Professional identity of school teachers in the context of socio-historical dynamics of Russian society

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the specific nature of school teacher’s professional identity in the context of its stability maintenance in the Soviet and modern periods of Russian society development.Design/methodology/approachA total of 618 teachers of state comprehensive secondary schools were interviewed with a standardized questionnaire. The survey was divided into four semantic blocks: analyzing how teachers percept their own socio-economic situation; studying the structure of teacher’s social identity and determining the significance of professional identity; determining the nature of teacher’s motivation and professional values; and assessing the degree of labor precariatization.FindingsThis paper shows that a school teacher job had public prestige, social-labor and material guarantees, as well as ideological support from the state in the Soviet Russia. The excessive administrative burden, high social demands for teacher’s performance in the context of deteriorating economic situation in the country create risks for positive professional identity of teachers and, as a consequence, for societal integrity.Originality/valueThis study is relevant as it provides empirical measurements and substantiates macro-social effects of teacher’s professional identity. The excessive administrative load and high social demands for teacher’s performance in the context of deteriorating economic situation in the country create risks for maintaining the positive professional identity of teachers and, as a consequence, for societal integrity.