‘Against the odds’: a study into the nature of protective factors that support and facilitate a sample of individuals from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds into the teaching profession

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper reports on a small-scale, qualitative study, located in England and Wales, with the goal of advancing fairer teacher representation. Deploying a positive lens, the research shines a light on the lived experiences of 12 individuals from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, all of whom successfully entered the teaching profession for a period of up to 5 years before the study. Against the current backdrop of unfair teacher representation, the achievements of these individuals in becoming teachers are deconstructed and analysed, to determine whether there are any commonalities in their circumstances. Drawing on the theoretical frames of capital and critical race theory, the study aims to establish whether a set of protective factors exists that may have supported and facilitated their journey into teaching. The study finds that the achievements of these individuals in joining the teaching profession can be attributed, in part, to the nature of the cultural wealth each possesses. It concludes that these teachers, acting as critical pedagogues, are not the sole benefactors of their cultural wealth, with benefits afforded both the minority and majority population. In spite of intentions to frame the teachers’ narratives positively, the study reveals troubling evidence of embedded racial processes, which serve to threaten the teachers’ sense of belonging in the profession and inhibit others from joining. Recommendations to further boost teacher representation for minority groups are offered.