Social status of the teaching profession: Self-determination in Russian teachers

Abstract

There is a sharp contradiction between the high importance of work performed for society and a low professional status of general education teachers in the Russian society. The article presents outcomes of a sociological survey “Professional Identity of Modern Teacher” carried out by the Monitoring Research Department of the Moscow State University of Psychology & Education in the spring of 2016. This survey reflects the teachers' self-assessment of the status of their profession. A total of 1,024 teachers of general education organizations were surveyed in 9 federal districts of the Russian Federation, except the Crimea. The survey was conducted on a three-stage stratified probabilistic sample. The research model of the teacher's social status includes the analysis of the three leading components: prestige, respect and satisfaction with work process. According to the results of the survey, despite the teachers' low assessment of the social prestige of their professional group, they perceive their activities as respected by students and their parents, and also feel satisfied with the results of their work.