Journal Article

Author

McGregor, Glenda & Mills, Martin

Title

Teaching in the 'margins': rekindling a passion for teaching

In

British Journal of Sociology of Education

Imprint

vol. 35, no. 1, 2014, pp. 1-18

Abstract

The data for this paper are drawn from a qualitative research project involving a number of alternative education sites in Australia and the United Kingdom. In this paper, we focus only on the motives and teaching philosophies of a sample of teachers who have chosen to work in alternative education sites despite, for some, the prospect of uncertain employment conditions and lower salaries. A thematic approach is used with the data so as to structure participant perspectives on a range of teaching-related issues. We argue that the experiences and perceptions of these teachers provide a starting point for reflection about the impact of many current educational policies that have been shaped or influenced by market-driven neo-liberal paradigms emphasising disciplinary accountabilities for teachers.