“I don’t see it as sustainable”: STEM student (dis)interest in teaching careers

Despite considerable research on why people choose teaching careers, few studies explore perceptions of teaching among students outside teacher pipelines. Guided by Social Cognitive Career Theory and Situated Expectancy-Value Theory, this mixed methods study examined STEM undergraduates’ perceptions of teaching and how these perceptions shaped their interest in the profession. Results showed that the majority of survey respondents did not want to become teachers or had never considered a career in teaching. Interestingly, one-quarter of respondents indicated interest in teaching, but not for the duration of their career. Participants were most deterred by perceptions of low teacher salaries and challenging workplace conditions. Most participants also underestimated starting teacher salaries in the local school district. Finally, interview participants expressed positive self-efficacy related to teaching, but were still largely deterred by the concerns above. Findings suggest an opportunity to strengthen the teacher pipeline by further exploring complexities in teacher career interests, by establishing policy solutions for nonlinear paths into teaching, and by addressing misconceptions, particularly regarding teacher salaries, rather than assuming divergent career motivations.