Altruism, Pragmatism, and Critical Engagement: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Motivational Profiles of Male Primary Teachers

Abstract

The low participation of men in primary education is a persistent and structural phenomenon that cannot be adequately understood through homogeneous views of teachers’ motivations and experiences. This study is conducted in the Chilean context, which is characterized by a highly feminized teaching workforce and persistent challenges related to working conditions, social valuation of teaching, and teacher retention. It aims to analyze profiles of male primary school teachers, considering their motivations, perceptions, and the meanings they attribute to the teaching profession. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design (QUAN → qual) was employed. First, 144 male in-service primary teachers completed the FIT-Choice scale and a latent class analysis was conducted. Subsequently, in-depth interviews were carried out with an intentionally selected subsample of 20 teachers, which were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Three distinct motivational profiles were identified: altruistic, pragmatic, and critical. The qualitative findings complemented these profiles, highlighting the influence of personal trajectories and working conditions on teachers’ career choice and retention in the profession. Overall, the findings suggest that policies for training, support, and professional induction must recognize teacher heterogeneity and promote inclusive working environments, moving beyond approaches that focus exclusively on increasing the number of men in primary education. Implications for the design of policies aimed at attracting and retaining male primary school teachers are discussed.