Factors affecting the sustainability of a teaching career

AbstractThe objective of the study is to find out about the factors influencing the sustainability of a teacher‟s career while focusing more on the prerequisites for becoming a teacher, relationships with pupils and colleagues, teachers‟ perception of their professional role and their vision of a teacher of the future.The research relies on biographic interviews of 25 primary school teachers, in which teachers participated on a voluntary basis. Proceeding from the research objective, four content categories were formulated: the prerequisites for becoming a teacher, working environment, relationships with pupils and parents, and teachers‟ perception of their professional role today and in the future.The respondents‟ childhood is characterised by their lively interest in creative activities. They have mentioned an early interest in reading, creative outdoor and indoor games, love for nature. Characteristically, several class teachers have wanted to become singers or actors in their childhood but then chosen a teacher‟s career. They successfully apply skills acquired in their childhood and school days in their teaching work. It is also typical that in their school days they were often organisers of activities for younger pupils. The respondents‟ teaching career has also been supported by favourable working environment and colleagues‟ and parents‟ support. As other factors facilitating teachers‟ work, the role of information technology in designing teaching materials and preparing lessons has been referred to. Teachers have also pointed out as positive their greater freedom in selecting teaching methods and self-improvement opportunities.The main factors of the sustainability of class teachers‟ career are primarily related to substantial values of the teaching profession. The majority of the respondents emphasise creativity of teachers‟ work and their own role in the development of children‟s learning skills, personality traits and learning motivation