Second-Career Teachers and the Attractiveness of Teaching: A Review of the Transnational Scholarly Literature

• In Event: Global Lens on Teacher Career Development

Abstract

Career changers form an increasing proportion of in-service teachers. Politically, their recruitment is perceived as a response to the decline in the attractiveness of the profession most OECD countries are facing. This paper is intended to be a state of the art and calls for a deepened understanding of second career teachers. This transnational literature review explores their motivations, their training, and their contributions to education. The current research is mainly qualitative and focuses on student teachers. Results show that many studies have been conducted internationally on their reasons for choosing teaching. The literature highlights the necessity for a differentiated teacher training: their specificities must be considered to maximize their contributions to the education system.

Author

• victoria david, Institute for Research in the Sociology and Economics of Education Université de Bourgogne