Murphy, Deirdre (2023) Broke, not broken: Exploring the narrated experiences of teachers from low-income backgrounds. PhD thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.

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Abstract

This research is situated in the context of diversity of the teaching profession with respect to socio-economic status. It focuses on the dimension of representation and considers the role modelling potential of post-primary teachers from low-income socio-economic groups (SEGs) in Ireland. Phrases such as seeing is believing and you can’t be what you can’t see are synonymous with the potential of role models from similar ethnic, cultural, and social backgrounds. However, seeing in relation to low-income SEGs is problematic as it relies on disclosure by the teacher and the student. Using the Biographic Narrative Interpretive Method, this study draws on the experiences of six post-primary teachers who work in designated disadvantaged schools. This research explores the participants’ journeys in becoming teachers, self-disclosure of their SEG background, and their role modelling experiences. The participants reported the following with respect to becoming: education was highly valued within their family homes, they were altruistically motivated to become teachers, and they received support from their former school principals. Challenges associated with becoming included financial constraints and feelings of isolation and not belonging. The participants used purposeful self-disclosure to support and connect with their students, for pedagogical purposes, and to develop the relational aspects of teaching. Tensions and dilemmas emerged between the participants’ social justice motivations of becoming teachers and their perceptions of being a role model. This research suggests an alternative construct of representational advocacy which depicts the manner in which teachers from low-income SEGs leverage their community cultural wealth to advocate for students from demographically congruent backgrounds.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Keywords:	Teacher diversity, social class, self-disclosure, representational advocacy; role model; community cultural wealth;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Education
Item ID:	18134
Depositing User:	IR eTheses
Date Deposited:	13 Feb 2024 11:41
URI:
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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