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THE STORY OF LEADING MATHEMATICS

TEACHERS FROM TEACHER-TRAINEES TO KEY

POSITIONS

Dorit Patkin, Dvora Gesser

SEMINAR HAKIBBUTZIM COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

ABSTRACT

The present study depicts the story of three elementary school mathematics teachers

who come from a different socio-economic background but have similar entrance

characteristics for College studies. They have chosen teaching as their first and sole

alternative and as their preferred profession in life. All three were integrated into the

education system upon graduation from College and, a short time later, less than three

years, are playing key roles in the field of education in addition to their teaching

practice in class.

The study aims to identify unique characteristics of College graduate teachers who

undergo an accelerated process of professional development. Their stories illustrate

that the attitude towards the discipline (love of the profession, the wish to teach it),

the wish to make an impact on what is transpiring in the system, personality variables

and the school context in which they work as teachers are major and significant

factors in their professional growth.

KEY WORDS

Professional growth, professional development, learning from successes, professional

career, self-image.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, accusations have been made against teacher training, which needs to

prove its necessity, contribution and centrality to the education system and to the

professional development of this occupation (Anderson & Olsen, 2006). We often

discuss dropout, teachers' quality which does not meet standards and, in fact, we

hardly focus on College-graduate teachers who succeed, make progress and transform

the system from within.

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Learning from the success of individuals and of processes is a methodology which has

been turning into a central layer in the learning processes of organizations (Rosenfeld,

1996). It is prevalent in the world of business organizations but not so common in the

field of education. What has already succeeded can constitute a basis for documenting

the characteristics and processes which contributed to success. This knowledge can be

used in order to try recreating these successes.

This perception advocates the search for and learning of "success inducers" so that

this personal knowledge about success can be turned into a staff and organizational

knowledge. Moreover, this knowledge could be implemented in order to improve the

system by empowering the individual, staff and organization (Rosenfeld, 1996).

Buckingham & Clifton (2005) discuss the "revolution of the strong points" (points of

strength and talents of the organization members). They maintain that if an

organization wishes to excel, it should focus on its employees' assessment in order to

identify the natural talents of each one of them, position and foster each employee so

that his or her talents are actualized. "Revolution of the strong points" can be related

also to teacher training.

The professional literature dealing with teachers' promotion presents a developmental

perception of the professional career and indicates graduality in the socialization to

the work and commitment to the profession. This perception views teachers as

creators of professional knowledge emerging out of practice. Goodlad (1990)

specifies factors which facilitate the success of the professionalization process and the

promotion thereof. He points out that improving the learning processes of teacher-

trainees is one of the factors leading to a successful professionalization process

(Goodlad, 1990). This assumption about the contribution of the teacher training

program to the successful professional development of its graduates enables us to

identify success incidents and to study them.

What is teachers' professional development?

Professional development can be defined as an entirety of processes and phases which

individuals undergo during their professional career, the aspirations and expectations

that individuals have from themselves, the organization and the environment in which

they work (Anderson & Olsen, 2006; Fullan, 1995; Feiman-Nemser, 2001).

Twombly, Wolf-Wendel et al. (2006) maintain that, when building the profile of the

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teacher's professional development, we should consider the informative aspect, i.e. the

teacher's chronological age and seniority as well as the professional aspect, namely

the teacher's work skills, teaching skills and the extent of commitment and

responsibility teachers assume during the various stages of their professional

development. Furthermore, Richardson (1996) indicates teachers' attitude, during the

different stages of their professional development, towards themselves as

professionals and towards teaching as a profession. According to Day (1999),

professional development is an outcome of lifelong learning. Fullan (1995) and

Guskey & Huberman (1995) define professional development as the total of learning

experiences and all planned and informed activities designed for the well-being of the

individual, the group or the school. Another way of looking at professional

development is examining the stages which teachers undergo while building their

professional career, from the initial training, through joining the profession and up to

building a whole career (Hoyle, 1986).

Similarly, Gesser (2004) argues that teacher training is perceived as a phase in the

professional development. In fact, the preparation for this professional stage can be

grounded on the positions and perceptions of those teachers even before starting their

professional training (Richardson & Watt, 2005). Teacher training is indeed only an

initial stage in teachers' professional development. However, what new teachers bring

with them when they start working affects also their continued professional

development (Feiman-Nemser et al., 2000).

In view of the above, we can summarize that teachers' professional development

embodies everything which teachers experience throughout their career, starting from

the teacher training stage.

The literature discusses the relation between self-image and success or failure.

According to Fiske & Taylor (1991), self-value is the core of our personality and it is

enveloped by "cabbage leaves". Concepts such as self-image, self-identity, control

focus and internal motivation comprise the semantic field of the concept self-value.

All people know themselves in many ways, their private self and the self which

represents them vis-à-vis others. People have schemes and representations of various

concepts and areas and, similarly, they also have formats and representations of

themselves (Fiske & Taylor, 1991).

It is important to bear in mind that self-value or self-image do not determine the

content of the goals people set for themselves. The value of self provides the

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motivation and power to cope with goals over time and to overcome barriers and

failures on the way to accomplishment thereof. There is an interrelation between self-

esteem and academic achievement, so that a change in one affects the other and vice

versa.

In the present study, the definition of "professional development" focuses on an

entirety of teachers' attitudes prior to, during and after their professional training; on

their self-image (namely, their view and perception of themselves); on the College

training period; as well as on the extent of their responsibility and commitment which

they assume from the first day of their engagement as teachers.

In Israel there are two teacher training systems. The teachers' education colleges train

students for teaching in K-9 grades whereas the universities qualify teachers for the

10-12 grades. The colleges put a strong emphasis on the didactic aspect together with

a B.Ed. degree. On the other hand, universities mainly emphasize the disciplines. In

the universities one can learn only towards a degree in the area of knowledge and the

studies do not include a teaching certificate, which has to be obtained in addition.

Conversely, in the colleges, studies include both a degree in the area of knowledge

and a teaching certificate.

The aim of the present study is to comprehend the professional development story of

three female College graduates and learn from these stories the characteristic of

"success stories". The study attempts to identify personal, professional and systemic

features which emerge from the interviewees' stories in order to use this information

as a basis for improving professional training in Teachers Training Colleges on the

one hand and refer suitable graduates to additional jobs and positions in the education

system on the other.

The research questions

1. Can common unique characteristics be identified in Teachers Training College

graduates who, in addition to their work as teachers, fulfill other roles in the

education system?

2. Can a professional development path and stages of promotion in the education

system be identified in those teachers?

3. What is the contribution of professional and personal image to the accelerated

professional promotion of those teachers?

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The research method

The present study was conducted in the qualitative-narrative method. According to

this method, people create for themselves a story grounded on events which they have

lived through, sharing their experience with the listeners. The story which people

create about themselves greatly affects their perception as learners, their

achievements, successes and failures. The "life story" strategy allows us to expose

internal processes in people's career life and to analyze their experiences, based on the

interpretation and meaning which they themselves attribute to these experiences. The

objective of analyzing the story is to understand the others, present their voice and

comprehend human occurrences. The power of the story resides in the fact that it

facilitates the attribution of a meaning to events which people experience and sets for

others a clear vision which might serve them as a model (Munk et al., 2002).

The research participants

The three female-teachers are in their 20's and 30's and they come from a different

socio-economic background.

D. comes from a home which experiences economic distress, an economically-

challenged family. She lost her father during her teens. Even today her economic

situation is far from well-consolidated.

L. comes from a middle socio-economic status. Both her parents are alive and they are

working as employees. Today, her economic situation is good.

T. comes from a high socio-economic home. Her father engaged in a liberal

profession and the mother has worked as a senior clerk. During her adolescence, the

father committed suicide and she indicated it as a trauma which had affected her high

school studies. She continued living at home until her marriage. Today, her economic

situation is good.

The female-teachers have similar entrance characteristics and teaching for them was

the first and only choice as a preferred occupation in life. They were selected from the

population of the College graduates, specializing in elementary school mathematics

teaching. We chose teachers who had specialized especially in the teaching of

mathematics in elementary school because the subject of mathematics in Israel has

been undergoing numerous revolutions and transformations in recent years.

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International studies conducted in the last decade indicate that achievements in

mathematics in Israeli elementary schools are lower compared to other countries

(OECD/PISA, 2003; Mullis et al., 1997, 2004). As a result, the issue has been

included in the public agenda, leading to the setting up of committees for examining

the situation of education in mathematics in general and in elementary schools in

particular. A decision was made to change the curriculum in mathematics at

elementary schools, bringing about confusion and turmoil among those engaged in the

teaching of mathematics. A new curriculum was developed and it became binding as

of 2006 and, following it, new learning materials started to be developed. These

changes require in-service training courses aimed to assimilate the "new spirit" and

even the teacher training colleges, qualifying teachers for elementary schools, must

adjust themselves to these changes. It is clear that the outcome of these changes on the

achievements in mathematics of elementary school pupils will become apparent only

within several years.

This has started with a new mathematics curriculum for elementary school and new

textbooks and up to a national professionalization project for elementary school

mathematics teachers. Moreover, in this discipline, there are many in-service training

courses; hence, one can examine the promotion and professional development of these

teachers from many aspects. The three participants are in their first years of teaching

(3-7 years). We chose teachers with a relatively short seniority since, generally, it is

customary to promote the more experienced teachers at school (over 7 years'

experience) for coordinator and tutor positions in the education system. Conversely,

the research participants (appointed in their first year in the system as mathematics

teachers and home-class teachers) have reached after a short time (less than three

years) key positions in education, in addition to teaching in class.

It should be noted that the three teachers, like all other teachers in Israel, have been

working these years in the "borderline stage" between the use of old materials, which

matched the old curriculum, and the new curriculum, which is compulsory. However,

the number of new materials complying with the new curriculum is far from

sufficient. The more so that the teachers themselves, during their studies, used the old

materials in which they had been trained… and now they are required to undergo a

"change" and teach based on these studies.

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The research instruments

1. The teachers' registration data when starting their studies at the College,

including threshold/SAT scores, matriculation scores, number of study units and

score in mathematics, place of residence, high school studies.

2. In-depth interviews of the participants, lasting several hours.

Data processing

The interviews were analyzed by means of an interpretive content analysis. Analysis

is a developing process. In the initial coding stages, the data are handled as units

which are distinct one from the other in their meaning. However, later in the analysis,

the researcher looks for links between the units and strives to build a whole which is

different from the one at the beginning (Shkedi, 2005). The narralizer software was

used for the data processing (Shkedi, 2005). Furthermore, each of the two researchers

made a separate content analysis and, then, after comparing them, reached an

agreement regarding the results of the interpretation.

Findings

The analysis of the successful teachers' stories based on the registration data and

interviews, can be classified into seven principal categories, around which the

narrational line of the study was formed (Shkedi, 2005):

1. The "Identity Card": entrance data, family background and the family's attitude

towards teaching, military service.

2. Choosing the Teachers Training College (first stage of the career).

3. Personality characteristics and self-image.

4. Attitudes towards the teaching profession as well as towards education and

teaching processes.

5. College and postgraduate studies.

6. Starting work in the education system and school characteristics.

7. Professional work at present, educational initiatives and plans for the future.

Each category is a layer in the teachers' professional development. The first five

categories relate to the pre-training and the training itself and can provide an answer

to the first research question about the unique characteristics of "successful

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graduates". The last two categories address the second research question regarding the

professional development path in the education system. The answer to the third

research question, namely the contribution of professional and personal image to the

accelerated professional promotion of the participants, can be read between the lines

and in the answers classified into the various categories. The analysis in its entirety

reveals a full picture of teachers who have experienced an accelerated and unusual

promotion since the beginning of their way as teachers and up to their additional

positions as subject coordinators and/or deputy principals.

1. "Identity card": entrance data, family background and the family's attitude

towards teaching, military service

The following table presents the background data of the three interviewees, derived

from the College registration data.

(Insert table 1 about here)

Perusal of the admittance data of the three interviewees illustrate that their entrance

conditions were somewhat higher than those of other female-students in the

elementary school pathway in those years. Nevertheless, the pathway for teaching the

entire elementary school is relatively lower in comparison with the other teaching

pathways.

(Insert diagram 1 about here)

However, the interviewees' matriculation attainments were not particularly prominent.

Although at the College they specialized in the teaching of mathematics at elementary

school, all three studied and were tested only in 4 study units in mathematics for the

matriculation exams. This did not prevent them from finishing their mathematics

specialization studies with a high score. Based on their entrance data, it was difficult

to predict the pace of their promotion in the future. Their entrance data were only

somewhat over the average required by Teachers Training Institutions.

Further findings in the teachers' "Identity Card" were derived from the in-depth

interviews conducted with each of them. Zack & Horowitz (1985) found that, when

examining professional career stories, importance should be attributed to the family

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background and to the spouse's extent of support of the professional development.

During the interviews, the teachers indicated that their spouses supported their

continued studies and development of their professional teaching career. One of them

mentioned that her parents supported her choice of the teaching profession, although

the parents themselves had only limited schooling. D. says: "Mother did not learn but

she had life experience… Father always considered me as a prodigy. The issue of

school preoccupied him very much… the husband is supportive… he is in the food

business…"

In the interview, the teachers presented the way by which each of them became a

teacher. D. tells that she has wanted to be a teacher from a very young age, indicating

that as far as she remembers, this has been her dream. T. tells: "… it was obvious to

me since I remember myself at the age of 14-15". L. says: "… why did I become a

teacher? This is something that has seemed very far in life. I have never thought that I

was going to be a teacher… and after my military service I knew that this was what I

would do, teach…"

All three pointed out that choosing the profession in practice was done immediately

after their military service, which was a catalyst for the choice.

Service in the Israeli army is compulsory for both young men and women. Women

serve in the army for 2 years in various jobs: clerks, fighting support, combatants,

while others engage in instruction and teaching among various soldier populations:

new immigrants who are taught Hebrew, teaching of technical professions in army

courses as well as teaching and instruction of problematic population of youth living

at the margin of society. Moreover, they provide social services by going to

underprivileged cities, where they teach both children and adults.

In the army they served in teaching and tutoring roles, acquired basic tools of

"delivering" material and met varied populations. Although each of them served in

another position in the army, it seems that this period shaped their decision to choose

the teaching profession.

Their different stories expose the willingness to cope with challenges and think "big",

as is manifested later on in their professional career.

D. was a teacher-soldier in the army and worked in a club at the margins of the

system. L. was a teacher-soldier by her own choice after being trained in a 3-month

course, in which she "learnt how to prepare lesson plans, how to 'hold' the class and I

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worked… with those soldiers referred to as Raful boys"1 and with a group of

immigrants which she defined as the "cream of the crop". T. describes that she grew

up "in a scouts' club… and until the army fulfilled every possible role there. An

instructor, a regiment commander, all these things". When she was recruited, she was

even asked to be a teacher. However, according to her, she preferred serving in the

army not necessarily as a teacher-soldier but rather as an infantry instructor: "… I felt

it burning in my soul and I participated in an infantry instructors' course. I served far

away from home, and was several months in the artillery corps… Later on I attended

an officers school" and signed up as regular army.

Another common factor specified by all three teachers is the love for mathematics

since young age. L. says: "… generally speaking, I always preferred subjects like

mathematics or physics. It interested me more…" Presumably, their early choice to

become teachers and their unequivocal decision to specialize in mathematics affected

the direction of their professional career. L. chose to specialize in mathematics,

although in the 12th

-grade she suffered from exam anxiety, due to which she shifted

from learning 5 units to learning 4 units of mathematics. Nevertheless, she continued

to favor this subject, since her mathematics teacher "served as a model for me and the

choice of mathematics was in the capacity of 'conquering the mountain'".

To sum up, the "Identity Card" presents a similar picture of the entrance data for the

Teachers Training College (somewhat above the average), choosing the subject and

making a decision about the area of studies (mathematics as first priority)

immediately after the military service, the family's support of the choice and high

scores in the field of specialization after graduating from the College.

2. Choosing the Teachers Training College (first stage of the career)

As mentioned in the background for the article, in Israel there are two teacher training

systems. The education colleges train students for teaching in K-9 grades. A strong

emphasis is put on the didactic aspect in addition to the B.Ed. degree, whereas the

universities mainly emphasize the various disciplines.

The three participants preferred learning the teaching profession in a Teachers

Teaching College because, there, a strong emphasis is put on practical work and on an

1 The army gave youth who lived at the margins of society and were on the brink of becoming

delinquents a second change to rehabilitate themselves. The program was conceived by the late Chief

of Staff Rephael (Raful) Eitan.

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immediate and smooth introduction to the "field", namely the class. They made this

decision although their entrance data enabled them to study also at the university.

D. preferred to learn teaching at the College "because in the field of teaching this is

the best, the most practical. At the university it includes also theory".

Similarly, L.'s words do not reflect any hesitation regarding the institution of studies.

It is usually the fixed path of noncom-teaching soldiers: "Girls serving as noncom

teachers come to study at the Teachers Training College because they are immediately

trained to work in the field. I did not even check at the university, not at all, because

there you are just another ID number". In retrospect, L. says about the College: "It

was clear to me that this was my home. I feel great here".

T. says: "Why College? Because I checked at the university and I had no problem

being admitted. However, I realized that my practical and functional capabilities

might be better at the College".

3. Personality characteristics and self-image

Based on the interviews, we can also learn about the teachers' personality

characteristics and about their perception of themselves from a professional point of

view.

L. describes herself as an idealist, focused on her needs from the aspect of interest, job

satisfaction, wages and professionalism. She depicts herself as a person with high

self-confidence and self-image, acknowledging her strength and self-value: "When I

came for practical work in the class, my tutor-teacher knew I was coming and,

therefore, she remained at home". This sensation of power and self-value enables her

to say to the principal in her job interview: "I told her, you don't know me and you

have already decided that I will fail? Let me at least try". As to her assertiveness and

high self-image, L. attributes a lot of prestige to the teaching practice. When she

encounters a reality which does not comply with her perception, she reacts cynically,

saying: "Please, really, guys, pull yourselves together, this is how we look, this is

simply the way we look. Rushing everything, moonlighting, improvising, being a

jack-of-all-trades?" When the principal suggests that she teach at school also a

subject in which she had not specialized, based on focusing on her wishes and

aspiration for high professionalism, L. compromises with the way the system is

conducted and takes quite hard the fact that she is not allowed to continue being the

home-class teacher of her class (5th

-grade) until the end of elementary school (6th

-

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grade). Due to this way of conduct, she continues persevering in the mission, looking

for a place of work which will fulfill her needs, give room to her professional

ambitions and allow her to be successful in her practice: "I said, I am now opening my

mind, checking whether this is the place for me… and then I decided to leave".

Another prominent characteristic is the will to cope with new challenges. She

repeatedly says the words: "Please let me try", "… and I said to myself, let's try, what

can happen… I went for classification tests", "Open your mind, I have to check if this

is the place for me".

It is evident that T. is very self-confident. She defines herself as a "pusher", saying

she "thinks outside the box". This characteristic was already manifested during her

military service: "I came out more reinforced, thinking 'big'. I was an officer".

The factors which motivate and enhance L.'s stem from inner feelings: "I felt this was

in my soul". T. settles for socio-emotional rewards because it is well known that in the

teaching profession the financial reward is rather small. She indicates that she works

hard and dedicates many hours to her work although her wages is inappropriate.

Nevertheless, she feels that the success of the educational institution where she works

constitutes an acknowledgement of her contribution and appreciation. She uses a

flower as a metaphor: "I think that I have greatly bloomed, I was highly appreciated".

T. indicates that she has the characteristics of a performer, she needs to have an

audience. The audience can be in the scouts, army, training class or the class where

she teaches: "I am an audience-oriented person, I love plays, things like that. The

audience fills me up". She relates to the importance and prestige of the teaching

profession: "I did not feel I was second best. Moreover, I graduated from the

university with an M.Ed. in educational management, leadership and education".

The words voiced by D. illustrate her capability to realistically and positively assess

herself both professionally and personally. She is well aware of her advantages and

shortcomings and points out: "I do not make decisions about things which I cannot

accomplish". She acknowledges her ability to change and does change things.

According to her: "I find it important to make a progress without interruptions". This

fact brought her to continue her postgraduate studies at the university immediately

after graduating from the College. D. specifies that the national project of

specialization in mathematics provides a response to her needs as a teacher: "This is

more pragmatic… the most structured, organized. Very suitable to me… I am a

framework person". She believes she is endowed with important qualities, assisting

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her to develop her professional career of leading a teacher team: "I have a

decentralized perception and believe in delegating authorities… I have both good

organizational and inter-personal skills… I know how to divide the time".

To sum up, the interviews of the three teachers demonstrate similar personality

characteristics. All three state that they think "big", have positive self-esteem, high

self-image and are greatly confident in the way they have chosen. All of them

experience a feeling of power, the need to cope with new challenges and the

willingness to execute them. They view teaching as a respectable profession and are

ready to exert efforts in order to improve the image of the profession, turning it into a

respectable one. Nevertheless, they point out that they need the appreciation of the

establishment in order to function effectively. One out of the three teachers indicates

qualities of team leading and organizational skills as typical personality

characteristics.

4. Attitudes towards the teaching profession as well as towards education and

teaching processes

This category too is an important layer in the answer to the first research question

about the unique characteristics common to College graduates whose professional

development is accelerated. Among all the teachers' characteristics, great importance

is attributed to their educational attitudes upon acceptance to the teachers training

pathway as well as during the process of classification and suitability to work in

educational frameworks. Moreover, throughout their careers, teachers' educational

attitudes might affect their behavior in teaching, the choice of working strategies and

their overall feeling as employees within the school framework.

D.'s attitude towards the teaching profession and her perception of who can or cannot

be a teacher is manifested by her satisfaction with the classification at the Teachers

Training College in the first year: "During the first year (at the College) girls who

were not suitable (to teaching) from the personality aspect were asked to leave and

this was a justified move".

A similar view is voiced by T.: "I told the interviewer of the admittance committee,

'why is the entrance threshold so low'… It bothered me very much and I simply had to

make a comment. All the television programs show how stupid we are, without skills

or knowledge".

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L., like her two colleagues, is struggling to achieve the professionalism of teaching

and she is critical of the "mediocrity" of the system today: "Some of teachers aspire

for mediocrity and those who try to be more prominent and pull upwards are put

down". She senses a lack of appreciation on the part of her colleagues in the system:

"The system does not give credit in this matter. Nor has it the means to do so, that is

the truth. It does not… Financially it cannot reward… that is the problem". She

objects to the perception which considers teaching as the "babysitter of the country".

According to her, teaching is a demanding profession: "In teaching, we spend days

and nights and those who really invest, then…" The profession requires many hours

of work, beyond the formal job definition: "At half past four… I finished working but

again, this is teaching, it's parents and telephones and pupils. These are the usual

things, and this is extra because that's who I am. But it's amazing because it enables

me to do whatever I want, allows me to exhaust all that I have". In spite of L.'s

extensive investment in her work, she has the feeling that "people do not understand

the meaning of standing in front of a class, 'holding' a class, teaching, being there for

them, listening to them. To be a doctor, psychologist, counselor and, by the way,

introduce something in mathematics. Moreover, parents today return home at such

hours that if I call a pupil's house, the parents are not there even at 21.30. Neither the

mother nor the father. Hence, today, the teacher is much more than in the past.

However, the system and its heads fail to understand it and to cope with it". She sees

the future of teaching in the transition to the format of a "personal contract". In her

opinion, a nurturing attitude of the principal might promote the profession and the

teachers in the system: "This is the format, grow people and allow them to develop

and not, G-d forbid, to be afraid that some teacher would take my place in

principalship and another would compete with me".

Although, at present, L. works as an educator in the private sector, she sees her

professional future in the formal education system: "… I think that the real work is in

the public education system because the system is malfunctioning from the

foundations. Everyone who can contribute should be there. I have simply not found

myself there. I need a place to water and nurture me a little".

T. considers teaching first and foremost as an area which focuses on pedagogy.

Consequently, the field of principalship does not attract her, although some of her

functions are managerial. According to her: "The entire issue of the parents is driving

me crazy, seeing the principal sitting most of the day dealing with the parents rather

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than with pedagogy". She believes that in order to be a successful and effective

professional teacher the number of children in class should be reduced: "This is really

what bothers me the most today. I am willing to continue engaging in education all

my life, in whatever area". Her condition, however, is improving the organization of

classes at school.

To sum up, all three interviewees view teaching as a professional and respectable

profession. They are dissatisfied with the actual situation of the education system and,

particularly, with the mediocrity, the perception of school as a babysitter and the fact

that some teachers are suitable to the system. Despite the harsh and open criticism

against the system, they believe that it can be changed and improved and are willing

to be involved in generating the change.

As to education and teaching processes, L. maintains that you learn to teach through

experience: "One of the compelling arguments for learning in the Teachers Training

College was that we would immediately start working in the field. In the first week

you are already in a class". This fact dictated her decision to learn teaching at the

College. According to her, teachers' role is to be educators and establish good

relations with the pupils: "The relations with my class, education, were very important

for me. This was what I had more or less done in the army. Being also a mother to the

soldiers and not only delivering material… Up until now I keep in touch with these

'children'".

Good teaching develops the thinking and this fascinated her while working within the

"Karev Fund" framework: "For me, every child is different. I can say that all the

children that I teach love to learn and they will manage to reach anywhere we take

them". She prefers teaching younger children: "The older are already formed". When

given autonomy, she thrives: "… I am completely free to act. This is the greatest

pleasure in this entire issue of being a teacher".

T. acknowledges the needs of the system and, for several years, has been coping with

classes perceived as "difficult" for teaching and educating. According to her, she gets

these classes because her school considers she is capable of coping with these classes:

"All right, even today I get the most difficult classes at school. When I ask for an

easier class, I don't get it". She knows that in a reality of many pupils in the class, it is

necessary to adjust teaching methods and a different organization of the learners.

Hence, "In a class with 37 pupils, I have never taught mathematics to the whole class

at the same time. I always divide them up into group and sub-groups… I used to teach

16

the same class eight times… where the gaps were wide I worked only in small

groups… Look, as a coordinator, I am twice a week with the weak pupils and twice a

week with the excelling ones". For the purpose of adjusting the teaching methods to

various pupils she organizes teamwork among the teachers while allocating different

teaching time: "I would make a deal with their home-class teacher, 'you will be in my

class and I will be in yours'… Reinforcements beyond the school hours". In her

opinion, good teachers should transfer their love for the subject also to the children,

this is also their responsibility for the teaching process: "Every child in my class loves

math in heart and soul. I can guarantee that. For me, a child who does not like math is

inconceivable. I think that when a teacher likes something, children feel it and like it

also. They follow the teacher anywhere, through fire and water… I am trying to do

the utmost so that the children would love to learn".

Similarly, T. also views the teacher as an educator, who is at the disposal of the

children, provides them with tools, encourages and develops their learning. She

believes that listening and answering can promote the children "as high as the sky":

"Learning should be out of inquisitiveness, of love rather than of coercion or because

'you must know this'". If children ask something which is beyond this, they must be

given the tools and they will reach it. They reach the sky, if only you give them the

tools, if you answer, if you are there for them". Moreover, if she is not versed in the

material, she turns to someone who is: "If a child has asked me a question, I have

never said, 'this is not my subject, ask your science teacher'. I went to the science

teacher, asked her and came back to the child with an answer. We must not push

things aside, not ignore the children because they are so amazing. They read us and

we are totally transparent to them".

D. seeks solutions for both the weak and strong pupils at her school. She herself gets

updated, "attends in-service training courses in mathematics" and feels a sense of

professional pride: "I think we have here great teachers, tutors. Generally speaking,

the field of mathematics is very strong. You know, many times I also open up all

kinds of forums, read articles and this is a good feeling, as least for me". She

expresses her love for the subject and finds it important that others will feel the same:

"I try to instill in every child in my class love for math. There is one 2nd

-grade boy

that I teach on a 5th

-grade level, because he can. If he wants to, why should I not give

him?" She can identify when the pupils' capabilities are not connected with their

chronological age or their class and feels an obligation to exhaust their potential:

17

"That boy knows well how to multiply and he can make calculations in his head much

faster than me".

To sum up, the three participants believe that teachers' success is manifested in their

unusual teaching methods and the willingness to exceed the conventional framework

of time and place.

18

5. College and postgraduate studies

D. is asked about the pedagogical tutor and the tutors' exchange at the end of each

school year. She says that every year she had to get used to a new tutor: "In the

second year there was a 'revolution'. We received a new tutor with new demands. In

the third year, the most significant, it became clear how professional teaching must be

implemented".

L. mentions that, during her College studies, she learnt how to prepare lesson plans,

inculcate knowledge, identify weak and strong pupils and cope with them.

Nevertheless, she emphasizes that, after her graduation, she felt she needed more

guidance regarding work vis-à-vis the parents: "Today, in particular, parents are much

more involved at school".

T.'s first academic year at the Teachers Training College was not easy. Regarding the

pedagogical tutor she says: "It was not easy with her, because I was pushing and

pushing and pushing… I told myself, 'what am I doing here? Who are the students?

This is not a place for me". I think that for the first time in my life I felt I was not

connected to a certain place, that I failed to get connected to girls, who looked at me

with disrespect". Yet, she managed to establish a certain relation with students in the

specialization pathway. At the end of the first year, the pedagogical tutor told her: "'I

think that you are in the wrong place. Re-consider, perhaps this is not the place for

you'. Of course, I did not pay attention to what she had said". The next two years

were, according to her, more successful: "I think that I thrived very much, I was

highly appreciated… and it was fun studying there". During these years she

established a good relation with the school where she made her practical work and has

maintained the relation for a long time. Out of the three participants, T. belonged to

the first cohort that, within the framework of their 3rd

-year practical work, conducted

an action research. And she says: "I enjoyed the action research very much. The

pedagogical tutor and the mathematics tutor supported, accompanied and encouraged

us. This is different than at the university". Like L., T. "…think that we were not

sufficiently prepared for working with the parents, for coping with them".

With reference to the practical work, the teachers indicate experiences in a variety of

schools, with well-to-do and with weak-integrative populations. They mention a

significant relation with the tutoring teachers, a relation which has been maintained

over a long period of time, even after their graduation from the College. T. specifies:

"They wanted me to come back after my graduation". Furthermore, the three teachers

19

point out the importance of the practical experience in the teaching of mathematics. In

their opinion, "practical experience is highly important and contributes a lot. The

tutors are close-by and guide… this is the warm home about which I am talking, this

is the attitude, knowing we have someone we can talk to".

To sum up, the interviewees' words illustrate the importance and weight of the

pedagogical tutor in teachers' training within the framework of both theoretical and

practical work. Her support or lack thereof is highly significant to progress in studies

and to the projects which teacher trainees are required to execute.

Their descriptions manifest satisfaction with what they have studied at the College as

well as criticism about the insufficient preparation "for working vis-à-vis the parents",

a topic which they have considered as major already at the beginning of their teaching

career.

Postgraduate studies

The three teachers' commitment to the profession, to the level of teaching and to the

knowledge which must be acquired and inculcated in the pupils, has continued also

after their graduation and at present they act as school teachers and subject

coordinators. They deem it important to enhance teaching of the subject by additional

teaching hours or by a different allocation of the teaching hours. Moreover, it is

important to them to make the children like the subject and understand what they

learn and to have mathematics teachers who are professionals and have mastered the

contents and pedagogy. They also find it important to be home-class teachers and not

just subject-teachers. T. attributes the nurturing of mathematics in her school to the

principal's support: "The area of mathematics is very strong at school… the principal

greatly supports it".

A key characteristics in the teachers' professional development is their decision

regarding postgraduate studies. Two of them continued immediately with their M.Ed.

studies and all three continued studying in the national project of professionalization.

D. graduated from the university with an MA degree in studies planning,

communication and computers in education, pointing out that she needed only limited

complementing courses. She attended a pathway which required her to write a

dissertation and she graduated cum laude. L. has not yet started her postgraduate

studies, although she is planning to do so. She is still deliberating in which

21

educational area to continue studying. T. made her M.Ed. in management and

leadership.

The three participants indicate that they view the teaching career as a process

accompanied by lifelong learning. This perception is particularly prominent in the

need to keep advancing through studies in the field of disciplinary teaching.

6. Starting work in the education system and school characteristics

The category of starting to work in the education system and the school characteristics

is part of the answer to the second research question regarding all the professional

development stages. The three teachers started working immediately after their

graduation and this is another common characteristics. All of them were offered

positions by school principals, among others due to help and recommendation of the

discipline coordinator at the College. T says: "I was in a wonderful situation. Three

schools wanted me and I had to choose. I felt very happy… In the school where I

work I was appointed as mathematics coordinator and it pleased me very much. The

principal believed in me from the very first moment she had met me at Passover. The

mathematics specialization coordinator scheduled an interview for me quite soon and

it was great. I am still there". D. also came following the subject coordinator's

recommendation. L. compares the beginning of her work with the beginning of other

students, who had to go through a 'via dolorosa'. She tells: "I got a phone call from the

specialization coordinator, 'listen, there is a new school in… the principal is looking

for a mathematics teacher, go to the interview. I came to the meeting, the principal

looked at me and said, 'you're hired' and so, I simply started…"

Starting to work in the education system is a highly important stage in teacher-

trainees' professional career. Quite often, it is difficult for inexperienced teachers, just

after their graduation, to find employment and the attitude of the inspectorate towards

them is not embracing or supportive. For most of them the nurturing and support of

the College stops and they have to cope with finding a position and building their

professional image outside the College framework, which is usually a safety net. The

three participants were appreciated for their competences and they demonstrated an

ability and will to make an impact, change and promote the field of mathematics as

well as coordination and management skills. These characteristics were identified by

the discipline coordinator at the College, who assisted them in finding work and so

21

did the principals who hired them at school with the backup of the inspectors of those

schools.

The school climate, including, among others, the principal and staff support, parents'

attitude, teachers' willingness to cooperate and reference to the teachers' needs

(particularly those of the new ones), serves as a catalyst to the teachers' wish to

remain in the system or leave it (Zack & Horowitz, 1985). The population of the

school where D. works consists of many single-parent and at-risk families. The

teachers are 35-50 years old, their mobility is not very significant and most of them

live not far from the school or in the near-by periphery. D. points out that she feels

good at school. She is the youngest teacher. In her first year at school she worked very

hard. She tells that she received support and assistance from all the factors involved in

her absorption and later on: "The staff is very appreciative, helps with the job

distribution, there is empowerment. The principal also behaves in that way… and the

inspector thinks highly of me. The parents are involved but they do not interfere, the

parents' committee is supportive and willing to help…" D. says that she was

promoted, although she was the youngest and had less seniority: "Some said, 'she is a

27-year old rookie', and I had to numb my feeling, although I was one of the faculty.

Luckily, though, I have friends on the management team". D. specifies that she

managed to work with the staff so that its members were willing to accept her.

T. started working at the school whose principal believed in her from the first

moment: "On days when the principal is absent from school, I replace her… The

principal encourages me to continue studying, become a principal, coordinator and

tutor. She is the ultimate principal as far as I am concerned. I think she is a principal

who tries to nurture the young and help them grow". T. uses a metaphor of a gardener

who grows plants and makes flowers bloom. The key point which she indicates is a

feeling of power: "We receive a lot of power".

L., conversely, mentions the appreciation of the parents and pupils but not of the

faculty and the principal. She claims that her needs were not considered. Since the

parents appreciated her, she "won" classes where the pupils had learning difficulties.

As mentioned, she was not allowed to complete an educational process of at least two

years in the education and teaching of that class in order to bring the pupils to the end

of the 6th

-grade: "Accepting this was very hard for me, two months of tears. How I

have helped, what haven't I given, I wanted to complete a process and they prevented

22

me from doing that… they expected me to fix a problem in another class. And that's

it. It was very difficult for me".

L. talks about the lack of appreciation by the system and by the other teachers also

with regard to her initiatives and introduction of innovations: "The system does not

give you credit in these matters (i.e. experienced teachers). As a coordinator, I

photocopied material for the Jewish holidays, according to topics, and presented

everything ready. They (other faculty members) had nothing to do. Only to take the

material and deliver it in class. Yet the staff did not support me nor used the materials

I had prepared. It was too much for me and then I decided to leave. I cried for two

months, the entire summer vacation". As mentioned, the lack of appreciation drove

her to leave and look for another place of employment, where she could exhaust her

potential and give what she had as well as where her wishes would be taken into

consideration. The current school, where she feels good, is very small and is

undergoing a process of development: "Really, really small, only now beginning to

develop. Perhaps next year we will have another class, or two". She works from 08.30

until 16.30 every day, except on Friday, when the school is closed.

To sum up, supportive principal and faculty can encourage and promote whereas

working without appreciation and support makes teachers feel blocked and

unmotivated to continue developing and advancing.

7. Professional work at present, educational initiatives and plans for the future

The category of professional work at present, educational initiatives and plans for the

future complements the description of the professional development path. As

mentioned, the three interviewees, who have been in the education system but a few

years (3-7), display an impressive record of functions within the system, in addition to

teaching in class.

One of the functions which the three teachers fulfilled or are fulfilling at school is

mathematics coordinators in their school

Instructional coordinators play a large role in improving the quality of education in

the classroom. They develop curricula, select textbooks and other materials, train

teachers, and also assist in implementing new technology in the classroom.

The mathematics coordinator teaches in several classes and, in addition, has an

additional number of hours allocated to her for the purpose of the subject

coordination.

23

During her first year, D. started working in a limited scope. However, only a week

later, she was contacted and asked to increase the scope of her work. She teaches

mathematics in the 5th

- and 6th

-grades as a subject teacher. Already after one year's

seniority she became a coordinator in the field of mathematics teaching. Within two

years, she was also appointed as deputy principal, after participating in an internal

tender which included also an interview with the inspector, to whom she had been

referred by Dr. Dorit Patkin and on her recommendation. Within the framework of her

functions as deputy principal, she specifies organizing the lessons timetable and

building teacher teams. Moreover, she acts as the Assessment Committee chairman at

school. Based on her proposal, the pupils' attainments in mathematics, sciences and

English are assessed three times a year, in order to check what is the level of the

school and what, if any, should be changed and improved. Changing the format of the

pupils' score sheets was also her idea. She introduced a new software program for the

creation of computerized score sheets and the entire faculty attended an in-service

training course on the subject. She has additional ideas for changing the physical

structure of the school and the allocation of human resources. As she attests about

herself: "I continue learning, advancing and developing. All the time I have

suggestions and ideas".

L. points out that in her first year at school they wanted her to prove herself.

However, in the second year, she assumed the role of mathematics coordinator. Later

on, she worked in an educational company through the Karev Fund: "I was trying to

find myself and then I read in the newspaper that a company dealing with thought

games was looking for instructors. I contacted them, had a group interview, individual

interview and was told that I was hired. I started working at schools and this is

amazing. They teach how to think… I taught another year in 'thinking clusters' and

taught only mathematics at school". At a certain stage, she was offered the position of

project coordinator in the south of the country, but this did not suit her from the

family point of view. The next transition was to a private school in its stages of

foundation, where she works until now: "… I was hooked, I said, this is for me. In

such a school I can thrive, do whatever I want. Be appropriately paid, enjoy, and

educate a class of my own".

T. started her work at a school located at the center of the country. Already in the first

year, since the school did not have a mathematics coordinator, she was given that

position: "It appealed to me and complimented me. I was somewhat apprehensive but

24

I have been a coordinator until now… I teach the 5th

- and 6th

-grades. Right away I

started teaching in the higher grades. I am about to complete my fifth year as subject

coordinator and, of course, I see myself continue doing it. When I graduated with the

M.Ed. degree in educational management, I decided that I wanted to continue

teaching mathematics". She acts as an internal tutor within the school. One of her

initiatives was the school participation in the Mathematics Olympics: "… I was part

of the team which planned it… I was the youngest, was very pampered, I learnt and

worked much… it gave me a lot. We obviously did not receive any financial reward

for this initiative but my reward was the very participation of my school". She

mentions the changes introduced in he school, mainly in mathematics. For example,

the fact that she managed to increase the number of hours allocated to mathematics.

Moreover, she tells that she is a member on the school management team: "… I think

that right now at school I cannot ask for more". Her educational initiative in the

current school year is being able to relate more to the strong pupils and to encourage

them.

The three interviewees have plans for the future. D. is now in the stage of

enlarging her family. Consequently, principalship offers are unsuited to her right now.

However, as she says: "I do not reject options… in a couple of years I would like to

go back to the College". Similarly, T. expresses her wish to go back to the College

and engage in tutoring or teaching: "I think I am very connected to the education

system. My directions are really principalship or the field of mathematics. I really

want to tutor, go back to the College as a pedagogical tutor". L. has very clear plans

for the future: "I want to found a private school of my own in the future".

To sum up, the three teachers weave plans for the future, seeing themselves continue

engaging in mathematical education within a school and academic frameworks.

Discussion and Conclusions

The present study explored the professional development path of three Teachers

Training College female graduates. It aimed to investigate whether unique

characteristics are demonstrated by Teachers Training College candidates who, upon

their graduation and integration into the education system, made fast progress in their

teaching-educational career. Teachers' professional development is a prolonged

process (Gesser, 2004). It begins by making a decision to join the teaching

25

practitioners circle, lasts sometimes until retirement and is accompanied over the

years by many decisions relating to changes of direction.

Analysis of the three teachers' stories illustrates that their professional development

can be divided into three periods or stages: stage 1 – beginning of the training; stage 2

– the training process; and stage 3 – post-training, namely work in the field. The three

participants have entrance data which are somewhat higher than the average of

training candidates. All of them served in the army and have initial experience as

instructors in youth movements and teaching in the army.

Among the variables typical of the leading teachers' profile we can indicate previous

experience in instruction or teaching. The three teachers engaged in instruction during

their military service or were teacher-soldiers. Thus, it can be assumed that the

preliminary exposure to the field and, in particular to teaching of socioeconomically-

challenged populations, enhanced their motivation to become teachers and to choose

this profession as their career.

From the point of view of scores, the entrance data do not necessarily predict fast

progress while working in the education system. Conversely, reference to the

discipline (love for the subject, the wish to teach it), the wish to make an impact and

assertiveness are characteristics which might develop and result in fast promotion in

the education system later on.

One of the prominent issues which came up in the discourse with the leading teachers

was their view, already during the training process, of teaching as a career. The choice

of teaching as a profession was not considered by them as the default. They registered

to study teaching at a time when the media and the public related to this profession as

being inferior and without any status. They, conversely, considered this field as a

channel where they could develop and grow. This finding is similar to the findings of

Watt & Richardson (2007).

Their choice of the profession was made out of intrinsic motives since they were

aware that this profession was demanded and not appropriately rewarded. Perhaps the

promotion up the career hierarchy and the status compensated for the lack of material

rewarding.

Hence, we have to encourage graduates whose characteristics imply a wish for

professional development to join the education system. It is important to support them

during and after their studies. Regarding the entrance scores which were but

somewhat higher than the average: perhaps people not inclined to many deliberations

26

or to excellence and who mark a clear goal, progress faster from a professional point

of view because they invest their energy in the promotion and less in hesitating about

choice and excellence per se. All the three participants had a sense of positive self-

efficacy, a wish to change and a positive self-image. In stage 1, their choice of studies

at the College and of the subject was clear. Choosing to study at the College can be

seen as a stage in the professional development which manifests the teachers'

worldview. They believe that studies at the College, being practical, allowing

experience in the field and contact with children, make it possible to examine right

away the choice of the profession and receive a confirmation for the choice. They

further indicate that studies at the College, like teaching, allow one to look upon the

individual and deepen the acquaintance with him or her. We can assume that these are

also the conditions required for professional promotion.

During stage 2 of the training process the picture is not uniform. They sometimes felt

they were blocked while in other times they experienced nurturing and promotion.

However, the three teachers describe the centrality of tutoring and experiencing. In

addition to acquiring professional knowledge in mathematics, they started working

immediately upon graduation from the College. They were approached (by the

discipline coordinator at the College, by a principal), asked to come teach at the

school and they felt they were ready for teaching due to their training. Two out of the

three participants continued their postgraduate studies in education immediately upon

graduation from the College. The three teachers fulfilled additional positions (like

subject coordinator) just after starting work, although they had no experience or a

limited one. They looked for and found ways to enhance their influence in the system

even outside the class. Their teaching experience and coordinator positions were

accompanied by empowerment due to the support they received from the principals

and the parents. Similar findings came up in a study conducted by Anderson & Olsen

(2006), who investigated the career development of teachers in the United States. The

three teachers see their future in continued work in education. They consider

themselves as change agents and their perception of change as part of the profession

culture. Their high self-image and the great confidence in the way they have chosen

carry a lot of weight and contribute to their accelerated development as people who

think "big" and have a positive self-esteem. They are ready to invest much work not

only in their practice as teachers but also in order to improve the image of the

teaching profession.

27

All of them see themselves as proud professional mathematics teachers and home-

class teachers. Furthermore, the three graduates presented a pattern of updating

routine and a need to constantly learn. Their studies in the subject-discipline area and

their postgraduate studies served as a lever to their promotion and to the introduction

of changes to the schools where they taught. The recurrent determination in the

literature regarding lifelong learning (Day, 1999) was reinforced by these personal

stories. In addition to similar elements in the teachers' career development,

professional promotion can be explained as a combined model which takes into

consideration both the teachers' characteristics, the work conceptual framework and

training factors. These are dynamic processes of growth and active learning as

constant interaction with a person's inner qualities, an interaction which is not cut-off

from the social environment (Bandura, 1977).

The three teachers clearly demonstrated passion for teaching. However, all of them

are young, in the first years of their professional life with few family obligations.

It would be beneficial to examine in future what would continue kindling their

passion for the profession and their willingness to invest, when their family

obligations grow and when they encounter disappointment and objections within the

system. Have they overcome the obstacles in teaching at the "borderline stage" and

the turmoil in the education system? Will the support and empowerment of the school

system help? Will personality characteristics of motivation, the wish to achieve,

influence and change, as illustrated by the research, promote this professional

development? It is recommended to keep investigating these issues along the years.

The educational significance of the present study resides in the examination of the

success stories of these three teachers, facilitating the comprehension of the desirable

type of teacher and, thus, contributing to Teachers Training Colleges in the processes

of admitting candidates to the teaching profession. Moreover, this comprehension can

help the education system to absorb these teachers and promote them in the system.

.

28

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Acknowledgments

We wish to express our gratitude to Mrs. Zipi Zelikovitch for her extensive

contribution to the data analysis.

31

Table 1. The "Identity Card": entrance data, family background

and the family's attitude towards teaching, military service

"Identity card" Teacher D. Teacher L. Teacher T. Average in college

Graduated from College

in

1999 2000 2004

Average matriculation

scores

84 98 82 Students with a less

than an average score

of 80 are not accepted

to the College

Study units in

mathematics towards

the matriculation exams

4 units 4 units 4 units 60% of the students

have a matriculation in

3 study units with an

average score of 90

and above; 35% have a

matriculation in 4

study units with an

average score of 80

and 5% studied 5 units

with a score of 75 and

above

Study units in English

towards the

matriculation exams

5 units 5 units 4 units 70% studied 4 units

and 30% - 5 units

SAT/threshold score

88

(threshold)

543 (SAT) 100

(threshold)

550 /90

Combined score

Not

calculated

90 91 90

Pathway of excelling

students program

Did not

attend

Did not attend Started

attending in

the second

year

9.2%

Mathematics average

score at the College

95 95.3 93.2 90

Overall average score

upon graduation

94.2 95 93.3 91

Parents' origin and

education

North Africa

/ Elementary

Israel / High

school

Israel / High

school

No data about socio-

economic status and

origin

Marital status Married and

pregnant

Married Married + 1 The graduating

students are 24-26

years old, approx. 60%

are married and are

starting to build a

family*

Role in the system Assistant

principal

Mathematics

coordinator

Coordinator

and deputy

principal

* The investigated women are today in their 30s

31

Diagram 1 – Average of matching scores in the various pathways

2006 and 2007

Academic Biography

Dorit Patkin, Ph.D in mathematical education, is the head of the mathematics

department in "Kibbutzim College of education", Israel. Her research interests are in

math teaching and in exploring students' mistakes and misconceptions in math. Her

current research examines professional development of math teachers.

Correspondence to Dorit Patkin, E-mail: Patkin@netvision.net.il

Dvora Gesser, Ph.D. in Education in the field of Teachers’ Training is the Dean of

Student at the Kibbutzim College of Education. Her main fields of research are action

research, professional development of teachers and ethical dilemmas in the work of

the Student Dean.

Correspondence to Dvora Gesser, E-mail:dvora_ges@smkb.ac.il

500

520

540

560

580

600

Elementary

young age

physical education

English

creative

special education

kindergarten teachers

dance,

direction

bio-chemistry

humanities