Why not become a teacher? Undergraduate students’ perceptions and implications for recruitment

Bibliographic Data

ID21688798
AuthorsJacob Pleasants (0000-0002-1886-6270, University of Oklahoma, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume32
Issue5
Pages827-843
Publication date2026-07-04
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueTeachers and Teaching (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1354-0602 • E-ISSN: 1470-1278
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13540602.2025.2507246
OpenAlexW4410523042
LanguageEN
References cited23

Teacher recruitment is a widespread and persistent challenge, yet little research has examined the motivations and perceptions of those who have some interest in teaching, but ultimately choose not to pursue it. This study used an online survey to examine the views of the teaching profession held by a general population of undergraduate students at a large university in the United States. This study examines what students reported to be the main reasons not to become a teacher as well as the individuals who have discouraged them from pursuing a teaching career. It also explores how those perceptions and discouragements vary based on students’ identities and level of interest in teaching. The most commonly given reasons not to teach were negative perceptions of pay and working conditions, concerns that were more common among students with greater interest in teaching. Students who were more interested in teaching were also more likely to have been discouraged from pursuing it, but a worryingly high proportion of all students reported having been discouraged by teachers themselves. Recruitment efforts need to counteract negative narratives about teaching, especially in relation to alternative careers while also considering the many sources of negative messages that students receive

Mathematics education · Pedagogy · Perception · Education, Achievement, and Giftedness · Educational Methods and Teacher Development · Psychology · Teacher Professional Development and Motivation

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