Many primary school teachers experience disruptive behaviour from their pupils. This can lead teachers to feel intense unpleasant emotions and affect teacher effectiveness, motivation and job satisfaction. This in turn impacts on quality ofteaching and can have a negative impact on the child's social and academic development. In the present study, ten primary school teachers were interviewed about their experiences and understanding of disruptive behaviour. These were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Five superordinate themes were identified, one of which is reported in this paper. This theme, "The Personal Impact of the Behaviour and its Perceived Effect on the Relationship" encompasses five subthemes: Emotional Impact and Perception of Behaviour; Perceived Control and Self-Efficacy; Competency and Experience; The Effect of Emotion, and Seeing an Improvement, on the Teacher-Child Relationship and Relationship between Child and Teacher Behaviour. These themes indicate the reciprocal nature of the teacher and child behaviour, the importance of understanding the emotions evoked by disruptive behaviours and how these affect teachers' perceptions of the behaviour. The findings suggest teachers may benefit from opportunities to reflect on their emotional experience, which could facilitate greater understanding and more positive interactions with these children.

Central to this study is the question of how teachers construct their professional identity. This research explores the process of becoming a teacher and consequently of the construction of identity in terms of three specific components: belonging to a teacher community, the relationship between systems of knowledge and beliefs and classroom practice, and professional expectations for the future. A group of six Colombian preservice teachers in the final stage of their five-year teacher education programme were research participants. This case study used interviews, stimulated recall and on-line blogs as methods of data collection, and content analysis as the analytical approach. The findings reveal that while the process of learning to teach is individually constructed and experienced, it is socially negotiated. A teacher’s identity not only comprises personal knowledge and action, but is also influenced by the ideological, political and cultural interests and circumstances surrounding teachers’ lives and work. The research participants exhibited a permanent struggle between developing a personal professional style and coping with the restrictions imposed by living in a particular type of society that has already defined what teachers should do. Nevertheless, they manifested wellgrounded principles and theories of language teaching and learning and the purpose of education, and awareness of their potential as a new generation of teachers. This suggests that they had developed a sense of professional identity; a way to see themselves as teachers. This evolving identity sometimes conflicted with experience once they had faced the reality of classrooms, assumed institutional roles or negotiated modes of participation within a teacher community. The findings could be used as a point of departure in order to introduce changes into the curricula of teacher education programmes. The study has relevance for policymakers in planning action promoting professional development in pre-service and in-service teacher education.

This thesis explores how a process of deep critical reflection supported and enhanced participatory teaching with young children. The study involving two early years teachers began by exploring influences on their views, beliefs, and understandings in relation to listening to, and consulting and participating with young children. An investigation of the teachers' personal and professional learning transformations was carried out through a series of collaborative workshops based on deep self awareness and critical reflection by nurturing an open mind, heart and will. Shier's (2001) Pathways to Participation model was used to guide the teachers' processes of consultation and participation with children in their classes. Informed by critical theory, participatory action research created a collaborative learning approach; 'working with' rather than 'doing to' the participants. The thesis reports the teachers' involvement with thematic data analysis and the creative evaluations which resulted in the development of 9 Steps of Reflection which proved useful in supporting participation through critical reflection. The teachers' engagement with critical reflection promoted deeper understanding and ownership of knowledge which empowered them to make informed judgements about participation. The thesis concludes by considering the sustainability of transformative participatory practice through a process of critical reflection (in particular the 9 Reflective Steps that emerged as part of the reflective process), and implications for future practice.

This study was conducted to explore the Saudi Arabian science and mathematics primary school pre-service teachers’ perceptions and practices of the integration of technology in the classroom. As their practice takes place within two different institutions (University and school) each has its own policy and agenda, the complexity of their practice environment rises and the context might become problematic. Thus, both personal and contextual factors within these two institutions were explored to draw a whole picture of the issue according to the sociocultural theory as the theoretical framework of the study. Case study was adopted as the research methodology using Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) questionnaire, classroom observation and semi-structured interviews to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. The sample consisted of 15 participants; seven primary school pre-service teachers (science and mathematics), four university tutors and four head teachers. Two different categories of the pre-service teachers were identified; users and non-users of technology. Interestingly, those who used technology were found to adopt traditional transmission strategy of teaching. They perceived strong agency assuming that their role is to transfer knowledge to passive learners through visual technology. In contrast, those who did not use technology assumed more active role by the pupils. Therefore, they thought visual technologies are not appropriate tools for a learner-centred strategy of teaching showing less awareness about the affordances that this type of technology could provide. Accessing guidance during teaching practice was found to be a significant element that could allow pre-service teachers to learn properly within their zone of proximal development and contribute considerably to their pedagogical identity development and their understanding of agency in the classroom. Moreover, teaching subject was found to be an important factor in shaping the pre-service teachers’ identity and practice.

This research critiques and explores how male primary school teachers construct their professional identities. The research also focuses on masculinity and femininity in public discourse and outlines how particular professions attract significantly higher or fewer males or females. In parallel, the study critiques the concepts of teacher professionalism and gendered behaviour linked to gendered assumptions underlying dominant conceptions of the professional male primary teacher. This research investigates the construction of male primary school teacher’s identities and its gendered dimensions. The significance of positioning strategies adopted by male practitioners in primary schools is explored. Contributory factors to professional identities, which are partly formulated by colleagues, parents, children and policy- makers is researched. Responses to policy assumptions and rhetoric are also shared. This research is also widened to examine the 'moral panic' (Cohen, 1972) apparent when discussing a lack of male primary school teachers in English schools and how many assumptions are articulated regarding the advocacy of a more balanced gendered profession in primary education. Findings reveal that the professional identities of male primary school teachers in this study are shaped by many influences, including policy. Following an analysis of the findings the significance of male teachers as role models; stereotypical behaviour and masculinity in primary schools; safeguarding; child protection and social spaces and the juxtaposition of power were revealed.

This study explores how teachers in two primary schools in London interpreted and perceived their engagement in action research as a professional learning experience. The study also explored the factors that teachers perceive to impact upon their engagement in wider professional learning experiences in primary schools. This study is timely as there are few examples of research that have investigated whole-school teacher engagement in action research. As teacher engagement in research continues to be promoted at a national level, there remains a lack of qualitative research on the impact of engagement in collaborative action research on teachers within a primary school. This study is also timely because it has investigated theories of workplace learning in relation to conceptions of teacher learning experiences within a school. The extent to which the learning environments in schools afford formal and informal opportunities for teacher learning is presented as a factor for consideration. The study took a case study approach to investigating teacher perceptions of engagement in action research. Questionnaires with twenty-four teachers and interviews with twelve teachers across both schools resulted in qualitative data which was explored and interpreted for emerging trends. Data analysis was influenced by a constructivist interpretation of grounded theory to provide deeper understandings of patterns that emerged in relation to perceptions of action research and experiences of workplace learning. This study identified that there is a complex patchwork of influences that impact upon teacher engagement in professional learning, and that significant factors in this engagement include the expansiveness of the institutional learning environments and individual dispositions to learning. These factors influence individual teacher learning experiences in different ways. A model for teacher learning is presented in this study that reflects the key factors that need to be taken into consideration when planning for formal and informal teacher professional learning activities in primary schools.

This thesis examines the way in which primary education trainee teachers in England are socialised into organisational professionalism as a result of their Initial Teacher Training experiences. It reports on research conducted within a small, post-1992 university in the South East of England. Data were collected from interviews with, and questionnaires completed by, School Direct, undergraduate and postgraduate trainees’ at the end point of their Initial Teacher Training. The main findings suggest that trainee teachers experience organisational professionalism themselves and observe other teachers working within an educational culture that fosters organisational professionalism. Qualitative and quantitative data support an argument that trainee teachers accept aspects of organisational professionalism as being part of teaching today. However, they also hold onto beliefs about teaching that may conflict with the demands of organisational professionalism. Trainee teachers from three different routes into teaching had experienced aspects of organisational professionalism through their school-based training. This experience often relied on trainee compliance as they conformed to the expectations of a range of sources of authority, often resulting in standardised practices within schools. Practice in school was seen to be justified within a performativity agenda, with the need to raise standards and work in ways that were perceived to be acceptable by external inspection. Findings add to the body of knowledge about teacher preparation and in particular, this thesis offers empirical support to the theoretical discussion of organisational professionalism within teachers’ work as conceived by those that are at the end of their initial training.

This thesis explores the question: how do Irish post-primary teachers conceptualise their own professionalism? The central aim of the research is to give teachers a voice in defining what it means to be a professional teacher, within the context of new challenges posed by neoliberal ideologies and practices, which are increasingly informing educational policy. A total of sixteen teachers participated in semi-structured interviews as part of the research. The research employed an interpretative methodology and thematic analysis to the emergent data which was generated by a semi-structured interview process. The theoretical framework used to frame the analysis applied the tools of post-structural social theory, specifically, Foucauldian conceptual propositions of social identity-formation, power and knowledge, to teachers’ experience of their own professional identity and professionalism. The analysis and findings of this small scale interpretative, qualitative research study on teachers’ professionalism, highlight that teachers are currently entrenched in a struggle for control over, how their professional identity might be constructed, and the standards by which their professionalism is assessed. Neoliberal concepts of performativity, standards and accountability have recently become embedded in reformed practices and seek to redefine teachers’ professional identity and professionalism. The research concludes by staking the claim that unless teachers actively engage in an interrogation of the discourses and influences which assess their professional contribution and performance, they will conform to a professional identity that privileges the demands and values of the market. The discretionary judgement of the teacher, as currently understood by those interviewed in this research, is consequently, greatly undermined by compliance to neoliberal values.

This study aims to explore the challenges of recruiting and retaining teachers in rural schools of Guizhou, China. It is intended to offer research-based information to improve our understanding of the factors related to the severe problem of teacher shortage in these rural areas. During the survey, data were collected over a period of 17 months to answer the following three main questions: 1. Are there shortages of teachers in rural schools in Guizhou? 2. What are the factors that influence teachers’ decision-making about whether or not to enter and remain in the teaching profession? 3. What strategies have been developed for teacher recruitment and retention? Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in the research. Besides, the researcher conducted a field study in 47 primary schools and carried out in-depth interviews with 41 teachers, 9 headteachers, and 4 government officials. In addition, a total of 200 primary school teachers participated in the questionnaire survey. According to the analysis, the teacher shortage problem in rural schools of Guizhou is highly complex. A majority of rural schools are still short of teachers. The current teacher recruitment and retention policies of rural schools are not effective enough and have not been fully implemented. Also, salary, working conditions, location, family and individual development are the main factors that influence teachers’ decision-making about whether or not to start and continue to teach in rural areas of Guizhou. Improving working and living conditions as well as offering more training opportunities are important for the recruitment and retention of rural teachers in rural areas of Guizhou. Housing policies are the most attractive recruitment strategy for rural teachers of Guizhou. A job rotation system can help rural schools to ensure the quality of teaching and reduce the relatively high rate of teacher shortage. Furthermore, policy-makers can engage volunteers in resolving the problem of teacher shortage through collaborative efforts. In conclusion, it is significant for policy-makers to develop shared visions and make full use of every resource to resolve the teacher shortage problem. Long-term objectives should be set to ensure that the quality of education in rural schools can be improved step by step.

This study results from a perceived need for Higher Education providers of primary undergraduate initial teacher training (ITT) to be more accountable, within their institutions and externally to their funding body, for costs incurred. A survey of all undergraduate primary ITT courses within England and Wales revealed that very few course leaders had access to the necessary raw data or to any resultant financial information. Most courses generated sufficiently detailed costings to demonstrate course viability but not to assist with detailed course planning and management of resources. Using data obtained from a case study institution, 'back-flush' costing was employed to identify component costs in a form which allowed the development of a formulaic costing system. The viability of such approaches to costing is analysed and recommendations are made for changes to course, institutional and state funding body procedures to ensure that there can be rigorous accountability for the use of public funds.