We identified two sub-groups of teachers in this professional life phase.
Sub-group (a) contained teachers who weresustaining their engagementand whose
expected trajectories were career advancement with increased self-efficacy and
commitment (human capital investment). The combined support from leadership,
staff collegiality (high social capital), rapport with the pupils and engagement in
CPD were contributing factors in this sub-group’s positive sense of effectiveness.
Teachers’professional learning within thefirst sub-group were related to the needs
of (i) those with aspirations for further promotion who were primarily concerned
about the effectiveness of their managerial responsibilities and extending these; and
(ii) those intending to remain in the classroom, fulfilling the original‘call to teach’,
and developing and refining their knowledge repertories for teaching and learning.
Professional learning opportunities, therefore, need to target at their differentiated
professional learning needs and help enhance their role effectiveness either as
managers or as classroom teachers.
Around half of the teachers in sub-group (b)‘Detachment/loss of motivation’
reported a lack of support from leadership (50%) and colleagues (60%)—low social
capital. Adverse personal events and tensions between work and life were also
important issues. Professional and personal support and care within and outside the
workplace which focussed upon improving their self-efficacy, morale and emo-
tional well-being would be of particular value.
Getting professional learning and development relating to these two sub-groups
right for this key cohort of mid-career teachers is crucial because, more than in any
other phases, it will influence theirfinal commitment and effectiveness trajectories.
3.5.2 Professional Life Phase 16–23 Years—Managing
Work–Life Tensions
After the crossroads experience of the previous phase, teachers in this professional
life phase benefited from having a more clearly defined sense of professional
identity. In common with the previous two professional life phases (4–7 and 8–15),
excessive paperwork and heavy workload were seen as key hindrances to their
effectiveness. In contrast with teachers from the earlier professional life phases,
events in personal lives, coupled with additional duties, had a stronger impact on
the work of this phase, and as a consequence, a larger proportion of teachers were
struggling with a negative work–life balance. Teachers in this phase were cate-
gorised into three sub-groups on the basis of their management of the challenges of
work life and home events:
Three sub-groups were identified: (a) those who were likely to see their moti-
vation and commitment continue to grow; (b) those who maintained their moti-
vation, commitment and effectiveness and who were likely to cope with work–life
tensions in their next professional life phase; and (c) those whose heavy workloads,
lack of management of competing tensions and career stagnation had led to their
decreased motivation, commitment and effectiveness.
3 Variations in the Conditions for Teachers’Professional... 45