Shifts in Teacher Motivation over the First Year of Teacher Education

Over the past years, the interest on teacher motivation has quickly grown (Richardson, Karabenick, & Watt, 2014). Indeed, a better understanding of the reasons at the basis of teachers’ career choice (i.e., motivation to become a teacher) and their consequences in terms of commitment and satisfaction would allow researchers to propose solutions to tame the issue of teacher shortage, which has become a concern in many countries. Moreover, teaching is recognized as a complex, multifaceted and difficult occupation that requires deep engagement and perseverance. Accordingly, motivation to become a teacher plays a significant role in teachers’ behavior in the classroom, particularly their teaching style, which in turn impacts student learning, motivation, and achievement, as accumulating evidence indicates (Butler & Shibaz, 2008; Kunter, Tsai, Klusmann, Brunner, Krauss, & Baumert, 2008; Pelletier, Séguin-Lévesque, & Legault, 2002)