Malaise dans la profession enseignante et identité professionnelle en mutation: Le cas du Québec

Abstract

If at one time in Quebec teacher education, the qualification process, and the affiliation with the Ministry of Education were pillars of a strong and rewarding collective identity for teachers, this is no longer the case. Recently, many social, economic and educational changes affecting teachers' work, and sometimes challenging its legitimacy, have occurred. It is now generally accepted that the teaching profession has become more complex and onerous and its social prestige is waning. The current situation regarding the attraction and retention of teachers and the high attrition rate during the first five years on the job is most likely indicative of a collective malaise and deep individual crises. This article examines and discusses critical career experiences from the perspectives of teachers in Quebec.