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  5. Teacher Career Choice by Minority Individuals in N

Teacher Career Choice by Minority Individuals in N

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Hello


My name is Madhup Srivastava and I am teaching in Whitireia Polytechnic Porirua. I am conducting a survey and invite you to participate in my survey on Teacher Career Choice by Minority Individuals in New Zealand. In this survey, approximately 250 Teachers and/or Teacher Training School students will be asked to complete a survey that asks questions about their motivation, experiences, objectives and other relevant areas. It will take approximately 15 minutes to complete the questionnaire.



Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. There are no foreseeable risks associated with this project. However, if you feel uncomfortable answering any questions, you can withdraw from the survey at any point.



Your survey responses will be stricly confidential and data from this research will be reported only in the aggregate. Your information will be coded and will remain confidential. If you have questions at any time about the survey or the procedures, you may contact Madhup Srivastava at
04 2373100/3857 (extn.) or by email at the email address specified below.


Thank you very much for your time and support. Please start with the survey now by clicking on the Continue button below.
 
 
Please respond to the following questions based on your Recent or Past community involvement during your college education. (Ethnic community: community of people who share a common language and cultural heritage)


TRUE (reflective of my experience) FALSE (not reflective of my exprience)
1. I live in proximity of my ethnic community
2. I participate in my ethnic community cultural events
3. I participate in my ethnic community's social and educational events
4. I participate in my ethnic community's religious activities
5. I teach/assist heritage languages classes/programmemes in my community
6. I take/took heritage language/cultural classes in my community
7. I am comfortable communicating with adults and elders in my community in my heritage language
8. I participate in my ethnic community's political events
9. I am well aware of my ethnic community's issues and concerns
10. I participate in activities addressing those issues and concerns
 
 
Please respond to these questions based on your past or current experience with the selection and admission process in a teachers' training college.
........TRUE......... ........FALSE........
11. I was selected to enter the teaching profession because I am a person of language and cultural minority
12. I was encouraged to apply into the teaching programme because of my ethnic and language background
13. I was informed that my ethnic and language background was of value in the teaching profession
14. I was told that there was a need for teachers of diverse cultural and language backgrounds
15. More of my friends would have joined the profession if they were informed of the need for teachers who are bilingual/bicultural
16. I was assisted adequately through the admission process
17. I was able to complete all the prerequisites without any problems
18. Being admitted into the teacher training programme was not a complicated nor frustrated process for me
19. I think the admission criteria was fair and just
20. I did not/will not have problems passing other standardised tests/interviews
 
 
 
I am a





 
Teacher
 
Teacher training college student
 
 
 
.........TRUE........ ........FALSE........
40. I have/had a lecturer/tutor who shared my cultural/ethnic background
41. I have/had lecturer/tutor who really knew me and accepted me
42. I identify with other classmates in terms of shared experiences and commitment
43. I have/had opportunities to discuss and share our learning (progress and challenges) with other classmates on an on-going basis
44. I have/had a sense of true friendship and camaraderie with my peers
45. I have/had opportunities to discuss issues relating to our cultural and ethnic backgrounds and experiences with my peer group
46. I feel that I have/had a voice in my classes and that my perspectives and opinions are welcomed
47. I feel supported in expressing my opinions and perspectives
48. I was encouraged to share my personal experiences and cultural backgrounds
49. There are several faculty of colour in my credential programme
50. There are some faculty members who share my ethnic background
51. I have/had opportunities to do fieldwork with students of my cultural and ethnic backgrounds
52. I have/had opportunities to use my cultural and language background in my coursework
53. I have/had opportunities to use my cultural and language background in my fieldwork
54. I rarely felt excluded or isolated from my peers or the programme
 
 
 
........TRUE......... ........FALSE........
55. The content of the coursework was empowering to me
56. The method courses are/were relevant and prepared me well for the real classrooms
57. Many of my teacher preparation courses integrated histories, experiences and perspectives of minority students, parents and communities.
58. Multicultural education in my programme goes/went beyond learning about special characteristics of different groups.
59. Our teaching programme's faculty represents racially and culturally diverse voices, experiences and perspectives
60. Our teaching programme's student teachers include persons with racially and culturally diverse voices, experiences and perspectives
61. Students from different cultural and language backgrounds were perceived as potential resources
62. The programme provides opportunities for my families to be involved in my teacher education process
63. The programme provides opportunities for me to improve my primary language and knowledge of my heritage culture.
 
 
 
Reflect on your school years (upto Year 13). Think of your most favourite teacher or class. Check up to 6 items that contributed to your feelings positive about this class


 
my teacher was knowledgeable
 
the learning was fun
 
I learned a lot
 
I had good friends
 
I earned high grades
 
I identified with this teacher
 
The learning was relevant
 
My teacher knew me
 
My teacher knew my culture
 
My classmates accepted me
 
I can comfortably share my thoughts and opinions
 
 
 
Think of a class (upto year 13) in which you had negative feelings. Check up to 6 items that contributed to these feelings:


 
It was boring
 
It was difficult
 
I felt disconnected to the learning
 
The teacher did not care
 
I was a nobody/ignored
 
No one knew about my background or experiences
 
I was identified/labelled negatively
 
No one liked me or cared about me
 
I was not good on this subject
 
There were struggles and issues at home
 
I could not share my thoughts or opinion
 
I did not understand the materials
 
No one was interested in me or my thoughts or my opinions
 
 
 
At what age did you first realise that you want to become a teacher?




 
5-10
 
10-15
 
15-20
 
20-25
 
25+
 
 
 
Who or what do you think were your primary forces of influence on your decision to become a teacher?(Select up to 6 items that apply the most)





 
I love schools
 
I had great teachers
 
Someone in my family was a teacher
 
I always know I will be a teacher
 
I enjoy working with children
 
I experienced helping others learn
 
I have the gift
 
I have something special to contribute
 
My family encouraged me
 
My teacher(s) influenced me
 
My friends encouraged me
 
I thought it might be interesting
 
I did well in school
 
I love to read and write
 
The career counselor recommended
 
I saw ads about teaching profession
 
I was told that my cultural and language background were valuable assets
 
I had no clear career goal
 
I thought I will try it for a while
 
I identified strongly with one teacher
 
I have no idea!
 
Other
 
 
 
Was there someone in your family who is/was a teacher? If applicable, please identify the person's relation to you.
   
 
 
 
What was the reaction of people around you when you made your final decision to become a teacher?

 
My parents/family were proud
 
My parents/family were indifferent
 
My family thought it was too difficult, too "far fetched"
 
 
 
In your culture, how is the teacher perceived and defined?



 
highly respected
 
has parental authority
 
enjoy high social status
 
looked up as role model
 
same as other profession
 
Other
 
 
 
I entered the teachers'training college

 
straight from the University
 
after working in other jobs for a while
 
 
 
While being in the teachers'training programme,I was/am:

 
working full-time
 
working part-time
 
not working
 
on scholarship
 
on loan
 
 
 
Of all the teacher education related courses that I took, the one that was most memorable to me was: (course title/description)
   
 
 
 
The classes that I personally found most valuable and memorable are the ones in which:
(choose 3 most significant factors)



 
I learned new methods and strategies
 
I acquired new knowledge and skills
 
I learned how to teach
 
I learn how children learn
 
I learned how to relate to others
 
I learned a lot about myself
 
I learned about culture and history
 
 
 
The most meaningful classes are often offered through the department of:


 
teacher education
 
liberal studies
 
ethnic studies
 
foreign language
 
linguistics
 
educational psychology
 
psychology
 
Other
 
 
 
In general, my experience in the teacher preparation courses are: (choose up to 3 responses that most applicable)


 
relevant - I acquired knowledge and skills to prepare me for the teaching profession
 
exciting - I was inspired to find creative ways to work with children
 
validating - I was encouraged to value my background and experiences as a bicultural and/or bilingual person
 
empowering - I had meaningful interactions with instructors and peers where my voice and perspectives were heard and acknowledged
 
non-relevant - I felt that much of what I was learning did not prepare me well for the teaching profession
 
methodic - I was taught processes and procedures to follow
 
invalidating - My perspective and opinion were not understood or accepted by others
 
disempowering - My cultural and language background and personal past experiences were not reflected in the curriculum or classroom discussion
 
 
 
How often are issues of race and culture become central focus in your teacher education courses (reading, discussion, debate, etc.)?

 
rarely
 
sometimes
 
often time
 
all the time
 
 
 
How often were the issues of social and educational equity and justice become the central focus of your teacher education courses?

 
rarely
 
sometimes
 
often time
 
all the times
 
 
 
Whenever issues of race and culture came up, I felt that I:


 
can discuss freely
 
was invited to share my personal and lived experiences
 
was encouraged to speak up
 
was looked at as "expert"
 
was expected to "know" everything about my culture and traditions
 
Other:
 
 
 
As a person of ethnic and/or linguistic minority, I feel that my background and lived experiences are/were:


 
not a factor in the teacher preparation programme
 
not acknowledged or validated
 
reflected in the class discussion, texts, other curricular materials
 
acknowledged/validated through the programme curriculum and practice
 
 
 
As a person of ethnic and/or linguistic minority in the programme, I often felt that:


 
I have something of value to share with my classmates
 
I have special qualities and unique experiences that will make me a more effective teacher
 
I can readily empathise with students of colour
 
I am no different than my peers
 
I am less able than my peers
 
 
 
As a person of ethnic and/or linguistic minority in the programme, I:


 
had opportunities to research and learn more about my own perspective and those of others
 
had opportunities to come into meaningful contact with other educators of my shared backgrounds
 
had opportunities to learn about the cultural and historical backgrounds of my people and others
 
had no or little opportunities to come into meaningful contact with other educators of my shared backgrounds
 
had little opportunities to learn about the cultural and historical backgrounds of my people and others
 
other
 
 
 
Throughout the teacher preparation programme:

 
I had plenty of opportunities to prepare me to work with students from diverse language and cultural backgrounds
 
Only a few courses had/have the emphasis or integration of minority education instruction and strategies
 
I was able to integrate my learning with practical experiences working with minority students
 
I was encouraged to design learning activities to meet the needs of minority students
 
 
 
Upon graduating from the teacher education programme, I am/was looking forward to having a teaching position in schools with

 
students who are fluent and proficient in English
 
a diverse student population (ethnically, culturally, and linguistically)
 
students who share my language and cultural background
 
students who need extra help in English
 
students whom I can personally relate to
 
students whose parents I can communicate with
 
students from my cultural and ethnic community
 
Other
 
Please contact [email protected] or click here if you have any questions regarding this survey.
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