A qualitative inquiry into teaching and learning : nurturing passion in educational practice

Abstract

This study focuses on the views of primary school teachers and School Management Team (SMT) members engaged in a Maltese Primary State School. The research objectives of this study were to gain an insight on passion and its characteristics in teaching such as joy, care, purposefulness and commitment and to investigate whether and how these diminish with time. In this respect, these aims were addressed through the utilisation of a qualitative case study paradigm which was adopted and conducted within a local primary State school. Two school leaders were involved in a one-to-one semi-structured interview and thirteen teachers participated in narrative writing. From these findings five important themes emerged, namely: ‘The Early Stages in the Teaching Profession’, ‘Bureaucracy in Education’, ‘Educational Reforms’, ‘Teachers’ influence on Student Learning’ and ‘School Environment’. The above themes indicate that there are many factors that might influence the passion and joy in teachers, with some being beyond their control. On the contrary, however, when teachers are willing to work in a collaborative school community, develop positive student-teacher relationships, carefully plan their teaching and are reflective practitioners, they can in turn create opportunities that help them remain passionate, joyful and resilient towards the teaching profession.