Job, Career, or Calling? Exploring Work Orientations Among Israeli Teachers

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: Teachers: Professional Roles and Career Choices

Abstract

'Work orientation' refers to the meanings people attach to their work. Drawing on this notion, researchers developed a model which distinguishes between three orientations towards work: Job, calling and career. Using quantitative methods, the study aims at examining the distribution of work orientations among 109 Israeli teachers and creating a profile of teachers in each orientation based on their demographic and occupational data. The study found that a dominant work orientation could be identified for 70% of the teachers. Among these teachers, the following distribution of work orientations was yielded: 82% calling, 15% career, 5% job. In addition, significant correlations were found only in regard to five variables: age, being a parent, status of employment (half-time/full-time), religion and teaching seniority.

Author

• Hayuta Yinon, Oranim Academic College of Education