| This thesis is about the "teacher behind the teacher", that is, it is an examination of how teachers believe that they were influenced to teach by their own classroom teachers. It draws upon sixty-three (out of one hundred) award winning first year teachers singled out by the Sallie Mae Educational Loan Foundation for their academic achievement, classroom performance and community leadership skills. These sixty-three first year teachers, in turn, all nominated a former teacher for a Teacher Tribute Award who they believed motivated and influenced them to teach.;All sixty-three essays which nominated a career influencing teacher were read and examined to determine patterns of behavior which might explain how a classroom teacher might influence a student to teach. Eighteen of the first year teachers were then selected to be interviewed for this study. Selection was made based on providing a cross section of teachers by gender, race, geography, subject and grade level taught. A thematic analysis was made of the teacher's stories as career influencing patterns, factors and themes emerged from the interviews and essays.;Results which emerged from the study included:;Many people are influenced to teach by their positive experiences with teachers, while others are influenced to teach because of their negative experiences with teachers.;The primary influential factors which were exhibited by career motivating teachers included the quality and quantity of time teachers spent with students, the overall enthusiasm of the teacher, and the teachers' "Hands On" teaching techniques. Other important factors included a teachers love and knowledge of the subject matter taught, the high expectations a teacher held for a students success, and the ability of the teacher to nurture and build high self esteem in students.;Future teachers need to be recruited sooner rather than later. The sooner future teachers are exposed to teaching the better. Many of these award winning first year teachers were introduced to teaching by being "recruited" or given teaching opportunities while they were still students.;Further studies of the influence teachers play in recruiting their students to teach may provide strategies for targeting specific groups or subject areas of present and future shortages i.e. math and science teachers and/or teachers of color. |
