Teachers choose disadvantaged-area schools and stay, study finds

Many teachers actively seek work in schools in disadvantaged areas and remain there for years, according to a large study reported by Yle. The research draws on survey responses from nearly 3,000 teachers and 250 interviews.

Sonja Kosunen, a professor of general education at the University of Eastern Finland, led the study with her research team. A nonfiction book based on the findings, Teaching in a Differentiating Finland, was due to be published on Tuesday.

For some teachers, the diversity of pupils’ backgrounds is a reason to choose a school. One participant said that getting to know pupils from a range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds over time made the work valuable.

Kosunen said teachers are drawn to the chance to do meaningful work and to additional funding that schools in disadvantaged areas often receive. The funding can help schools keep groups smaller, invest in teaching or hire more staff.

Teachers generally do not leave because of challenging pupils, Kosunen said. The study found more everyday reasons for changing jobs: the end of a fixed-term contract, long commutes and problems with management. Kosunen also said media coverage can give a misleading impression that difficult pupils, inclusion or open-plan classrooms are driving teachers away.

The research also found that many teachers find it difficult to talk about social class, even when they choose to work in disadvantaged-area schools. Kosunen said schools can reinforce middle-class habits and values, and teachers should be aware of how class differences appear in the classroom.

Those differences can emerge in ordinary school activities, such as sharing holiday stories, bringing food from home, taking part in paid events or providing sports equipment. Kosunen cited questions about whether pupils have skis and whether they can ski in jeans as a recurring example in the study.

The study described a typical teacher as a white, middle-class woman who grew up with two Finland-born parents. Kosunen said assumptions about shared experiences can overlook the different circumstances pupils bring to school.