Relationships Among Esteem, Autonomy, Job Satisfaction and the Intention to Quit Teaching of Downstate Illinois Industrial Education Teachers

Abstract

This study sought to determine the extent to which the stated intention to continue or discontinue employment in the teaching profession by industrial education teachers in downstate Illinois was related to (1) job satisfaction, (2) esteem, (3) autonomy, and (4) selected demographic characteristics. This study also explored the relationships that existed between or among these variables.

A structured interview by telephone was used to solicit in-depth information related to the research questions. The Teacher Interview Form consisted of five parts designed to collect information on (1) demographics, (2) the amount of esteem teachers desired and perceived to receive from selected reference groups, (3) the amount of autonomy teachers desired and perceived to have in selected aspects of their jobs, (4) job satisfaction, and (5) the teacher's intention to continue or discontinue teaching. The sample was stratified according to department size, resulting in the selection of 45 industrial education teachers to be interviewed.

The findings of this study indicate that the industrial education teachers in downstate Illinois are very similar with respect to age, years of teaching experience, and years in current assignments across downstate schools of varying sizes. The majority of these teachers continue to teach the traditional woodworking, metalworking, or drafting subject areas. In general, industrial education teachers have a great deal of personal pride in their profession. These teachers desire and receive high esteem from their students and other teachers. While teachers in larger schools tend to receive higher salaries, the teachers in small schools tend to have more esteem. Overall, the industrial education teachers have quite a bit of freedom to manage their programs.

Industrial education teachers are generally satisfied with their jobs but have low satisfaction with their salaries and benefits. The overall job satisfaction of the teachers is related to the perceived amount of actual esteem, but unrelated to the perceived amount of actual autonomy. There is a low relationship between overall job satisfaction and the intention to quit teaching. Neither actual salary nor the teachers' satisfaction with their salary is related to the intention to quit teaching.