ician)! e"ucation' - t in+ t i! i! a beneficial $o"el to follow, t ou& t ere $ay be a few lo&i!tical #roble$! wit !ettin& u# !uc an unfa$iliar !y!te$' ( e Uni%er!ity of 6et bri"&e)! teac er trainin& #ro&ra$ !ee$! a! clo!e to t at conce#t a! #o!!ible !o far wit it! four re9uire" #ractica' Si$ilar to &oo" !c ool! in ,lberta an" :ntario, Finni! !c ool! belie%e in t e i$#ortance of collaboration an" autono$y' (eac er! feel obli&ate" an" re!#on!ible for #lannin&, i$#le$entin& an" e%aluatin& curriculu$ outco$e! on w ic t ey a%e collaborate"' -n Finlan", t e teac in& loa" i! li& ter in co$#ari!on to our!, !o exten!i%e collaboration i! #o!!ible' ( ere i! anot er "ifference between Finlan" an" our !y!te$ in t at t ey "o not a%e !tan"ar"i*e" te!tin&' -n ,lberta t ere a! been a lon& "ebate about re$o%in& !tan"ar"i*e" te!tin& a! well' ;e!earc ! ow! t at $any Finni! teac er! woul" con!i"er lea%in& t e teac in& #rofe!!ion if t e &o%ern$ent li$ite" t eir #rofe!!ional free"o$ an" autono$y wit external !c ool in!#ection! or !tan"ar"i*e" te!tin& t at control! a lot of t e teac er!) wor+' 7it re&ar"! to a"$ini!trator!, w ene%er <C teac er! &o on !tri+e, for exa$#le, you often ear !torie! about ow teac er! an" #rinci#al! are #ro ibite" fro$ !#ea+in& to eac ot er becau!e t ey belon& to "ifferent union!' -n Finlan", it !ee$! t at #rinci#al! !ee t e$!el%e! a! #art of t e teac in& !taff rat er t an a!

a"$ini!trator! an" 9uite often continue wor+in& a! teac er!, belon&in& to t e !a$e union' -n t i! way, &oal! an" %i!ion! for t e !ucce!! of t eir !c ool !y!te$ are $ore clo!ely ali&ne"' ( e Finni! !c ool !y!te$ belie%e! t at #rofe!!ional lea"er! i# will only flouri! a$on& teac er! if t ey a%e t e autono$y to influence w at an" ow t ey teac , an" to "eter$ine ow be!t to e%aluate t eir !tu"ent!) learnin&' 3Sa lber&'5 -n t e <C (eac er Fe"eration! Worklife of BC Teachers 2009 Survey, !ati!faction factor! inclu"e" bein& able to !u##ort c il"ren)! learnin& an" "e%elo#$ent, #o!iti%e interaction! between !tu"ent!, teac er!, #eer!, an" #arent!, a! well a! !o$e "e&ree of autono$y' So$e of t e !tre!! factor! inclu"e" t in&! we a%e "i!cu!!e" in cla!!, !uc a! li$ite" ti$e, cla!! !i*e! an" co$#o!ition!, lac+ of !u##ort, an" $ulti#le "e$an"! t at &o abo%e an" beyon" w at t e "efinition of a teac er $i& t be' ( i! i! e!#ecially "ifficult for be&innin& teac er! becau!e we feel obli&ate" to ta+e on $ore t an we can c ew, an" to #ro%e our wort in !o$e way in or"er to &ain a #er$anent teac in& contract' (eac er! al!o #ercei%e t eir wor+ con"ition! a! fun"a$entally lin+e" to t e con"ition! t at !u##ort !tu"ent learnin&' -f relation! i#! between t e a"$ini!tration, collea&ue!, #arent!, an" !tu"ent! are #o!iti%e an" !u##orti%e, teac er! ten" to feel $ore !ati!fie" wit t eir .ob' ( e ,lberta (eac er)! ,!!ociation)! conclu"e" !i$ilar #oint! about teac er !tre!! an" !ati!faction' -n t e 2011/2012 =ational Stu"y on <alancin& 7or+, 6ife an" Care&i%in& in Cana"a, it wa! foun" t at co$#lex %ariable! ! a#e a teac er!) wor+ inclu"in& t o!e li!te" abo%e, a! well a! teac er!) "e$o&ra# ic %ariable!, tec nolo&y c an&e, an" !ocietal influence!' (y#ical ,lberta teac er! !#en" about 10 $ore our! #er wee+ on a%era&e t an ot er #rofe!!ional! in t e !tu"y !a$#le' (o t e &eneral #ublic, teac er !tri+e! in Cana"a ten" to a##ear a! t ou& !alarie! are our bi&&e!t i!!ue!, but in fact, t e #roble$! are $ore to "o wit i$#ro%in&

!tu"ent learnin& by a""re!!in& way! to i$#ro%e wor+/life con"ition!' :r&ani*ation! !uffer w en e$#loyee!) well/bein& i! at ri!+' >rowin& u# wit ,!ian belief! an" %alue! in Cana"a, it a! alway! been a !tru&&le to $er&e a!#ect! in bot 7e!tern an" Ea!tern cultural context!' ( ere wa! an intere!tin& !tu"y on ?00 teac er! fro$ Cana"a, Korea, an" t e Unite" State! w ic exa$ine" ow .ob !ati!faction an" !tre!! are !i$ilar or "ifferent in a cro!!/cultural context' =ort ,$erican culture i! fun"a$entally in"i%i"uali!tic, a%in& in"i%i"ual &oal! an" a!#iration!, "efinin& t e$!el%e! a! autono$ou!, an" #eo#le #ay attention to co!t! an" benefit! of relation! i#!' ( i! i! "ifferent fro$ t e Ea!t ,!ian collecti%i!t culture of C ina, @a#an, an" Korea w ic ! are a Confucian erita&e !tron&ly e$# a!i*in& fa$ily ar$ony, "uty, an" !er%ice to t e co$$unity' ;e!earc ! owe" t at cultural %alue! influence wor+/relate" %ariable! !uc a! .ob !tre!! an" !ati!faction' ,n exa$#le &i%en in t e #a#er ex#laine" t at C ine!e e$#loyee! w o are $ore connecte" wit tra"itional %alue! !uc a! re!#ect, an" "eference for fa$ily an" co$$unity lea"er! ex#erience" .ob !tre!! "ifferently t an t o!e wit lower le%el! of tra"itional %alue!' @ob !ati!faction $ay be influence" by .ob !tatu! in an in"i%i"uali!tic culture but not in a collecti%i!t culture' <ecau!e of t e lower re!i!tance to tea$wor+ an" increa!e" willin&ne!! to follow $ana&erial "eci!ion! wit out $uc re!i!tance, collecti%i!t! ten"e" to a%e i& er .ob !ati!faction an" co$$it$ent' -n Korea, bein& a !c ool teac er $ean! better econo$ic !ecurity an" .ob !tability' ( i! contra!t! wit =ort ,$erican teac er! w o na$e .ob !ecurity a! one of t e $a.or !tre!! factor!' ( e influence of culture on $oti%ation a! recently been labele" 0one of t e $o!t i$#ortant i!!ue! in e"ucational #!yc olo&y to"ay'2 Furt er$ore, #!yc olo&i!t ,lberta <an"ura reco&ni*e" t at in"i%i"ual! "o not wor+ a! !ocial i!olate!, an" #eo#le for$ belief! about t e collecti%e ca#abilitie! of t e &rou# or &rou#! to w ic t ey belon&'

( ou& t ere i! $uc e%i"ence ! owin& t ere are i& le%el! of !tre!! an" teac er turno%er rate!, $any teac er! !till re#ort i& le%el! of #er!onal !ati!faction wit t eir wor+' @ob !ati!faction an" $oti%ation a%e a lot to "o wit t eir interaction! wit collea&ue!, !tu"ent!, a"$ini!trator!, an" #arent!, but t eir #erce#tion of t e!e interaction! $ay be influence" by t eir cultural belief! an" %alue!' -n ,lberta, teac er collaboration i! !tron&ly encoura&e"' ,! we a%e !een in t e !tu"ie! -)%e cite", collaboration, co$$unication, an" !o$e !en!e of collecti%i!$ coul" contribute to teac er .ob !ati!faction' ;ecent #oll! !u&&e!te" t at teac er! in t e Unite" State! are $ore !ati!fie" now t an in t e #re%iou! 20 year!' ( ere are !tu"ie! an" wor+ bein& "one continuou!ly to i$#ro%e e"ucational !y!te$! all aroun" t e worl"' (ec nolo&ical a"%ance! in t e recent "eca"e! a%e $a"e it #o!!ible for u! to learn fro$ !c ool !y!te$! in "ifferent countrie!, a! well a! #ro%i"e o##ortunitie! for international an" cro!!/cultural teac er collaboration' 6i+e t e Ain an" Aan& !y$bol, t ere will alway! be a li& t an" "ar+ !i"e to !ituation!, but we a%e t e #ower to !tri%e for a balance an" focu! on t e #o!iti%e!' (eac er !tre!! i! not entirely a%oi"able, an" t e !a$e !ituation t at cau!e! !tre!! in one teac er $ay in!#ire an" $oti%ate anot er teac er' Cultural %alue! influence an in"i%i"ual)! belief! relate" to fa$ily, !c ool, an" wor+' ( e!e %alue! al!o affect ow #eo#le !et &oal!, inter#ret relation! i#!, ex#ectation!, "e$an"! an" "utie! in t eir wor+' ,! a Cana"ian born C ine!e #er!on, - a%e learne" t at $y belief! an" %alue! are a uni9ue $ixture of bot Cana"ian an" ,!ian culture!' Un"er!tan"in& !o$e Confucian, <u"" i!t, an" Ben le!!on! will el# $e "eal wit t e i$#en"in& teac er !tre!! a! - tran!ition fro$ t e 0antici#ation !ta&e2 to t e 0"i!illu!ion$ent !ta&e2 of $y career' ,! Confuciu! !ay!, 0c oo!e a .ob you lo%e, an" you will ne%er a%e to wor+ a "ay in your life'2 (o 9uote >eor&e <ernar" S aw, 01eo#le are alway! bla$in& t eir circu$!tance! for w at t ey are' - "on)t belie%e in circu$!tance!' ( e #eo#le w o &et on in t i! worl" are t e

#eo#le w o &et u# an" loo+ for t e circu$!tance! t ey want, an" if t ey can)t fin" t e$, $a+e t e$'2 ,! - #re#are for a career a! a teac er, - o#e to re$ain #o!iti%e, learn fro$ !ituation! &oo" an" ba", an" be o#en to t e #o!!ibility t at - $ay a%e to &et u# an" loo+ for, or create t e circu$!tance! t at will #ro%i"e t e .ob !ati!faction - nee"'

References
Couture, @' C' 32013, 4arc 125' (eac er! !#en" 10 our! $ore #er wee+ on wor+ t an ot er #rofe!!ional!' The Alberta Teachers Association. February 4, 2014, tt#CDDwww'teac er!'ab'caD1ublication!D,(,E20=ew!DFolu$eE204GE202012/13D=u$ber/ 13D1a&e!D(eac er!/!#en"/10/ our!/or/$ore'a!#x Kla!!en, ;' 4', U! er, E' 6', H <on&, 4' 320105' (eac er!) Collecti%e Efficacy, @ob Sati!faction, an" @ob Stre!! in Cro!!/Cultural Context' Journal Of E !eri"ental E#ucation, $%345, 464/4I6' "oiC10'10I0D00220JG0J032J2JG? Kwon&, @', Kai#in&, 7', H Clifton, ;' ,' 320105' ;et in+in& our a!!u$#tion! about teac er!L .ob !ati!faction in C ina an" t e 7e!t' ,u!tralian @ournal :f E"ucation 3,CE; 1re!!5, ?4325, 11?/ 132' 4iller, >' F', H (ra%er!, C' @' 3200?5' Et nicity an" t e ex#erience of wor+C @ob !tre!! an" !ati!faction of $inority et nic teac er! in t e UK' &nternational 'evie( Of )sychiatry, *$3?5, 31G/32G' "oiC10'10I0D0J?40260?0023I4G0 4oir, E' 31JJJ5' ( e !ta&e! of a teac er)! fir!t year' , better be&innin&C Su##ortin& an" $entorin& new teac er!, 1J/23' Sa lber&, 1' 320135' (eac er! a! 6ea"er! in F-=6,=D' E#ucational +ea#ershi!, $*325, 36/40 7 ite, 4', H =aylor, C' 32010, =o%/Dec5' <C teac er! tal+ about !ati!faction an" !tre!! in t eir wor+' BC Teachers- .e#eration. February 4, 2014, tt#CDDwww'bctf'caD#ublication!D=ew!$a&,rticle'a!#x8i"M21GG6 Nu, F', H S en, @' 3200G5' ;e!earc on @ob Sati!faction of Ele$entary an" Ki& Sc ool (eac er! an" Strate&ie! to -ncrea!e @ob Sati!faction' C ine!e E"ucation H Society, 403?5, I6/J6' "oiC10'2G?3DCED 1061/1J32400?0J