A STUDY OF CERTAIN PERSONALITY AND VALUE DIFFERENCES IN TEACHER EDUCATION MAJ-08$ PREFEIIRING EARLY AND LAYER. ELEMENTARY TEACHING LEVELS Thesis [or Ihe Degree of Ed. D., MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Horton Coe Southworth 1962 v v v ~ '~~V%‘M§!E$.W mszs IIIIIIHIIIIIIHIIIIIHII 3 1293 _10676 6714 This is to certify that the thesis entitled A STUDY OF CERTAIN PERSONALITY AND VALUE DIFFERENCES IN TEACHER EDUCATION MAJORS PREFERRING EARLY AND LATER ELEMENTARY TEACHING LEVELS presented by Horton Coe Southwor th has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for Ed .0. degree in Curriculum I-fl 4 ,1, - C4 ;--(‘*-"7 'l . g4 k u/ wiajor professor Date May 9, 1962 0-169 L I B R A R Y Michigan State University ’ W... o... ..._o.-..-,—» r— -—«- V-- .. .14.... F.._.._o-. k -.—..‘.--_.. 4..“ ._. 4 “.4, _ u“ .- _—-~mmwn4——W~—nm-~ .,-..~ -d V a.» - ~——. -»p~om~"" -' '- \ 5'1 INV 90 I 3.) A STUDY OF CERTAIN PERSONALITY AND VALUE DIFFERENCES IN TEACHER EDUCATION MAJORS PREFERRING EARLY AND LATER ELEMENTARY TEACHING LEVELS BY Horton Coe Southworth AN ABSTRACT OF A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION College of Education 1962 ABSTRACT A STUDY OF CERTAIN PERSONALITY AND VALUE DIFFERENCES IN TEACHER EDUCATION MAJORS PREFERRING EARLY AND LATER ELEMENTARY TEACHING LEVELS by Horton Coe Southworth Statement of the Problem This study was designed to search for certain person— ality and value differences existing between elementary teaching majors stating a preference for early-elementary— teaching-grade levels (kindergarten through grade three) and those students stating a preference for later—elementary— teaching-grade levels (grade four through grade eight). The personality characteristics considered were the fifteen manifest needs as contained in the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule. The value interests con- sidered were the six contained in the Allport, Vernon. Lindzey Study of Values. Grade-level preference was determined by a direct question contained in the Student Teacher Experimental Program Student Personnel Inventory. Horton Coe Southworth Procedure Eighty-eight students forming Group I of the Michigan State University Student Teacher Experimental Program were tested in the spring of 1961 at a two day orientation and testing session on the East Lansing campus. All eighty—eight students were transferring to the University from six out- state junior and community colleges. By preference the eighty-eight sub-divided into forty—three early—elementary-preference women, twenty-seven later—elementary-preference women, and eighteen later-elementary— preference men. The variance of each of the three groups from the population mean was determined for twenty—two characteristics of personality and value. Sixteen character— istics were significant and warranted treatment of the group means by use of the student "t" test. Each group was shown to be homogeneous by using the Cochran Test for homogeneity. Findings Two major hypotheses were formulated to aid the investigation. ' Hypothesis I stated that there would be differences between the personality traits of elementary majors who initially preferred early-elementary grades and the traits of Horton Coe Southworth those who initially preferred later-elementary grades. Seven Edwards characteristics were found to indicate significant differences between preference groups. Early-elementary- preference students revealed more manifest need for "Abasement," "Affiliation," "Succorance,' and "Nurturance" when compared with later—elementary—preference students. Later-elementary- preference students conversely revealed higher manifest need for "Achievement," "Aggression,' and "Exhibition" when compared with early—elementary—preference students. Hypothesis II stated that no differences would be found in "Theoretical," "Economic," "Aesthetic," "Social," "Political," and "Religious" value motives between the early- elementary-preference group and the later—elementary-preference group. The hypothesis was supported for the preference factor but significant differences were discovered between men and women. The men—women differences were similar to those established in the normative group. Conclusions and Implications Personality-related descriptions were developed for the early-elementary—preference group and for the later- elementary—preference group. Each descriptive list was evolved from the Edwards personality characteristics revealed to be significant manifestations for the particular preference group. Horton Coe Southworth Implications were based upon two feasible alternative assumptions. A series of professionally useful implications related to each of the assumptions was presented. The first assumption stated that to the degree the identified personality—related characteristics are consistent with the expectations commonly held for teachers of a parti— cular grade level, the characteristics can be interpreted as being predictive of a person's relative suitability for teaching at the particular level.‘ The alternative assumption stated that since certain traits are more characteristic of those preferring one level than of those preferring another level, lthe traits, and hence the common needs and interests, can be inferred from the stated grade—level preference. Concluding recommendations were based upon the various uses of personal data files, which would include personality data and other grade-level—preference related data. Appli- cations of such data to decisions and guidance during teacher education in the college and into the employed teaching experience were cited. A STUDY OF CERTAIN PERSONALITY AND VALUE DIFFERENCES IN TEACHER EDUCATION MAJORS PREFERRING EARLY AND LATER ELEMENTARY TEACHING LEVELS BY Horton Coe Southworth A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION College of Education 1962 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The investigator would like to express his grateful appreciation to Dr. Troy L. Stearns, his major professor, for wise counsel and encouragement. To the members of the doctoral guidance committee, Dr. Walter F. Johnson, Dr. Ted W. Ward, Dr. Charles A. Blackman, and Dr. Robert E. Brown for their patience, helpful suggestions. and criticism._ ' To Dr. Bernard R. Corman for his understanding and technical assistance with the treatment of data. To the many professional colleagues in the public schools who have offered encouragement. And especially to his wife, Carroll, for her belief. in and patience with this study. To the four children who will come to understand this educational endeavor. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LIST OF TABLES O O O O 0 O O O 0 O O O O O O O 0 Chapter I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II. III. The Problem Population of the Study Obtaining the Data Statement of Hypotheses Implications of the Findings Organization of the Study REVIEW OF LITERATURE . . . . . . . . Theories of Career Choice Importance of Personality in Teaching Studies of Personality Differences Studies of Value Differences Studies of Teaching Career Motivations Summary PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT,-THE SCOPE. AND LIMITATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rationale for the Study Basis for Hypotheses Determining Grade-Level Preference Procedure for Data Analysis iii (DQO‘U'Ith l-' O 10 14 15 17 20 24 26 26 27 30 30 Chapter IV. PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA . . . . . . Hypothesis I-A Hypothesis I-B Hypothesis I-C Hypothesis I-D Hypothesis II V. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS . . . . . . . . Common Characteristics: All Groups Differences: Men—WOmen Differences: Early-Later Assumptions Underlying Implications Implications: Based Upon Assumption I Implications: ‘Based Upon Assumption II Recommendations Needed Research Summary of the Study BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . APPENDIX A APPENDIX B APPENDIX C iv Page 33 33 38 42 48 51 56 57 57 6O 63 65 66 69 7O 71 75 8O 85 88 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 4.1 Means and Standard Deviations for Edwards Characteristics of "Abasement." "Affiliation," "Succorance," and "Nurturance" 34 4.2 The Analysis of Variance of Group Means for Edwards Characteristics of "Abasement," "Affiliation," "Succorance," and "Nurturance" 35 4.3 Comparison of Group Means for Edwards , Characteristics of "Abasement," "Affiliation, "Succorance," and "Nurturance" . . . . . . . . 37 4.4 Means and Standard Deviations for Edwards Characteristics of "Achievement," "Dominance, and "Aggression" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 4.5 The Analysis of Variance of Group Means for Edwards Characteristics of "Achievement," "Dominance," and "Aggression" . . . . . . . . 40 4.6 Comparison of Group Means for Edwards Characteristics of "Achievement," "Dominance, and "Aggression" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 4.7 Means and Standard Deviations for Edwards Characteristics of "Deference," "Order," "Exhibition," "Autonomy," "Change," "Endurance," "Intraception," and ."Heterosexuality" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 4.8 The Analysis of Variance of Group Means for Edwards Characteristics of "Deference," "Order," "Exhibition," "Autonomy," "Change," "Endurance," "Intraception," and "Heterosexuality" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Table 4.10 Page Comparison of Group Means for Edwards Characteristics of "Order," "Exhibition," "Autonomy," "Change," and "Heterosexuality" 46 Means and Standard Deviations for Derived Edwards Male-Female Index . . . . . . . . . 49 The Analysis of Variance of Group Means for Derived Edwards Male-Female Index . . . . . 50 Comparison of Group Means for Edwards Male- Female Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Means and Standard Deviations for Allport, Vernon, Lindzey MeaSures of "Theoretical," "Economic," "Aesthetic," "Social," "Political," and "Religious" Value Motives . . . . . . . 52 The Analysis of Variance of Group Meanstor Allport,'Vernon,.Lindzey-MeaSures~of "Theoretical," "Economic," "Aesthetic," "Social," "Political," and "Religious" Value Motives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Comparison of Group Means for Allport, Vernon, Lindzey "Economic," "Aesthetic," and ‘ "Political" Value Motives . . . . . . . . . 54 A Comprehensive Personality and Value Portrait for the Early and Later Elementary Preference Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 vi CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Career choice is an important life decision. Each college student is faced with choices as he plans a program of studies. Although research has explained many factors in a person's career choice, there are no known studies which attempt to explain the specific factors that influence a person to prepare for a particular position within a career field. The student who selects teaching as his career also must make a decision about the educational level he wishes to teach. He can prepare for college-level instruction, high school teaching, or elementary school teaching. If a student chooses elementary teaching he usually makes a further choice of the grade level- Elementary grade levels have been commonly denoted as "early" or "later." These terms have been used many years by public schools, colleges, and education students. "Early" ordinarily denotes kindergarten, first, second, and third grades, while "later" applies to fourth, fifth, and sixth grades (sometimes seventh and eighth). l Students preparing for elementary teaching at one time or another indicate their teaching-grade preference. Various inventory and placement forms require the student to state an initial preference: the activities within a course sometimes are designed to allow for such preference; certainly the grade preference is a factor in seeking a first teaching position. Grade-level preference for teaching is an important decision. The Problem Why do certain students select the early elementary and other students the later—elementary-teaching level? Are there differences among students who state various grade- level preferences? The writer believes there are measurable personality differences. Other researchers are also concerned about exploring the influence of personality on career choice, as well as the importance of personality in the very act of teaching. Gerhard Langl related personality to the person's choice of teaching as a career. The purpose of his work was to determine to what extent differences in the psychological needs of elementary and secondary teachers are reflected in lGerhard Lang, "Teachers' Motives for Teaching," Clearing House, XXXIII (May, 1959). their motives for choosing teaching. Lang used the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule and a questionnaire for back— ground data. He found that secondary women teachers manifest . 2 ! II greater need for "Achievement" and less need for 'Nurturance than women elementary teachers. Percival Symonds states: If teaching is primarily a function of the teacher's personality, then the emphasis in securing good teaching should be placed on the selection of those who are to teach, and on the direction and modifi- cation of personality trends during the period of preparation and later during actual teaching service.3 In editorial comment accompanying the Symonds article, Douglas Scates said: . . leading teacher education institutions have been giving increasing attention to the importance of personality factors and have been shifting their emphasis from intellectual courses to developmental experiences.4 Further inquiry in the field of personality is needed. Nevitt Sanford, Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, affirms ". . . the promise ZQuotation marks are used around the personality,and value characteristics wherever they are used in the study to remind the reader they are representative words and not full explanations. Complete descriptions can be found in Appendix A. 3Percival M. Symonds, "Teaching as a Function of Teacher Personality," The Journal of Teacher Education, V (March, 1954), p. 79. 41bid. of research is great. We are approaching territory that is virtually unexplored by the discipline of personality research." He was referring particularly to the exploration of personality development during the college years. The study presented here of personality differences between students grouped according to grade-level preference is but one phase of a larger research now being conducted by the College of Education, Michigan State University, and financed from teacher education research funds granted by the Ford Foundation. The Student Teacher Experimental Program (STEP) has provided extensive data concerning career choice, occupational commitment, and student background from which this study has drawn data. Population of the Study Group I of the STEP research population was composed of eighty-eight students. In the Spring of 1961, they matriculated in the College of Education from six junior and community colleges located in various parts of Michigan. The students had completed approximately 60 semester hours of course work, generally parallel to the freshman and sophomore 5Nevitt Sanford, "Personality Development During the College Years," Personnel and Guidance Journal, XXXV (October, 1956), p. 79. programs at the University, prior to transfer to Michigan State University for the completion of a degree program and teacher certification. Obtaining the Data Prior to their enrollment on campus for summer school 'the study sample was invited to a special admission, orientation, and testing session. This was arranged in the Spring of 1961. The data were collected at that time. The personality characteristics were measured by the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule, and student values were measured by the Allport- Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values test. Each student also com- pleted the Student Personnel Inventory (SPI) which included questions about teaching-grade preference, teaching experiences with children, descriptions of the person's favorite teacher, and general information about the student's home, parents, and community. 1 Personal experiences of the writer in the elementary field provided the motive for investigation. Several hypotheses were developed for the study from an examination of scores of the STEP pilot group. These students entered the program from Grand Rapids and Port Huron in the Summer of 1960. Statement of Hypotheses Hypotheses I through I-D, as a whole, stated that there would be differences in personality traits of elementary edu- cation majors who initially preferred earlyoelementary grades ' and the traits of those who initially preferred later-elementary grades. Hypothesis I-A stated that early-elementary-preference students would manifest "more" need for "Abasement," "Affiliation," "Succorance," and "Nurturance" than would later-e1ementary-preference students. Hypothesis I—B stated that early-elementary-preference students would manifest "less" need for the personality characteristics of "Achievement," "Dominance," and "Aggression" than would the later-elementary—preference students. Hypothesis I-C stated that no difference would be found between the early—elementary—preference students and the later-elementary-preference students on the manifest need for "Deference," "Order," "Exhibition," "Autonomy," "Change," "Endurance," "Intraception,' and "Heterosexuality." Hypothesis I-D predicted that women early—elementary- preference students would have "less tendency toward masculinity" than the women electing lateraelementary grades. Hypothesis II stated that no differences would be found in "Theoretical," "Economic," "Aesthetic," "Social," "Political," and "Religious" value motives between the early— elementary-preference group and the later—e1ementary—preference groups. The hypotheses together provide a structure for the investigation of possible personality and value factors related to the teaching-level decision. The literature on values suggested that little difference would be found, since college students are commonly found to be generally homogeneous in regard to values. Personality research, on the other hand, has indicated a relationship of certain factors to gross teaching-level choice. The hypotheses of the study allow a further testing for relationships of values to teaching- level choices while refining and specifying the knowledge about personality factors in relation to teaching-level choices. Implications of the Findings Should the hypotheses in this study prove to be correct, it is incumbent upon teacher educators to take into account the differences which distinguish early-elementary—preference students from later-elementary—preference students. Curricula, planned experiences, and advisement would be affected. Teacher educators may be able to derive additional meaning from personality tests and personal inventories, discovering ways to make these more helpful in advising students. If personality is a factor in the initial preference of teaching level, information about personality would prove particularly useful in guiding the elementary major in planning experiences that will enlarge his personal horizons and assist him in understanding himself. Since grade—level preferences are also a factor in teacher assignment or reassignment, elementary principals and supervisors might well benefit from knowledge gained about personality differences characteristic of those who hold particular grade—level preferences. Organization of the Study Chapter I has attempted to'develop a brief rationale for the study, to introduce the study design, and to describe the study population. In Chapter II the literature relating to the study will be reviewed. Chapter III will describe more fully the development, the scope and the limitations of the study. Chapter IV will present and analyze the data. Chapter V contains an interpretation of the data and impli- cations for teacher education. CHAPTER TWO REVIEW OF LITERATURE The purpose of this chapter is to review the literature relating to occupational choice in teaching. Included in this review will be several studies dealing with specific factors of personality, value, and personal background contri- buting to career preference. A career preference may be studied according to its internal and external aspects. Internally the career reflects the individual's picture of his life, involving whatever commitment to goals he may have developed, his understanding of his relations to various social institutions, his values, and his needs. Externally the same career encompasses the succession of roles that the individual plays during his life. Since the roles are interwoven within some institutional matrix (the family, the school, the factory, or the office), the career may be viewed as the means by which individual -and collective lives are articulated.l lEgon Guba, Phillip Jackson, Charles.Bidwe11, "Occupational Choice and the Teaching Career,” Educational Research Bulletin, XXXVIII, No. 1 (January 14, 1959), p. l. 10 Career choice presents a problem to the individual. He must develop some commitment to one career. His commit- ment will provide a goal toward which he strives. Theories of Career Choice An investigation of the literature leads to examination of the general theory of occupational choice. Although not primarily a study of career choice, the study is concerned with certain factors and characteristics commonly considered influential in career decision. Among recent studies dealing with career choices are those by William Knight3 and Robert Kittredge.4 These studies offer a comprehensive treatment concerning the general theory of occupational choice. It is relevant at this point to list the generalizations about factors influencing career choice formulated by Donald Super and contained in Vocational Interest Measurement: Theory and Practice by John Darley and Theda Hagenah. 21bid. 3William Knight, "Factors Associated with Vocational Choices of High School Students of Vocational Agriculture" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1958). 4Robert Kittredge, "Investigation of Differences in Occupational Preferences, Stereotypic Thinking, and Psycho- logical Needs Among Undergraduate Women Students in Selected Curricular Areas" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1960). ll 1. People differ in their abilities, interests, and personalities. 2. Each person is qualified, by Virtue of several characteristics, for a number of occupations. 3. Each of these occupations requires a characteristic pattern of abilities, interests, and personality traits, with tolerances wide enough, however, to allow both some variety of occupations for each individual and some variety of individuals in each occupation. 4. Vocational preferences and competencies, the situations in which people live and work, and hence their self—concepts, change with time and experience (although self—concepts are generally fairly stable from late adolescence until late maturity), making choice and adjustment a continuous process. 5. The process of career choice may be characterized as a series of life stages exemplified by growth, exploration, establishment, maintenance, and decline, and these stages may in turn be subdivided into (a) fantasy, tentative, and realistic, all part of the exploratory stage, (b) the trial and stable phases of the establishment stage. 6. The nature of the career pattern (that is, the occupational level attained and the sequence, frequency and duration of trial and stable jobs) is determined by the individual's parental socio-economic level, mental ability, and personality characteristics, and by the opportunities to which he is exposed. 7. Development through the life stages can be guided, partly by facilitating the process of maturation of abilities and interests and partly by aiding in reality testing and in the development of self-concept. 8. The process of vocational development is essentially that of developing and implementing a self—concept: it is a compromise process in which the self-concept is a pro- duct of the interaction of inherited aptitudes, neural and endocrine make-up, opportunity to play various roles, and evaluation of the extent to which the results of role playing meet with approval of superiors and fellows. 12 9. The process of compromise between individual and social factors, between self-concept and reality, is one of role playing, whether the role is played in fantasy, in the counseling interview, or in real life activities such as school classes, clubs, part-time work and entry jobs. 10. Work satisfactions and life satisfactions depend upon the extent to which the individual finds adequate outlets for his abilities, interests, personality traits and values; they depend upon his establishment in a type of work, a work situation, and a way of life in which he can play the kind of role which his growth and exploratory experiences have led him to consider congenial and appropriate. . . . . 6 Investigation by Ginzberg and assoc1ates postulated a general theory in 1951 which describes occupational choice as a process that takes place over a period of six to ten years or more. Each decision is related to experiences up to that point, the process is irreversible and the choice is inevitably a compromise. This theory has drawn criticism from both Darley and Hagenah as well as Super and Small. Super scores Ginzberg's neglect of research literature and his failure to adequately describe the compromise process. Small found no supporting evidence for the developmental theory: . . . a theory of vocational choice must take account of ego strength. With this factor as nearly constant 5John Darley and Theda Hagenah, Vocational Interest Measurement: Theory and Practice (Minneapolis, Minnesota:" University of Minnesota Press, 1955), pp. 160-61. 6Eli Ginzberg et al., Occuaptional Choice: An Approach to a General Theory (New YOrk: Columbia University Press, 1951), p. 198. 13 as possible rather than an unknown variable, it would be possible to test the relative importance of developmental factors, interests, aptitudes, and family traditions and pressures, environmental opportunities, and the host of other factors recognized as individual determinants but not yet integrated into a sound theory.7 However, Darley and Hagenah feel it is unlikely that we can produce, for some time to come, any complete theory regarding the origin and development of occupational interests. . . 9 An earlier work of Miller and Form suggests that a variety of "career patterns" exists. Later, Tiedeman, in the Harvard Studies in Career Development, indicates that the central focus on research in career development must be on the perceptions a person has of himself in relation to work. Tiedeman points out that most of the studies of vocational choice have consisted of reconstruction of the career process by an outsider. It is his contention that a better predictive system can be developed through the use of a person's reconstruction of his own career process. Thus he contends . . . that the kind, duration, and sequence of educational and vocational choices can be predicted with greater fidelity if a person's perceptions of 7Leonard Small, "A Theory of VOcational Choice - Recent Developments," Vocational Guidance Quarterly, I (Autumn, 1952), pp. 16-17. 8Darley and Hagenah, op. cit., p. 190. 9D. 0. Miller and W. H. Form, Industrial Sociology (New Yerk: Harper and Brothers, 1951), pp. 741-48. 14 himself in relation to work are taken as the organizing theme directing career decisions or their absence.10 Importance of Personality in Teaching Many studies consistently reveal the importance of personality in teaching. In reporting a research, Sister Mary Amatora states, The prominence of personality as the number one quality of the teacher is no longer a disputed topic. 'That the personality of the pupil is influenced by the personality of the teacher is . . . maintained by many educators.ll A treatise by Percival Symonds also concludes . . . that teaching is essentially an expression of personality. The teacher adapts himself to teaching in a manner that is harmonious with his expressions toward life situations in general. Methods and pro- cedures learned during college preparation may influence teaching superficially but they do not determine the nature of the relation of a teacher to his pupils or the basic attitude toward teaching.12 Application of this theory is evident in Lang'sl3 study using the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule with 101 10D. V. Tiedeman and R. P. O'Hara; with assistance of Esther Mathews, Position Choices and Careers:‘ Elements of a Theory (Harvard Studies in Career Development), No. 8 (1958). (Mimeographed.) 11 . n . . . . , Sister Mary Amatora, Similarity in Teachers Personality," Journal of Psychology, XXXVII (January, 1954), pp. 45-50. 2Percival M. Symonds, "Teaching as a Function of Teacher Personality,“ The Journal of Teacher Education, V (March, 1954), pp. 79-83. . 3Gerhard Lang, "Teachers' Motives for Teaching," Clearing House, XXXIII (May, 1959), pp. 542-44. 15 female elementary and eighty-seven female secondary teachers. The secondary women teachers manifested greater need for "Achievement” and less need for "Nurturance" than elementary women teachers. Studies of Personality Differences Further studies concerned with personality differences between teachers and other student occupational groups found insignificant statistical evidence of difference between education, law, medical, journalism, and engineering student personality traits. Blum,l4 for example, used The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality_Inventory (MMPI) in such a comparison. A study by Lough comparing elementary teachers and teachers of music on the MMPI revealed no significant differences. Lough cites a need for additional research on the personality characteristics of prospective teachers. Research by Morey16 revealed many resemblances and 14L. P. Blum, "Comparative Study of Students Preparing for Five Selected Professions Including Teaching," Journal of Experimental Education, XVI (September, 1947), pp. 31-65. 15Orpha M. Lough, "Teachers College Students and the MMPI," Journal of Applied Psychology, XXX, No. 3 (June, 1946), pp. 241-47. l6E. Morey, "Vocational Interests and Personality Characteristics of WOmen Teachers," Australian Journal of Psychology, I (June, 1949), pp. 26-37. 16 few differences between detailed likes and dislikes of American women teachers in the elementary, junior high, and senior high schools. The first group was the most feminine, artistic, and interested in domestic and social affairs; the second was more practical and active, interested in efficient organization and in reform; the third group had greater intellectual and abstract interests and greater desire for independence. Sternbergl7 in testing 270 male students, thirty each in pre-medical, chemistry, economics, English, history, math, music, political science, and psychology with the MMEI, the Kuder Preference Test, and the Allport-Vernon-Lindzey Sgggy of values, found the sharpest differences separating the English and music majors from the chemistry and math majors. The English and music majors were more aesthetically inclined than chemistry and math majors. The frequent inclusion of personality in a discussion of teacher characteristics emphasizes its assumed importance. To date research conducted on teacher personality traits has compared elementary and secondary levels or teachers and other occupational groups. (The work of Sister Mary Amatora l7Carl Sternberg, "Personality Trait Patterns of College Students Majoring in Different Fields," Psychological, Monographs: General and Applied, LXIX, No. 403 (April, 1955), p. 2. 17 is exceptional in that she attempted to measure differences among elementary teachers.) Studies of Value Difference Research in personality traits commonly includes a study of values. Values are considered motives of personality and have been included in Hypothesis II, Chapter I. Hypothesis II stated that no difference would be found in "Theoretical," "Economic," "Aesthetic," "Social," "Political," and "Religious" value motives between the early—e1ementary-preference group and the later-elementary—preference group. In examining the value image of American college students it is found to be . . . . remarkably homogeneous, considering the variety of their social, economic, ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds, and the relatively unrestricted opportunities they have had for freedom of thought and personal development.18 Jacob further states that the American student is gloriously contented with the present, assured that his destiny rests within his control, and he is unabashedly self-centered. He aspires to material gratifications for himself and his family. He looks out for himself and expects others to do likewise. The traditional values of sincerity, honesty, l . . . . ' 8Philip E. Jacob, Changing Values in College (New Haven, Connecticut: Hazen Foundation, 1956), p. 3. l8 loyalty, are respected, but there is no inclination to censure those who depart from the group norm in practice. He expresses a normal need for religion, but this does not carry over into his secular decisions. Jacob states, There is a dutiful response to government without an expression of enthusiasm. Vocational preparation, and skill and experience in social adjustment head the rewards which students crave from higher education.19 As Jacob's description fits seventy—five to eighty percent of the American students, it is possible these students are forerunners of a major cultural and ethical revolution. Self—interest, social acceptance, friendship, and moral principles are their values in that order. In another overview of the American college student Rose Goldsen has written, American students, it is clear, are primarily family— centered: for their career takes second place, but they see work and career to mean much more than a way to earn a living.20 Rosenberg believes something quite different to be true, Whatever the individual's particular hierarchy of values - whether he be chiefly concerned with making money, or using his talents, or having good interpersonal relations, or having freedom or adventure - he believes that he can satisfy it in some kind of work. Unlike a caste society, in which the indivi- dual's occupation is marked out at birth, the American occupational structure provides a good opportunity for lgIbid. 20Rose Goldsen et al., What College Students Think (Princeton, New Jersey: D. Van Nostrand Co., 1960), p. 23. 19 the individual to find that occupation which suits his special values and needs.21 Rosenberg also found when scaling values held by eighteen different occupational groups that students selecting teaching as a career ranked eighth in self-expression values, third in people-oriented values, third in faith-in-people values, and seventeenth in extrinsic-reward values among the various occupational groups. In a study of 256 freshman-sophomore students at Ohio State University, Dilley found that teacher education sophomores had a "desire for contacts with children and adolescents and secondly, a desire for the opportunity to help other people."23 These were the only distinguishing personal values character- istic of teacher education students. Richard Centers found that the higher occupational groups characteristically and consistently manifest a preference for situations providing opportunities for self-expression, leadership, and interesting experiences. The lower occupa— tional groups strongly emphasize their craving for security lMorris Rosenberg, Occupations and Values (Glencoe, Illinois: Free Press, 1957), Chap. xx, p. 126. 221bid., Chap. ii, iii. 23N. E. Dilley, "Personal Values Held by College Students Who Enter Teacher Education Programs,“ Journal Teacher Education, VII (September, 1957), PP. 289-94. 20 and a desire for independence, autonomy, or freedom. Centers states that these differences are distinct for the various occupational strata.2 The literature reveals few studies that treat value differences within an occupational field. Most studies compare different career fields preparing students for assorted occupations. There is support for Jacob's contention that American college students have a "remarkably homogeneous" value image. Related to personality and value factors is a consideration of individual background experiences as they influence his career choice. Value beliefs and attitudes are given considerable attention in the literature dealing ‘with the subject. Studies of Teaching Career Motivations In an intensive study of twenty highly selected 26 . . elementary women teachers, Gowan used interViews and tests: 4Richard Centers, "Motivational Aspects of Occupational Stratification," Joupnal of Social Psychology, XXVIII (November, 1948), pp. 187-217. 25Jacobs, op. cit., p. 3. 26J. C. Gowan, "A Summary of the Intensive Study of Twenty Highly Selected Elementary Women Teachers," Journal of Experimental Education, XXVI (December, 1957), pp. 115-24. 21 the Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Scale, the California Psychological Inventory, the Study of Values, and the Kuder Preference Test. The twenty were selected from an original sample of 300 involved in David Ryans'27 work. Half of Gowan's group were church members. Twelve of the twenty had positive father identification and eleven admitted a "tom-boy" stage. Fourteen were active group members when younger. Scholastically, twelve had superior academic records, five had average records, and three were below average. Thirteen thought themselves more scholarly in high school. Strong teaching traditions were found in eleven of the group, although only nine had any early teaching-type experience. There seemed to be little relationship between experience and present effectiveness. Gowan's report also shows that the group evidenced better personal relations, emotional stability, lower clerical or computational skills and were less aesthetic than other groups. Orientation toward money and power was lacking. Distinct personality and interest differences were noticeable. Members of the group demonstrated a love for children as well as a degree of permissiveness. 27David G. Ryans, Characteristics of Teachers (Washington, D. C.: American Council on Education, 1960). 22 Birkinshaw,28 in a study of 583 teachers in England, found that happy teachers tended to have a happy home environ- ment in childhood. They also enjoyed their school life. Extroversion and an interest in other people, a good sense of humor, good health, and a certain ability to adapt and to organize were reported. Patience and the ability to face endless tasks with little return were attributes of the group. In Best's study29 of reasons for teaching, which included 214 senior men and women at the University of Wisconsin preparing to teach in Wisconsin secondary schools, a large percentage of the group had close association with teaching and the life of the teacher. Seventy-eight percent of these students stated that close friends or relatives were teachers, While thirty-six percent were children of teachers. Sixty percent of the students indicated a personal ideal that influenced their life plans. First in frequency was a senior— high-school teacher, and second a college teacher. Seventy- five percent said they had been advised that they were potentially good teachers. This group also reported tryout 28M. Birkinshaw, The Successful Teacher (London: Hogarth Press, 1935). 29John W. Best, "A Study of Certain Selected Factors Underlying the Choice of Teaching as a Profession," Journal of Experimental Education, XVII (September, 1948), pp. 201-59. 23 experiences in teaching. Only fifty percent of the men and twenty-five percent of the women had discussed career plans with a faculty member. The Best group ranked teaching second to medicine in value to society. In answer to the question, "Why did you choose teaching as a career?," a frequency rank order was established: a genuine interest in children, an opportunity to work in the field of major interest, life opportunity to learn, desire to work with people rather than things, security, and service to society. Based on preceding studies,happy childhood, good home environment, and early experiences with children and young people in situations similar to teaching, exist as common background elements for students electing a teaching career. A degree of extroversion, interests in other people, and family backgrounds in teaching were manifest. 31 Other studies of interest were those by Mildred Hoyt and Byron Nelson.32 Hoyt, in a study of factors that influence 30Ibid., p. 226. 31 . . . Mildred D. Hoyt, "Factors Which Influence Pre-SerVice Teachers' Choices of Elementary or Secondary Division," (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Stanford University, 1955). 2Byron B. Nelson, "The Reasons for Choice of Teaching Level by Prospective Teachers," (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, George Peabody College for Teachers, 1952). 24 pre-service teachers' level choices, found that social prestige and social contacts were minor factors. Desire to teach children of specific age levels was primal, followed by democracy, guidance, social contribution, and job satisfaction.33 Nelson's study involving 9,340 education seniors supports Hoyt's study. Nelson further indicated that previous experience with children is a major factor in choosing elementary teaching.34 Summary In summary, the study of differences between people choosing early and later elementary teaching leads to articles and books dealing with the following topics: elementary teachers, general theories of occupational choice, differences in personality occurring between occupational groups, differences in value preferences of various occupational groups, character- istics of teachers, and teacher efficiency. Writers who have formulated general theories of occupational choice agree that no one factor is the sole determinant; multiple factors influence career preference. They also agree that an individual develops a career choice 33H0yt, pp;_gip., pp. 133-38. 34Nelson, op. cit. 25 in stages as maturation is achieved. Furthermore, it is commonly held that final career choice stems from compromise and personal identification of self; including traits of personality, value preferences, consideration of past experiences, and clarification of life goals and individual needs. One study was located that directly compared the personality differences of elementary teachers. Sister Mary Amatora35 found slight differences in traits where teachers rated each other using a non-standardized personality instrument. In general, the literature reveals several studies reporting personality and value differences occurring between various occupational groups. Few studies focus directly upon differences within an occupational field. No studies dealing specifically with one position level within a career field were discovered. 5Sister Mary Amatora, op. cit. CHAPTER THREE PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT, THE SCOPE, AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY Interest in studying certain personality differences among elementary teaching majors developed from nine years' administrative experience in the elementary schools of Michigan, and from participation in the Student Teacher Experimental Program at Michigan State University. Rationale for the Study Traits of personality influence a teacher's grade— level preference. There is some agreement among elementary principals that certain qualities are often found in an individual that best equip him for early or later elementary teaching levels. Abundance of patience, "mother love," and understanding are often used to identify the early- elementary teacher.' The school administrator is continually confronted with the responsibility of assigning new staff members or reassigning experienced individuals to accommodate changes in enrollment. Teachers are asked to move up one grade with 26 27 the children, to take an altogether different grade level, or to accept a combination of grades as the administrator deems necessary. A teacher may refuse reaSsignment, preferring to work with a specific age.level; such resistance may arise from interest in the subject content of a particular grade level, or from the teacher's more appropriate preparation for a specific grade level. The dilemma of teacher grade assignment prompts this study of personality differences in persons stating specific level preferences. Basis for Hypotheses Several hypotheses formulated from professional experience were given direction from an examination of the . . . .1 . thirty—eight cases of the STEP pilot group uSing scores from the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule and data from the Student Personnel Inventory. Hypothesis I stated that there would be differences \ The Student Teacher Experimental Program, a research in teacher education, incorporated instrumentation that facili- tated data collection for this study. The pilot group of thirty-eight students entered the STEP program in the summer of 1960, from the Grand Rapids and Port Huron Centers. The STEP research has established that the off-campus students, as a whole, were less advantaged "socio-economically" than the thirty-three students from the campus. The fathers of over half the off-campus students had not completed high school: the students frequently were the eldest in the family and were native to Michigan. ' 28 in personality traits of elementary education majors who initially preferred early-elementary grades and the traits of those Who initially preferred later—elementary grades. Hypothesis I-A stated that early-e1ementary—preference students would manifest "more" need for "Abasement," I "Affiliation," "Succorance,' and "Nurturance" than would later-e1ementary—preference students. These characteristics were measured on the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule. Examination of pilot group scores supported this statement. The eighty-eight students of Group I in the study offered an opportunity to test statistically the direction. Hypothesis I-B stated that early-elementary-preference students would manifest "less" need for the personality characteristics of "Achievement,' "Dominance,' and "Aggression' than would later-elementary-preference students. The direction for this hypothesis was based on the pilot group scores as well as professional observations. Hypothesis I-C stated that no differences would be found between the early-e1ementary-preference students and later-elementary-preference students on the manifest need for "Deference," "Order," "Exhibition," "Autonomy,' "Change," ”Endurance," "Intraception," and "Heterosexuality." Hypothesis I-D predicted that women early—elementary— preference students would have "less tendency toward 29 masculinity" than the women electing later elementary grades. The tendency was determined by measuring deviation of individual women's scores for twelve Edwards characteristics from the grand mean for men and women of the Edwards normative group. A more detailed explanation oftflmaindex developed will accompany the presentation of Hypothesis I-D in Chapter IV. Hypothesis II stated that no differences would be found in "Theoretical," "Economic," "Aesthetic," "Social," "Political," and "Religious" value motives between the early- elementary-preference group and the later-elementary-preference group. The direction for value differences stemmed from an acquaintance with literature reporting the generally homogeneous nature of the American college population. The study is based upon eighty-eight students, or the total number of students comprising Group I of the STEP program. Thirteen students were from the Alpena Center, ten from Battle Creek, sixteen from Bay City, twenty-four from Grand Rapids, twelve from Port Huron, and thirteen were from the South Macomb Center. The STEP students were invited to the East Lansing campus of Michigan State University in May of 1961, for a two-day orientation and testing session. Administration of the several instruments necessitated the special testing sessions. 30 Determining Grade-Level Preference Grade preference was determined for each student by including question fifteen in the Student Personnel Inventory. Of the eighty-eight students, forty-three women stated initial preference for early-elementary grades (kindergarden through grade three), twenty-seven women stated initial preference for later-elementary grades (grade four through grade eight), and eighteen men stated initial preference for later-elementary grades. Preference in the study should be regarded as initial; inasmuch as the respondents were completing the sophomore year when tested. Procedure for Data Analysis Analysis of data occurred from January, 1962, through March, 1962. The data werefirst placed on mechanically sorted punched cards. Scores from the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule and six scores from the Study of Values were taken from the processed cards and arranged by groups according to initial teaching-level preference. Three groups of cases existed: forty-three women preferring early elementary, twenty-seven women preferring later elementary and eighteen men preferring later elementary. The data derived from the three groups were tested for significant differences of variance from the total population for each of the twenty-two 31 measures. The "F" test was used for analysis of variance. The three groups in the study population revealed significant variance for sixteen of the measures, warranting further treatment. The groups were then analyzed for differences between group means, using the student "t" test. The homogeneous nature of each group was established for each measure by applying the Cochran Test for homogeneity. Test results for the twenty-two measures revealed that the spread of scores was unusually similar from group to group, with the conclusion that each group was a homogeneous group. The problems of a small sample size forces the researcher to establish careful, specific limits, eliminating chance error. Selection of a particular rejection region is dependent on "practical" aspects of the experiment in question, and circumstances of the effect of a particular level of signi- ficance. The level of significance fixes the relative number of chance outcomes the researcher is willing to interpret ' mistakenly as real effects in the study. The reason five Apercent (.05) was chosen for this study as the amount of error to be allowed was due to the small sample size. The groups were forty-three, twenty-seven, and eighteen. For example, where n equals no more than forty—three, only two errors can be allowed for correct interpretation. 32 The nature of the STEP population demands an explanation of socio—economic background: the father's occupation is generally accepted by sociologists as the most important indicator of an individual's social origin. Four items were utilized in the study to obtain some measure for each student: the father's occupation, the father's formal education, the mother's employment history, and the mother's formal education. Each of the four items has an inner correlation. For example, a "yes" response on whether the mother was employed correlated with the mother's level of education. This correlation matrix was factor analyzed and the first principal factor extracted. A high score indicated higher formal education of the parent. The groups did not differ on this factor. Socio-economic background was excluded as an influencing factor in the study. CHAPTER FOUR PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA Chapter IV features the presentation and analysis of the data. The data are arranged in three types of tables: (1) means and standard deviations for each characteristic for the three groups, (2) the analysis of variance of group means from the study population for each characteristic, (3) a comparison of groups showing the difference in means and the resulting "t" score and its significance. Hypothesis I—A Hypotheses I-A through I-D, as a whole, proposed that there would be differences in the personality traits of elementary education majors who initially preferred early- elementary grades and the traits of those who initially preferred later-elementary grades. Hypothesis I-A specifically predicted that the early-e1ementary-preference student would manifest more need for "Abasement," "Affiliation," "Succorance," and "Nurturance" than would later-elementary- preference students. The direction for the hypothesis was postulated on the basis of a previous examination of 33 34 thirty-eight subjects in the STEP pilot sample. Table 4.1 presents the means and standard deviations of the three groups for the four characteristics. TABLE 4.1 MEANS AND STANDARD DEVIATIONS FOR EDWARDS CHARACTERISTICS OF "ABASEMENT," "AFFILIATION," "SUCCORANCE," AND "NURTURANCE" Early Later Later Elementary Elementary Elementary Variable Women n=43 Women n=27 Men n=18 Abasement Means 18.19 14.81 14.61 S.D. 4.85 5.33 5.43 Affiliation Means 16.91 15.22 13.22 S.D. 3.54 4.48 4.12 Succorance Means 12.51 10.41 9.17 S.D. 4.27 4.92 4.72 Nurturance Means 18.37 14.30 13.33 S.D. 4.48 5.48 3.46 "Abasement" is described in the Edwards' Manual as the quality of feeling guilt, "giving in" instead of fighting, feeling timid in the presence of superiors, or to accept blame when things do not go right. Table 4.2 summarizes the essential components for arriving at an "F" test for each of the characteristics of Hypothesis I-A. For "Abasement" the 35 TABLE 4.2 THE ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE OF GROUP MEANS FOR EDWARDS CHARACTERISTICS OF "ABASEMENT," "AFFILIATION,'I "SUCCORANCE," AND "NURTURANCE" Source of Sum of Mean Variation Squares d.f. Squares "F" Probability Between Groups Abasement 263.56 2 131.78 4.91 > .01 Affiliation 179.47 2 89.74 5.72 > .01 Succorance 164.83 2 82.42 3.95 > .05 Nurturance 447.18 2 223.59 10.40 > .01 Within Groups Abasement 2279.88 85 26.82 Affiliation 1334.89 85 15.70 Succorance 1772.18 85 20.85 Nurturance 1826.09 85 21.48 Total Abasement 2543.44 87 Affiliation 1514.36 87 Succorance 1937.10 87 Nurturance 2273.27 87 "F" statistic obtained is one which would have occurred less than l-in-lOO times if only chance explained the difference in the three means compared. The "t" scores are significant to the .01 level for the differences between women groups and the later-elementary men and the early-elementary women. No significant difference was found between the later-elementary 'women and men on "Abasement." Both the women and men preferring the later-elementary grades exhibited less need for "Abasement" than did the early-elementary women, but the later-elementary 36 men and women did not differ from each other. With respect to "Abasement," therefore, Hypothesis I-A was confirmed. On "Affiliation” fiefined as being loyal to friends, participation in friendly groups, and in sharing things with friends)the relationship among the three groups was identical as with that for "Abasement." The obtained "F" indicates that the three groups represent different populations. As with "Abasement," the later-elementary men and women showed significantly less "affiliative" need than did the early- elementary women, but did not differ significantly between themselves. Here again, the Hypothesis I-A was sustained. Table 4.3 shows the "t" to be significant at the .05 level for the difference between early—elementary women and later- elementary women, and for the difference between men and early-elementary women at the .01 level. Table 4.2 shows the "F" to be significant at the .01 level for this trait. "Succorance," khe need to have others provide help when in trouble, to have others be kindly, to have others be sympathetic and understanding about personal problems)was also found to be more characteristic of the early-elementary preference group. Table 4.2 shows the "F" test for the means of Table 4.1. Here again, it is possible to conclude that the three groups are samples from different populations. As can 37 TABLE 4.3 COMPARISON OF GROUP MEANS FOR EDWARDS CHARACTERISTICS OF "ABASEMENT," "AFFILIATION," "SUCCORANCE," AND "NURTURANCE" Early Elementary Women (Xl)- Difference "t" Later Elementary Women (X2) in Xl-X2 Abasement +2.98 +2.83 ** Affiliation +1.69 +1.67 *' Succorance +2.10 +1.83 * Nurturance +4.07 +3.26 ** Later Elementary Women (X1)- Later Elementary Men (X2) Abasement + .20 + .12 n.s. Affiliation +2.00 +1.55 n.s. Succorance +1.24 + .85 n.s. Nurturance + .97 + .73 n.s. Early Elementary Women (X1)- Later Elementary Men (X2) Abasement +3.58 +2.44 ** Affiliation +3.69 +3.32 ** Succorance +3.34 +2.59 ** Nurturance +5.04 +4.73 ** *Denotes .05 level of significance. **Denotes .01 level of significance. n.s.Denotes no significance. For Hypotheses I-A, I-B, and I-D a one-tailed test was used for the student "t." be seen in Table 4.3 the direction of the differences in "Succorance" is consistent with that found for "Abasement" and "Affiliation." Once again Hypothesis I-A was supported. 38 Higher "Nurturance" scores (the need to help Others in trouble, to treat others with kindness, to be generous with others, to sympathize with others, to show outward affection) were also found to be a characteristic of those preferring the earlyoelementary grades. Table 4.1 shows an "F" of 10.4 for the three "Nurturance" means which is significant at the .01 level when the three pairs of means were compared. It was found that the later-e1ementary-preference men and women exhibited a lesser need for "Nurturance" than early—elementary women, but the later-e1ementary-preference men and women did not differ from each other. In summary, on all four measures Hypothesis I-A was .confirmed. It can be said that those students with an initial preference for the early-elementary grades manifested more need for "Abasement," "Affiliation," "Succorance," and "Nurturance" than did those choosing the later-elementary- teaching levels. On all four measures the later—elementary women also exhibited a greater need for the cited factors than did the men, but considering the small number of students studied these differences could not be said to be reliable. Hypothesis I—B Hypothesis I—B stated that early-elementary—preference students would manifest "less" need for "Achievement," 39 "Dominance, and "Aggression." The direction specified in this hypothesis was also based upon prior examination of the thirty-eight cases of the pilot group. Table 4.4 presents the means and standard deviations for the three groups measured on these three characteristics. As can be seen by the "F's" reported in Table 4.5,it was possible to reject in each case the hypothesis that each set of three means constituted random samples from the same population and to justify a further test of the differences between all possible pairs of means on each measure. TABLE 4.4 MEANS AND STANDARD DEVIATIONS FOR EDWARDS CHARACTERISTICS OF "ACHIEVEMENT," "DOMINANCE," AND "AGGRESSION" Early Later Later Elementary Elementary Elementary Variable Women n=43 Women n=27 Men n=18 Achievement Means 11.54 14.52 14.33 S.D. 3.43 4.75 4.65 Dominance Means 11.54 13.00 16.67 S.D. 4.54 4.27 3.91 Aggression Means 7.91 10.44 12.00 S.D. 3.99 3.53 4.78 40 TABLE 4.5 THE ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE OF GROUP MEANS FOR EDWARDS CHARACTERISTICS OF "ACHIEVEMENT," "DOMINANCE," AND "AGGRESSION" Source of Sum of Mean Variation Squares d.f. Squares "F" Probability Between Groups Achievement 185.88 2 92.94 5.34 > .01 Dominance 270.93 2 135.47 6.93 > .01 Aggression 244.92 _ 2 122.46 7.46 > .01 Within Groups Achievement 1478.12 85 17.39 Dominance 1661.97 85 19.55 Aggression 1395.04 85 16.41 Total Achievement 1664.00 87 Dominance 1932.90 87 Aggression 1639.96 87 Table 4.6 examines these group comparisons. “Achieve- ment," as described by Edwards, is to do one's best, to be successful, to accomplish tasks requiring skill and effort, and to solve problems. On "Achievement" both the men and women with a preference for later-elementary grades exhibited a greater need for "Achievement" than did the women choosing early elementary, but the two later-elementary groups did not differ significantly. It can be concluded that Hypothesis I-B was supported. The Characteristic of "Aggression" (to attack contrary points of view, to tell others what one thinks about them, to TABLE 4.6 41 COMPARISON OF GROUP MEANS FOR EDWARDS CHARACTERISTICS OF "ACHIEVEMENTE" "DOMINANCE," AND "AGGRESSION" Early Elementary WCmen (X1)- Difference Later Elementary Women (X2) in Xl-X2 "t" Achievement -2.98 -2.83 ** Dominance -1.46 -l.36 n.s. Aggression -2.53 -8.75 ** Later Elementary WCmen (X1)- Later Elementary Men (X2) Achievement + .19 + .13 n.s. Dominance -3.67 -2.96 ** Aggression -1.66 -l.l9 n.s. Early Elementary Women (X1)- Later Elementary Men (X2) Achievement -2.79 -2.30 * Dominance -5.13 -4.46 ** Aggression -4.09 -3.19 ** *Denotes .05 level of significance **Denotes .01 level of significance n.s.Denotes no significance criticize others publicly, to get revenge for insults),was found to be more manifest for both the men and women with a preference for later—elementary grades than for the women preferring early-elementary grades. The later-elementary- preference group of men did not differ significantly from the 1ater-elementary-preference group of women. that Hypothesis I-B was supported for the characteristic "Aggression." It was concluded 42 "Dominance" is defined as arguing one's point of view, desiring the leadership of groups and the like. On "Dominance" the means for both groups of women were less than the mean for men, and reliably so. The mean for the later-elementary- preference women was in the direction predicted by the hypo- thesis, but for the samples of this study it was not possible to conclude that the difference was statistically significant. With respect to this part of the Hypothesis I-B, therefore, the original prediction was not warranted. In summary, Hypothesis I-B was only partially supported. "Achievement" and "Aggression" were manifested to a greater degree by the later-e1ementary-preference groups than the early-elementary initial preferences. The hypothesis was not supported with reference to "Dominance." Hypothesis I-C Hypothesis I-C stated that no differences would be found between early-e1ementary-preference students and later- elementary-preference students on the manifest need for "Deference," "Order," "Exhibition," "Autonomy," "Change," "Endurance,' "Intraception,' and "Heterosexuality."l The lack of a directional hypothesis for these Edwards lComplete description of the Edwards characteristics can be found in Appendix A. 43 characteristics followed from the examination of the STEP pilot sample. The means and standard deviations for the three groups on the above characteristics are shown in Table 4.7. TABLE 4.7 MEANS AND STANDARD DEVIATIONS FOR EDWARDS CHARACTERISTICS OF "DEFERENCE," "ORDER," "EXHIBITION," "AUTONOMY," "CHANGE," "ENDURANCE," "INTRACEPTION," AND "HETEROSEXUALITY" Early Later Later Elementary Elementary Elementary Variable Women n=43 Women n=27 Men n=18 Deference * ' Means 14.84 13.59 13.17 . S.D. 3.36 4.25 2.66 Order Means 10.12 14.26 11.00 S.D. 8.30 9.07 5.50 Exhibition Means 13.12 15.26 15.00 S.D. 3.86 4.57 2.35 Autonomy Means 9.84 10.96 14.44 S.D. 4.11 4.30 5.02 Change Means 18.23 18.56 15.39 S.D. 3.72 3.79 4.89 Endurance Means 14.74 14.67 12.56 S.D. 5.12 5.21 6.14 Intraception Means 19.12 18.81 19.56 S.D. 3.65 4.15 3.79 Heterosexuality Means 10.72 12.81 16.33 S.D. 5.80 5.94 6.65 44 The variance of the three means for each of the eight measures was analyzed with results summarized in Table 4.8 It can.be seen that the hypothesis of no difference was sustained only for the three measures of "Deference," "Intraception," and "Endurance." It is important to note that the means of these were generally among the highest made on the fifteen Edwards characteristics. These measures would appear to be distinguishing marks of those going into elementary teaching whatever the grade level initially preferred. On the remaining five characteristics the obtained "F's" warranted further analysis of the different group means. These comparisons are given as Table 4.9. On "Order," (to have written work neat and organized, to make plans before starting on a difficult task, to have things organized) the later-elementary women had a higher manifest need than early-elementary women. The difference in women's means was -4.14. The "t" is not significant but approached .05.2 The later-elementary groups did not differ significantly on the measure "Order." For the characteristic “Exhibition" (to say witty and clever things, to have others notice and comment upon one's 2For Hypothesis I— C and HypotheSis II a two-tailed test was used for the student "t". TABLE 4.8 45 THE ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE OF GROUP MEANS FOR EDWARDS CHARACTERISTICS OF "EXHIBITION," "AUTONOMY," "CHANGE," "DEFERENCE," ll ORDER, ll "ENDURANCE," "INTRACEPTION," AND "HETEROSEXUALITY" Sum of Mean Source of Variation Squares d.f Squares "F" Probability Between Groups Deference 46.11 2 23.06 1.84 n.s. Order 291.63 2 145.82 7.99 > .01 Exhibition 91.81 2 45.90 3.08 > .05 Autonomy 269.44 2 124.72 7.08 > .01 Change 130.22 2 65.11 4.07 > .05 Endurance 65.38 2 32.70 1.13 n.s. Intraception 6.08 2 3.04 .2 n.s. Heterosexuality 402.81 2 201.40 '5.56 > .01 Within Groups Deference 1062.76 85 12.50 Order 1549.97 85 18.23 Exhibition 1265.97 85 14.89 Autonomy 1618.18 85 19.04 Change 1356.28 85 15.96 Endurance 2450.07 85 28.82 Intraception 1250.78 85 14.72 Heterosexuality 3081.18 85 36.25 Total Deference 1108.87 87 Order 1841.60 87 Exhibition 1357.78 87 Autonomy 1887.62 87 Change 1486.50 87 Endurance 2515.45 87 Intraception 1256.86 87 Heterosexuality 3483.99 87 appearance, to ask questions others cannot answer) both of the later-elementary groups had higher elementary needs than the 46 TABLE 4.9 COMPARISON OF GROUP MEANS FOR EDWARDS CHARACTERISTICS "ORDER," "EXHIBITION," "AUTONOMY," "CHANGE," AND "HETEROSEXUALITY" Early Elementary Women (X )- Difference Later Elementary Women (X2) in Xl-X2 "t" Order —4.14 -1.91 n.s. Exhibition -2.14 -2.04 * Autonomy -1.12 -l.08 n.s. Change - .33 -l.14 n.s. Heterosexuality -2.09 -1.45 n.s. Later Elementary Women (X )- Later Elementary Men (X2) Order +3.26 +1.50 n.s. Exhibition + .26 + .25 n.s. Autonomy -3.48 -2.40 * Change +3.17 +2.33 * Heterosexuality -3.52 -1.81 n.s. Early Elementary women (X1)- Later Elementary Men (X2) Order - .88 - .49 n.s. Exhibition -l.88 -7.37 ** Autonomy -4.60 -3.43 ** Change +2.84 +2.22 * Heterosexuality -5.61 -3.12 ** *Denotes .05 level of significance **Denotes .01 level of significance n.s.Denotes no significance early-elementary-preference group. The later-elementary- preference groups did not differ significantly. The "t" is significant at the .05 level for the difference between 47 women and at the .01 level between men and early—elementary women. "Autonomy? (to avoid responsibilities, to come and go as desired, to be independent of others in making decisions) revealed a marked difference between men and women. The "t" is not significant for the difference between the groups of women. The "t" was significant at the .05 level for the later- elementary-preference groups, and at the .01 level for the difference between later-preference men and early-preference women. "Change" (to do new and different things, to try new and different jobs, to participate in new fads and fashions) showed a significant difference between men and women. The "t" is significant at the .05 level for the difference between men and each of the groups of women. The groups of women did not differ from each other on either characteristic. The characteristic "Heterosexuality" (the need for social activities with the opposite sex, to be in love with someone of the opposite sex, to participate in discussions about sex) was manifest more by later-e1ementary-preference men than by women preferring early elementary. The "t" 'was significant at the .01 level. The groups of women did not differ from one another nor did the two later-elementary- preference groups differ. 48 In summary, Hypothesis I-C must be rejected because differences were found for five characteristics. The women differed on "Exhibition" and the men differed from early- elementary women on this measure. The later-elementary groups differed on "Automony" and "Change." The later—elementary men differed from the early-elementary women on the latter two measures as well as "Heterosexuality." Hypothesis I-D Hypothesis I-D stated that women initially choosing early-elementary grades would have "less tendency toward masculinity" than would the women choosing later-elementary grades. A masculinity-feminity index was developed in the following manner. The college norms for the Edwards battery report significant sex differences on twelve of the fifteen measures (all but "Order,' "Endurance,' and "Exhibition"). These norms are based on the responses of 749 women and 760 men. For every measure of each indiVidual in the study the deviation of the actual score from the grand mean for men and women in the normative sample was calculated. Each deviation score on a given test was corrected to take account of the spread of scores on that test. The resulting score was then weighted by multiplying Edwards' estimate of the reliability 49 coefficient for that measure so as to give greater weight in the index to the measures with greatest reliability. The sign of the corrected deviation score was changed where necessary so that the higher score on any measure the greater the "masculinity." Each individual's twelve scores were then summed to arrive at the individual's M-F (Male-Female) score. It should be noted that this index allows a kind of summary of the data already reported in some detail in Hypotheses I-A, I-8, and I-C and does not deal with a new source of data. These M-F scores were analyzed in a manner similar to the previous analysis of the individual Edwards scores. The means and standard deviations are shown in Table 4.10. The obtained "F" in Table 4.11 indicates that the three groups represent different populations. Each group differed signi- ficantly from the other at the .01 level for the student "t" test shown on Table 4.12 TABLE 4.10 MEANS AND STANDARD DEVIATIONS FOR DERIVED EDWARDS MALE-FEMALE INDEX Early Later Later Elementary Elementary Elementary Variable Women n-43 Women n=27 Men n=18 Male-Female ~ Means 14.02 17.88 20.92 S.D. 3.13 3.11 3.93 50 TABLE 4.11 THE ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE OF GROUP MEANS FOR DERIVED EDWARDS MALE-FEMALE INDEX Source of Sum of Mean Variation Squares d.f. .Squares "F" ”.Probability Between Groups 666.43 2 333.22 29.51 > .01 Within Grogpg 959.83 85 11.29 Tppal 1626.26 87 TABLE 4.12 COMPARISON OF GROUP MEANS FOR EDWARDS MALE-FEMALE INDEX Early Elementary WCmen (X )- Difference . Later Elementary Women (X2) in Xl-X2 "t" Male-Female -3.86 -5.04 ** Later Elementary Women (X )- Later Elementary an (XS) 2 Male-Female -3.04 -3.04 ** Early Elementary Women (X )- Later Elementary Men (X2) Male-Female -6.90 -7.40 ** **Denotes .01 level of significance. In summary, Hypothesis I-D was sustained at a signi- ficant level. The data reveals that the early-elemetary- preference women tend to be characterized by feminity more 51 than do the later-elementary-preference women. Hypothesis II The next hypothesis in the study was concerned with values. The Study of Values by Allport, Vernon, and Lindzey is an instrument aiming to measure the relative prominence of six basic interests or motives in personality; the "Theoretical," "Economic,” "Aesthetic," "Social," "Political," and "Religious." The scale is designed primarily for use with college students, or with adults who have had some college work. The test consists of a number of questions based upon a variety of familiar situations to which two alternative answers in Part I and four alternative answers in Part II are provided; 120 items in all, twenty of which refer to each of the six values described in Appendix A. Hypothesis II stated that no difference would be found in "Theoretical,' "Economic," "Aesthetic," "Social," "Political," and "Religious" value motives among those students stating different level preferences. The means and standard deviations for the three groups on The Study of values are presented in Table 4.13. The variance of the three means for each of the six 9 measures was analyzed; results are summarized in Table 4.14 It can be seen there that the hypothesis of no difference was 52 TABLE 4.13 MEANS AND STANDARD DEVIATIONS FOR ALLPORT, VERNON, LINDZEY MEASURES OF "THEORETICAL," "ECONOMIC," "AESTHETIC," "SOCIAL," "POLITICAL," AND "RELIGIOUS" VALUE MOTIVES Early Later Later Elementary Elementary Elementary Variable Women n=43 Women n=27 Men n=18 Theoretical Means 37.83 39.81 40.11 S.D. 5.77 6.33 6.79 Economic Means 37.40 35.41 41.11 S.D. 7.08 8.03 6.94 Aesthetic Means 40.30 43.07 34.44 S.D. 6.76 8.59 5.65 Social Means 41.56 39.93 37.44 S.D. 6.34 7.13 7.33 Political Means 36.79 37.22 43.39 S.D. 6.78 7.69 5.28 Religious Means 46.16 44.41 42.89 S.D. 8.81 7.44 6.22 sustained only for the three measures of "Theoretical," "Social,' and "Religious" values. On the remaining three characteristics the obtained "F's" allowed further analysis of the different group means. The measure of economic motives is explained by the manual for 53 TABLE 4.14 THE ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE OF GROUP MEANS FOR ALLPORT, VERNON, "ECONOMIC," LINDZEY'MEASURES OF "AESTHETIC," "THEORETICAL," "SOCIAL," "POLITICAL," AND "RELIGIOUS" VALUE MOTIVES Source of Sum of Mean Variation Squares d.f. Squares "F" Probability Between Groups Theoretical 98.10 2 49.05 1.29 n.s. Economic 352.69 2 176.35 3.42 > .05 Aesthetic 1035.80 2 517.35 10.57 > .01 Social 218.38 2 109.19 2.37 n.s. Political 595.65 2 297.83 6.42 > .01 Religious 146.97 2 73.49 1.09 n.s. Within Groups Theoretical 3223.17 85 37.91 Economic 4385.13 85 51.59 Aesthetic 4164.02 85 48.99 Social 3922.52 85 46.14 Political 3945.80 85 46.42 Religious 5704.85 85 67.12 Total Theoretical 3321.27 87 Economic 4737.82 87 Aesthetic 5199.90 87 Social 4140.90 87 Political 4541.45 87 Religious 5851.82 87 the Sppdy of Values as interest in what is useful. A person with a high "Economic" score is thoroughly practical and is likely to confuse luxury with beauty. Table 4.15 shows no significant difference in the means for the two groups of women, 54 but the difference between later-elementary-preference men and later-elementary-preference women was -5.71, at the .05 level for the "t" test. The men in this study did not differ significantly from the early-elementary- preference women. TABLE 4.15 COMPARISON OF GROUP MEANS FOR.ALLPORT, LINDZEY "ECONOMIC," "AESTHETIC," AND "POLITICAL" VALUE MOTIVES VERNON, significant Early Elementary Women (Xi)- Difference Later Elementary Women (X2) in Xl-X2 "t" Economic +1.99 +1.05 n.s. Aesthetic -2.77 -l.42 n.s. Political - .57 - .25 n.s. Later Elementary WCmen (Xi)- Later Elementary Men (X2) Economic -5.70 -2.53 * Aesthetic +8.63 +4.06 ** Political -6.17 -3.19 ** Early Elementary Women (X )- Later Elementary Men (Xi) Economic -3.71 -1.89 n.s. Aesthetic +5.86 +3.48 ** Political -6.60 —4.08 ** *Denotes .05 level of significance. **Denotes .01 level of significance. n.s.Denotes no significance. 55 On the "aesthetic" value measure (seeing high value in form and harmony), the groups of women did not differ from each other, but they each significantly differed from men at the .01 level for "t." The women as a whole made higher scores than did the men. The interest in power, as revealed in the "Political" measure, found men significantly higher than women. The "t" found on Table 4.15 is significant at the .01 level. The groups of women were not significantly different. In summary, Hypothesis II was supported; no differences were found between the grade-level-preference groups for any of the six value measures. Women scored higher on the "Aesthetic" measure and men higher on "Economic" and "Political" measures. The sex differences for all six measures 'were similar in direction to the norms for college students. CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Chapter V is organized in three sections. First is a series of descriptions of the study population in terms of common characteristics, differences between men and women, and differences between early-elementary-preference students and, later-elementary-preference students. These descriptions of common characteristics and differences summarize the data from Chapter IV, establishing a base from which to draw implications. The second section of the chapter cites two feasible alternative assumptions utilized in the development of particular implications from the data. A series of profession- ally useful implications related to each of the assumptions is presented. Selection among the sets of implications must be made in terms of greater applicability of one of the alternative assumptions to the educational problem to which the reader is relating the findings of this study. The final section is a recapitulation of the plan, procedure, and conclusions of the study. 56 57 Common Characteristics: All Groups The study has established that common distinguishing personality characteristics of those going into elementary teaching, regardless of the level preferred, are the desire to follow leadership, the tendency to take suggestions from others, the inclination to conform to custom, the capability of understanding how others feel about problems, and the tendency to keep at a job until it is finished. This general— ized description was similarly applicable to all three groups. Differences: Men-WCmen The Allport, Vernon, Lindzey Study of Values revealed no statistically significant differences with relation to teaching level preferences. What differences were found were attributed to differences normally occurring between men and women. The study population appeared similar to the homogeneous nature of the normative sample in this respect. Women had a higher mean score for the "Aesthetic" value than men. The mean score for men was higher than for women on the measures of "Economic" and "Political” values. The later-elementary- preference women differed significantly from the men on the measure of "Economic" values. Specific and significant differences in regard to certain personality traits were found to exist between men 58 women without regard to teaching-grade preference. The women had lower manifest need for "Dominance" than did the men. The men also manifested more need for "Autonomy" and "Hetero- sexuality." On "Order" the later-elementary women exhibited more need for advanced planning and routine than the later—elementary- preference men or the early-elementary-preference women. For this characteristic the group did not conform to sex or grade- level-preference categories. "Change" (the desire to try new things, to attempt new ways, to vary routine) was a measure on which women scored higher than men. On "Autonomy" the group of men had higher mean scores than did either the college-male or general— male-adult normative samples. Men enrolled in the STEP program tended toward greater independence than "typical" college men. Interest in the opposite sex and other matters related to this trait revealed nothing atypical. Table 5.1 offers a composite summary of the sixteen significant personality and value characteristics revealed in the study. The dotted lines might be considered ties, indi- cating pairs of groups statistically similar on certain ‘characteristics. On six measures the early-elementary- preference women were like the later-elementary-preference *women but unlike the later-elementary-preference men. On 59 seven measures the later-elementary-preference women were like the 1ater-elementary-preference men but unlike the early- elementary-preference women. TABLE 5.1 A COMPREHENSIVE PERSONALITY AND VALUE PORTRAIT FOR THE EARLY AND LATER ELEMENTARY PREFERENCE GROUPS Early- Later- Later- Elementary- Elementary— Elementary- Preference- Preference- Preference- Related Characteristic Women Women Men Hypothesis Abasement H L . . . . . L* I-A Affiliation H L . . . . L* I-A Succorance H L . . . . . L* I-A Nurturance H L . . . . L* I-A Achievement L 'H . . . . . H* I-B Aggression L H . . . . . H* I-B Dominance L . . L** H I-B Order L H L I-C Exhibition L H . . . . H* I-C Autonomy L . . . . L** H I-C Change H . . . H** L I-C Heterosexuality L . . . L** H I-C Male-Female Index L H H I-D Economic H L H II Aesthetic H . . . . . H** L II Political L . . . L** H II Symbols H Indicates significantly higher mean score. L Indicates significantly lower mean score. * Ties indicate no significant differences between later—elementary-preference men and women. ** Ties indicate no significant difference between early and later elementary women. 60 Differences: Early-Later The data indicates that the early—elementary-preference students were oriented toward "other people" to a significantly greater degree than later-elementary-preference students. Early-elementary-preference women were more inclined toward establishing strong friendships and more desirous of oppor- tunities for Sharing experiences with others. The "Affiliation" measure, which indicates the preceding conclusion, is repre- sented in Table 5.1; the early-elementary-preference women had a higher mean score (statistically significant) than the later- elementary-preference women and the later-elementary-preference men. The quest for help, encouragement, or sympathy ("Succorance") was more strongly manifested by the early- elementary-preference students. Women preferring the early-elementary level tended to be more timid, less self-assured, and accept blame when things go wrong ("Abasement") than those preferring the later elementary level. The early-elementary-preference group was a sensitive group of personalities, dependent upon each other for support, less apt to battle an issue to a fair conclusion in their favor, and quite likely to back down on demands before the issue is clearly identified. It is interesting to note that "Succorance" indicates need for some of the very supports which a teacher of early grades must provide in great abundance to her students. 61 Desire to show affection toward others ("Nurturance"), to have others confide in one about personal problems was a characteristic manifested by the early-elementary-preference student to a significantly higher degree than the later- elementary-preference student. ("Nurturance" can be described as similar to qualities of "mother love.") On the basis of contrast with the description of the early-e1ementary-preference student, the later-elementary- preference student was expected to possess definite other manifestations. Instead of being timid and condescending, the 1ater-elementary-preference group tended to be more witty, exhibitionistic, and assertive. "Achievement" (to surpass others, to do difficult tasks better than others) showed a higher manifestation for the later-elementary-preference student than for the early- elementary-preference students. Persons preferring later teaching grade levels tended to be more aggressive, critical, argumentative ("Aggression"), and prone to anger when upset by an idea than the early-elementary-teacher candidate. Interestingly, the study revealed later-elementary- preference women tended to be "more male" than early- elementary women. The male-female index summarizes twelve Edwards characteristics, excluding "Order," "Endurance," and "Exhibition." The implication would appear to be that 62 early-elementary-preference women are prone to maximize their feminine nature. Morey2 found a trend toward femininity when examining differences between secondary women teachers and elementary women teachers. The present study has sustained the direction of "femaleness." The significant differences between early-elementary— preference students and later-elementary-preference students are summarized in the following lists of characteristics. Developed from the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule scores which were found to be significant as discriminators between the two preference levels, the contrasts are most clearly presented as representative descriptions: PERSONALITY-RELATED CHARACTERISTICS COMMON TO EARLY-ELEMENTARY—PREFERENCE STUDENTS Desire for strong friendship Inclination to share experience Need for encouragement Inclination to help others Desire for help from others Inclination to offer sympathy Readiness to accept blame Tendency to be thoughtful Dependence upon others ‘ Inclination to be kindly Tendency to avoid controversy Inclination to show affection for others PERSONALITY-RELATED CHARACTERISTICS COMMON TO LATER-ELEMENTARY-PREFERENCE STUDENTS Inclination to be witty Aspiration to success Tendency to manifest Drive to surpass others exhibition ' Tendency to become angry Inclination to be self— Tendency to be self-assured assertive Inclination to be critical Inclination to be argumentative Inclination to be loquacious 2 ' . Morey, op. Cit. 63 Assumptions Underlying Implications A basic difficulty in drawing appropriate implications from the conclusions lies in the existence of several feasible interpretative assumptions. On the one hand it can be assumed that since early-e1ementary-preference students possess one set of characteristics and 1ater-elementary-preference students possess another, a prospective teacher who is found more characterized by the former set should go into early elementary teaching. Such a recommendation is based upon the assumption that since mostpeople who have elected to do a certain thing have certain traits in common, these traits have an aptitude or suitability relationship to the thing elected to be done. On the other hand it could be said that although those who elect to do a certain thing have common traits there is the possibility that the very traits which may have caused the decision are not the most suitable traits for the actual doing of the thing. Furthermore, it is more defensible to discount any possible predictive assumptions and to confine the drawing of implications to the new insights the data contribute to the understanding of homogeneous tendencies of the students of each preference group. Nevertheless, although the need is recognized for further research into the question of appropriateness of each 64 of the traits to the actual behaviors and attitudes demanded in teaching at the several levels, for purposes of developing professionally logical implications from the research, assumptions must be made: Assumption I. The first series of implications is based upon the assumption that to the degree the identified personality-related characteristics are consiStent with the expectations commonly held3 for teachers of a particular grade level, the characteristics can be interpreted as being predictive of a person's relative suitability for teaching at the particular level. Assumption II. The second series of implications is based upon the assumption that whether or not the common personality characteristics have any predictive relationship to relative success in teaching a particular grade level, the fact that certain traits are more characteristic of those preferring one level than of those preferring another level indicates that the traits, and hence the common needs and interests, can be inferred from the stated grade-level preference . 3Reference is made to the sociological concept of rxile expectations as held for the teacher by the significant (athers who are role determiners. 65 Implications: Based upon Assumption I The first interpretative assumption (stated above) is predictive, suggesting that the common traits among those who elect to do a certain thing have an aptitude relationship to the thing elected to be done. A sample application of this assumption would be the implication that since later-elementary- preference students manifest "Achievement," "Aggression," and "Exhibition," all students entering a teacher education institution having these traits should be counseled to state a preference for later-elementary teaching grade levels. Implication 1. Teacher education institutions should identify personality and value characteristics for each student. Counseling should be directed toward preparation for the parti- cular level indicated by the pattern of personality and value traits. Implication 2. Programs in teacher education can be differentiated for early-elementary and later-elementary preparation, dichotomizing the student population in terms of the common trait patterns of the students. Implication 3. Inasmuch as the problems of adjustment to the teaching role would increase in proportion to the new teacher's lack of traits held as expectations by significant others, placement in teaching positions (grade level) should 66 be made in terms of the pattern of traits identified in the candidate. (The problems of adjustment to the teaching role are particularly acute for the large percentage of new teachers who are attempting to adjust to the role of a part- time housewife at the same time that they are adjusting to the role of a teacher.) Implication 4. The approach to in-service improvement of teaching and the questions of teacher reassignment to a different grade level should take into consideration the appropriateness of the teacher's pattern of personality traits to the particular grade level. School administrators could provide experiences which assist a teacher in making needed adjustments where the personality traits are less than appro- priate, or could base a decision for reassignment upon the personality trait indications which point to a more appropriate level. Implications: Based upon Assumption II The second interpretative assumption (stated above) is related to grade-level preference only inasmuch as indications of grade preference are correlated with certain personality and value traits. This assumption leads to suggestions based upon the possibility that grade-preference decisions tell something about the characteristic traits of persons making 67 the decisions. Impligapign 5. Inferences about the likelihood of persons' of similar trait and value patterns electing a particular teaching level as their initial choice are more meaningful than inferences about success in teaching being related to choosing a particular level which is ordinarily selected by persons of similar personality and value pattern. No causal relationship was established between personality manifestations and grade-level preferences. It may be unwise to counsel students toward specific levels with any assurance that they would be more effective until research establishes relationships of patterns of characteristics to aptitudes or predictions of success. Implication 6. Based upon the development of compre- hensive personal data records, a continuous advisement relation- ship between advisor and teacher education student could develop and maintain skills in the process of self-analysis that would be needed throughout the professional career. Understanding one's personality is a part of self-analysis. The student should learn to relate his manifest personality traits to the interests and needs of children with whom he will work at a particular grade level. Ipplication 7. Self-evaluation should be a part of the person's decision-making with reference to his grade-level 68 preference. Simultaneous learnings about himself and about the characteristics of children at particular grade levels should be a functional basis for his preference decision. A significant element in the development of these understandings would be laboratory experiences in which the student could relate himself (as a teacher) to children of various grade levels. Implication 8., A personal data inventory for each student admitted to the teacher education institution would assist the instructor. An understanding of the learner is basic to planning instruction. Specifically, a clear View of personality manifestations would assist the instructor in planning supportive guidance for those individuals manifesting greater need for support. An instructor may be inclined to assume that his student is unable to comprehend, while the real problem might be an acute need for encouragement and support. Implication 9. It may be poor practice to assign persons of similar personality to a given level of teaching. Noted on page sixty was the existence of the need for "Succorance" (support by others) of the early-elementary- preference student who, in turn, must be able to offer the same to less mature others. There is even the possibility that children during their elementary years should be in 69 contact with several different types of teachers. Implication 10. There is need for development of certain traits which are relatively weak in particular level- preference groups. For example, the early-elementary-preference students' characteristic tendency to form close relationships with others is a quality needed similarly by later-elementary- preference students. Conversely, the later-elementary- preference students' higher manifestations of "Achievement," “Aggression,' and "Exhibition" are similarly needed by the early-e1ementary-preference students. It presents a real challenge to students, advisors, instructors, and program planners to determine ways to modify the degree of manifestation so the qualities of one preference group can also become the qualities of the other. A fully developed teaching personality should be the goal for each candidate. Recommendations 1. Instruments measuring personality should be incor— porated into the admission process of the teacher education institution. Measures of personality would be valuable information in counseling teacher candidates toward specific teaching grade levels and useful in appropriately diversifying professional experiences, courses,and instruction in relation to common trait patterns. 70 4 I 2. A comprehensive personal data record is an essential item in a teacher candidate's professional file: such a file would follow the individual through the preparation period and into employment as a teacher. The file would be open only to inspection by the candidate, his instructors, advisors, and selected school administrators. The file would be similar to the development of a "medical history." 3. It would be helpful to school administrators to be given and to collect information about personality character- istics of each teacher candidate so that suitable placements might be made. If one accepts the concept of teacher education's being a continuous and never-ending process, the argument for sharing with the school administrator the file of personal data is of even more validity. Personal data would include such things as personality test results, descriptions of student teaching experiences, listings of special talents and skills, and pertinent comments by college faculty members about the candidate's classroom responses, attitudes, and attributes. Needed Research It remains to be established whether personality manifestations are causal factors in grade-level-preference decisions. 71 Research is also needed to determine the influence of personality, advisement, laboratory experience, and other sources of information upon grade-level-preference decisions of elementary education majors. The deliberate modification of personality manifes- tations by provision of educative experiences should be researched. The apparent lack of correlation between value differ- ences and grade-level preferences needs further investigation. The causal factors in personality manifestations are worthy of further study. Common causation of the traits and of their correlated grade-level-teaching-preference decisions could be identified. The question of the appropriateness of each of the traits to the actual behaviors and attitudes demanded in teaching at the several levels needs to be investigated. Use of data about the candidate's personality traits by school administrators and resultant effects on the grade- 1evel placement decision should be investigated. Summary of the Study This study was designed as a means of measuring «certain personality and value differences occurring between «elementary teaching majors stating a preference for early— 72 e1ementary-teaching-grade levels, (kindergarten through grade three) and those students stating a preference for later elementary-teaching-grade levels (grade four through grade eight). The personality characteristics considered were the fifteen manifest needs as contained in the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule. The value interests considered were the six contained in the Allport, Vernon, Lindzey Study of Values. Grade level preference was determined by a direct question contained in the Student Teacher Experimental Program Student Personnel Inventory. Eighty-eight students who were transferring to the University from six out-state junior and community colleges were tested. On the criteria of grade-level preference and sex the eighty-eight were subdivided into forty—three early elementary women, twenty-seven later elementary women, and eighteen later elementary men. The variance of each of the three groups from the population mean was determined for twenty- two characteristics of personality and value. Sixteen characteristics were significant and warranted treatment of the group means by use of the student "t" test. Each group was shown to be homogeneous by using the Cochran Test for homogeneity. 73 Hypotheses I-A through I-D, as a whole, stated that there would be differences in personality traits between early-elementary-preference students and later-elementary- preference students. Seven Edwards characteristics were found to indicate significant differences between preference groups. Early-elementary-preference students revealed more manifest need for "Abasement," "Affiliation," "Succorance," and "Nurturance" when compared with later-elementary—preference students. Later-elementary-preference students conversely revealed higher manifest need for "Achievement,' "Aggression," and "Exhibition” when compared with earlybelementary- preference students. Hypothesis II stated that no differences would be found in "Theoretical," "Economic," "Aesthetic," "Social," "PolitiCal," and "Religious" value motives among the groups of students. The hypothesis was supported for the preference factor, but significant differences were discovered between men and women. Personality-related descriptions were developed for the early-elementary-preference group and for the later- elementary-preference group. Each descriptive list was evolved from the Edwards personality characteristics revealed to be significant manifestations for the particular preference group. 74 Implications were based upon two feasible alternative assumptions. A series of professionally useful implications related to each of the assumptions was presented. The first assumption stated that to the degree the identified personality- related characteristics are consistent with the expectations held for teachers of a particular grade level, the character- istics can be interpreted as being predictive of a person's relative suitability for teaching at the particular level. The alternative assumption stated that since certain traits are more characteristic of those preferring one level than of those preferring another level, the traits, and hence the common needs and interests, can be inferred from the stated grade-level preference. Concluding recommendations were based upon the various uses of personal data files, which would include personality data and other grade-level-preference related data. Appli- cations of such data to decisions and guidance during teacher education in the college and into the employed teaching experience were cited. BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS Birkinshaw, M. The Successful Teacher. London: Hogarth Press. 1935. Darley, John., and Hagenah, Theda. Vocgtional Interest Measurement: Theory and Prggtice. Minneapolis, Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press, 1955. Ginzberg, E1i., et a1. Occupational Choice: An Approach to a General Theory. New York: Columbia university Press, 1951. Goldsen, Rose,, et a1. What College Students Think. Princeton, New Jersey: D. Van Nostrand Co., 1960. Jacob, Philip E. Changingyyglue§_in College. New Haven, Connecticut: Hazen Foundation, 1956. Miller, D. O., and Form, W. H. Industrial Sociology. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1951. Rosenberg, Morris. Occupationsggpd Values. Glencoe, Illinois: Free Press, 1957. Ryans, David G. Characteristicgyof Teacherg, Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education, 1960. ARTICLES ,Amatora, Sister Mary. "Similarity in Teachers' Personality," Journal of Psychology, XXXVII (January, 1954). ' Best, John W. "A Study of Certain Selected Factors Under- lying the Choice of Teaching as a Profession," Jougnal g; Experimental Education, XVII (September, 1948). 76 77 Blum, L. P. "Comparative Study of Students Preparing for Five Selected Professions Including Teaching," Journal of Experimental Education, XVI (September, 1947). Centers, Richard. "Motivational Aspects of Occupational Stratification," Journal of Social Psychology, XXVIII (November, 1948). Dilley, N. E. "Personal Values held by College Students Who Enter Teacher Education Programs," Journal of Teacher Education, VIII (September, 1957). Gowan, J. C. "A Summary of the Intensive Study of Twenty Highly Selected Elementary WCmen Teachers," Journal of Experimental Education, XXVI (December, 1957). Guba, Egon, Jackson, Phillip, Bidwell, Charles. "Occupational ' Choice and the Teaching Career," Educational Research Bulletin, XXXVIII, No. 1 (January 14, 1959). Lang, Gerhard. "Teachers' Metives for Teaching," Clearing House, XXXIII (May, 1959). Lough, Orpha M. "Teachers College Students and the MMPI," Journal ofyApplied Psychology, XXX, No. 3 (June, 1946). .Morey, E. "Vocational Interests and Personality Characteristics of Women Teachers," Australian Journal of ngchology, I (June,-l949), Sanford, Nevitt. "Personality Development During the College Years," Personnel and Guidance Journal (October, 1956). Small, Leonard. "A Theory of Vocational Choice - Recent Developments," Vocational Guidance Quarterly, I - II (Autumn, 1952). Sternberg, Carl. "Personality Trait Patterns of College Students Majoring in Different Fields," Psyghological Monographs: General and Applied, LXIX, No. 403 (April, 1955). Synmnuis, Percival M. "Teaching as a Function of Teacher Personality," The Journal of Teacher Education, V (March, 1954). 78 UNPUBLISHED MATERIAL Hoyt, Mildred D. "Factors Which Influence Pre-Service Teachers' Choices of Elementary or Secondary Division." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Stanford University, 1955. Kittredge, Robert. "Investigation of Differences in Occupational Preferences, Stereotypic Thinking, and Psychological Needs Among Undergraduate WCmen Students in Selected Curricular Areas." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1960. Knight, William. "Factors Associated with VCcational Choices on High School Students of Vocational Agriculture." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1958. Nelson, Byron B. "The Reasons for Choice of Teaching Level by Prospective Teachers." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, George Peabody College for Teachers, 1952. OTHER SOURCES Allport, Gordon W., vernon, Philip E., and Lindzey, Gardner. Manual Study of Values. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1960. Edwards, Allen L. Manual Edwargg Personal Preference Schedule. New YCrk: The Psychological Corporation, 1959. Tiedeman, D. V., and O'Hara, R. P.; with assistance of Esther Mathews. “Pppition Choices and_Qareers: Elements of a Theory. Harvard Studies and Career Development, No. 8, 1958. (Mimeographed.) APPENDICES APPENDIX A DESCRIPTION AND SUGGESTED USES OF EDWARDS PERSONAL PREFERENCE SCHEDULE EDWARDS PERSONAL PREFERENCE SCHEDULE The major personality instrument utilized in the study was the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule, a paired- comparison type questionnaire which purports to measure a number of normal personality variables based upon the list of manifest needs proposed by H. A. Murray. Briefly, these needs may be summarized as follows: "ACHIEVEMENT": To do one's best, to be successful, to accomplish tasks requiring skill and effort, to be a recognized authority, to accomplish something of great signi— ficance, to do a difficult job well, to solve. difficult problems and puzzles, to be able to do things better than others, to write a great novel or play. "DEFERENCE": To get suggestions from others, to find out what others think, to follow instructions and do what is expected, to praise others, to tell others that they have done a good job, to accept the leadership of others, to read about great men, to conform to custom and avoid the unconventional, to let others make decisions. "ORDER": To have written work neat and organized, to make plans before starting on a difficult task, to have things organized, to keep things neat and orderly, to make advance plans when taking a trip, to organize details of work, to keep letters and files according to some system, to have Heals organized and a definite time for eating, to have things arranged so that they run smoothly without change. "EXHIBITION": To say witty and clever things, to tell amusing jokes and stories, to talk about personal adventures and experiences, to have others notice and comment upon one's .appearance, to say things just to see what effect it will have on others, to talk about personal achievements, to be the 81 82 center of attention, to use words that others do not know the meaning of, to ask questions others cannot answer. "AUTONOMY": To be able to come and go as desired, to say what one thinks about things, to be independent of others in making decisions, to feel free to do what one wants, to do things that are unconventional, to avoid situations where one is expected to conform, to do things without regard to what others may think, to criticize those in positions of authority, to avoid responsibilities and obligations. "AFFILIATION": To be loyal to friends, to participate in friendly groups, to do things for friends, to form new friendships, to make as many friends as possible, to share things with friends rather than alone, to form strong attach- ments, to write letters to friends. "INTRACEPTION": To analyze one's motives and feelings, to observe others, to understand how others feel about problems, to put one's self in another's place, to judge people by why they do things rather than by what they do, to analyze the behavior of others, to analyze the motives of others, to analyze how others will act. "SUCCORANCE": To have others provide help when in trouble, to seek encouragement from.others, to have others be kindly, to have others be sympathetic and understanding about personal problems, to receive a great deal of affection from others, to-have others do favors cheerfully, to be helped by others when depressed, to have others feel sorry when one is sick, to have a fuss made over one when hurt. "DOMENANCE": To argue for one's point of View, to be a leader in groups to which one belongs, to be regarded by others as a leader, to be elected or appointed chairman of committees, to make group decisions, to settle arguments and disputes between others, to persuade and influence others to do what one wants, to supervise and direct the action of others, to tell others to do their jobs. "ABASEMENT": To feel guilty when one does something wrong, to accept blame when things do not go right, to feel that personal pain and misery suffered does more good.than harm, to feel the need for punishment for wrong doing, to feel better when giving in and avoiding a fight than when having one's own way, to feel the need for confession of 83 errors, to feel depressed by inability to handle situations, to feel timid in the presence of superiors, to feel inferior to others in most respects. "NURTURANCE": To help others when they are in trouble, to assist others less fortunate, to treat others with kindness and sympathy, to forgive others, to do small favors for others, to be generous with others, to sympathize with others who are hurt or sick, to Show a great deal of affection toward others, to have others confide in one about personal problems. "CHANGE": To do new and different things, to travel, to meet new people, to experience novelty and change in daily routine, to experiment and try new things, to eat in new and different places, to try new and different jobs, to move about the country and live in different places, to participate in new fads and fashions. "ENDURANCE": To keep at a job until it is finished, to complete any job undertaken, to work hard at a task, to keep at a puzzle or problem until it is solved, to work at a single job before taking others, to stay up late in order to get a job done, to put in long hours or work without distraction, to stick at a problem even though it may seem as if no progress is being made, to avoid being interrupted while at work. "HETEROSEXUALITY": To go out with members of the opposite sex, to engage in social activities with the opposite sex, to be in love with someone of the opposite sex, to kiss those of the opposite sex, to be regarded as physically attractive by those of the opposite sex, to participate in discussions about sex, to read books and plays involving sex, to listen to or tell jokes involving sex, to become sexually excited. "AGGRESSION": To attack contrary points of view, to tell others what one thinks about them, to criticize others publicly, to make fun of others, to tell others off when disagreeing with them, to get revenge for insults, to become angry, to blame others when things go wrong, to read newspaper accounts of violence.1 1Allen L. Edwards, Manual Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (New Yerk: The Psychological Corporation, 1959), p.11. 84 Using the Edwards' Schedule in Counseling Dr. Louise Heathers offers specific ways of using the Edwards Schedule with students advisees: . . . in practice it has been found useful to discuss the present relative strength of the variable, first in relation to the counselee himself by using a rank ordering of the raw scores, and then in relation to his own sex by using the percentile scores. Such a procedure tends to reduce the counselee's defensiveness about his scores and to stimulate discussion regarding the probable psychological satisfyingness of various educational or vocational goals. It is the atypical student who reacts with defensiveness to the variable names, particularly when rank orderings alone are used. The variables are generally accepted as being fairly nonevaluative, fairly "normal" in connotation. It is suggested that during the discussion of the scores, the counselee be provided with a copy of the descriptions of the variable given in the Edwards Manual, since many of the names are relatively meaningless to counselees. . . . As with any test the score for the given individual becomes more meaningful if the counselor can take time to note the actual items contributing to the score. During the interview it is very important to discuss the relationships suggested by the patterning of the scores rather than to place emphasis on extreme scores only.2 2Ibid., p. 18. APPENDIX B DESCRIPTION OF ALLPORT, VERNON, LINDZEY STUDY OF VALUES ALLPORT-VERNON-LINDZEY STUDY OF VALUES The Study of Values aims to measure the relative prominence of six basic interests or motives in personality. The scale, designed primarily for use with college students, consists of questions based upon a variety of familiar situations to which two alternative answers in Part I and four alternative answers in Part II are provided. In all there are 120 answers, twenty of which refer to each of the six values. These values evolve from Eduard Spranger's Types of Men and may be described as follows: The Theoretical. "The dominant interest of the theoretical man is the discovery of truth. In the pursuit of this goal he characteristically takes a 'cognitive' attitude, one that looks for identities and differences; one that divests itself of judgments regarding the beauty or utility of objects, and seeks only to observe and to reason. Since the interests of the theoretical man are empirical, critical, and rational, he is necessarily an intellectualist, frequently a scientist or philosopher. His chief aim in life is to order and systematize his knowledge. The Economic. "The economic man is character- istically interested in what is useful. Based originally upon the satisfaction of bodily needs (self-preservation), the interest in utilities develops to embrace the practical affairs of the business world - the production, marketing, and consumption of goods, the elaboration of credit, and the accumulation of tangible wealth. This type is thoroughly 'practical' and conforms well to the prevailing stereotype of the average American businessman. 86 87 The Aesthetic. "The aesthetic man sees his highest value in form and harmony. Each single experience is judged from the standpoint of grace, symmetry, or fit- ness. He regards life a procession of events: each single impression is enjoyed for its own sake. He need not be a creative artist, nor need he be effete; he is aesthetic if he but finds his chief interest in the artistic episodes of life. The Social. "The highest value for this type is love of people . . . it is the altruistic or philan— thropic aspect of love that is measured. The social man prizes other persons as ends, and is therefore him- self kind, sympathetic, and unselfish. He is likely to find the theoretical, economic, and aesthetic attitudes cold and inhuman. In contrast to the political type, the social man regards love as itself the only suitable‘ form of human relationships . . . in its purest form the social interest is selfless and tends to approach very closely to the religious attitude. The Political. "The political man is interested primarily in powe . His activities are not necessarily within the narrow field of politics; but whatever his vocation, he betrays himself as a Machtmensch. Leaders in any field generally have high power value. Since competition and struggle play a large part in all life, many philosophers have seen power as the most universal and most fundamental of motives. There are, however, certain personalities in whom the desire for a direct expression of this motive is uppermost, who wish above all else for personal power, influence, and renown. The Religious. "The highest value of the religious man may be called unity. He is mystical, and seeks to comprehend the cosmos as a whole, to relate himself to its embracing totality . . . the religious man . . . (is) one 'whose mental structure is permanently directed to the creation of the highest and absolutely satisfying value experience.‘ Some men of this type . . . find their religious experience in the affirmation of life and in active participation therein . . . (others) seek to unite himself with a higher reality by withdrawing from life . (and) finds the experience of unity through self-denial and meditation.1 , 1Gordon W. Allport, Phili E. Vernon, and Gardner ' Lindzey, Manual Stugy of Values ( oston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1960), pp. 4-5. APPENDIX C STUDENT TEACHER EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM STUDENT PERSONNEL INVENTORY SW mm mm PRWRAM 89 STUDENT PERSONNEL INVENTOM Applicants for the STEP program are requested to respond to al___l_ items included in the Student Personnel Inventory. It is important that all items be completed, as STEP is an experimental program upon which research will be done. It may not be possible to know the exact answers to some questions. If this is the case, please sake an estimate. The items in Section I of the inventory are for use in the selection and counseling of students and for use by the supervising teachers during the third year of the program. The items in Section II of the inventory are for research mag only. The applicant's response to these items will in no way affect the candidate‘s entry into or progress in the SE? program. NNME (lastT (first) (middle) DATE SECTTON I l. PRESENT ADDRESS PHONE 2. HOME ADDRESS snows 3. SEX: JMALE______FEMAEE______ h. AGE LAST BIRTHDAY 5. Where were you born? (city) (State or Country) 6. If foreign born, are you a U.S. citizen? Yes No 7. What is your mrital status? 8. If not single, do you have children? Single Yes_____ No_______ Married If yes, how tinny? Separated 'Iheir ages? Divorced Widowed I (2) 90 -2- List all of the schools you have attended from the time you first entered school to present. i 1 __'I_‘Qe of School " ’ Parochial ' . I ,Gradss or Name of School City ' Attended Private Public 13. 11+. 15 . 16. In which extra curricular school activity, if any, did you spend the most time in high school? ' In what year did you graduate from high school? What was the size of your high school graduating class? Under 25 25-99 100-199 ..__2°°-399 ____h00-999 Over 1000 In what year did you first enter college? In which extra curricular school activity, if any, did you spend the most time in college? What is your present college grade point average? my are you personally interested in becoming a teacher? a. v , v I _. v ‘ H“ on o -- . o u ‘- "‘ ' .o o- - ' . ."-' ... e " a . . . .' l . c a ‘ ‘ o ,1."" -‘ >nn~~ ' .o.—\ I (3) 91 17. What are your principle hobbies? (list) 18. What, if any, traveling have you done? 19. What do you consider to be your specific strepgghs as a prospective teacher? 20. What do you consider to be your specific weaknesses as a prospective teacher? .- M o as- c o nut. a . c . . an... to a n~ li-np‘.‘ .- v ‘- 0-0-4 .aas SECTION II 92 MMHMISSECTIONOFTEEWAREFORRESEARCHHIRPOSESLMY. EDIE REPOIBESIOIHESEIMBWHLMJBEGIVENIOYOURSUPERVISMTEACHERT. 1. Other than teaching, what occupations have your considered? (Begin with the occupation you considered Just prior to that of teaching and end with the occupation you first considered.) A. Occupation 4A4- What age or grade were you when you considered this occupation? How seriously did you consider this choice? very seriously somewhat seriously not very seriously What, if any, experiences have you had relevant to this occupation? B. Occupation What age or grade were you when you considemd this occupation? How seriously did you consider this choice? very seriously somewhat seriously not very seriously What, if any, experiences have you had relevant to this occupation? C. Occupation What age or grade were you when you considered this occupation? How seriously did you consider this occupation? very seriously somewhat seriously not very seriously What, if any, experiences have you had relevant to this occupation? (Item 1 is continued on the next page) ..'. do. n ' ~u-.._ has p .s-.. 4..-- ---.- II (2) 93 Occupation What age or grade were you when you considered this occupation? How seriously did you consider this choice? very seriously somewhat seriously not very seriously mat, if any, experiences have you had relevant to this occupation? Occupat ion___ .. “M #‘ _~._ What age or grade were you when you considered this occupation? How seriously did you consider this choice? very seriously somewhat seriously not very seriously What, if any, experiences have you had relevant to this occupation? Occupationfii a a v V‘— v T wrfi What age or grade were you when you considered this occupation? How seriously did you consider this choice? very seriously somevmat seriously not very seriously What, if any, experiences have you had relevant to this occupation? 2. At what age did you first think of becomng a teacher? Before the age of 10. Between 10 and 13 years of age. Between 1" and 15 years of age. Between 16 and 17 years of age. Since the age of 17. c. d. g. h. II (3) 94 At what age did you definitely decide to become a teacher? Before the age of 14. At 14 or 15 years of age. At 16 or 17 years of age. Between 18 and 20 years of age. Since the age of 21. I don't know enough about teaching to know how satisfying I will find it. It's not the most satisfying career I can think of , but is very practical for me. It's one of several careers which I could find almost equally satisfying. It's the only career that could really satisfy me. Since you decided to become a teacher, have you ever had any doubts that this use the right decision for you? (check only one) yes, serious doubts. yes, some doubts, but not serious. no, no doubts at all. Hot Very Fairly Not very at all Important anortant Important Important Mother Father Spam (If single, skip item) Other relatives Elementary or high school teachers you know personally Friends who are not in teaching Speakers you have heard College teachers Books, movies, or plays Other, (What?) Which 1:12 of the above were of greatest importance in your decision to become a teacher? (List the appropriate letters .) , . ()7. 10. n (h) 95 Since you made the decision to enter teaching, how such have the following menbers of your family encouraged or discouraged you. (check only one for each item, a. through a.) Strong Slight Slight Strong encourage- encourage- Expressed discourage- discourage- Doesn't ment ment no opinion ment ment Apply Mother ________ __ __ __ __ __ Tether __ __ __ __ __ We __ ________ __ _____ __ Brother or Sister Other relatives Do you have any relatives who are or were in teaching? (check all that apply) At what level did they teach? (elementary, secondary, or college) a. I wmld stay with teaching. 1:. I would choose another career. c. I don't really know. If you check either 1:. or c. in Question '9, what would it take for you to get into the career activity you really desire. (check all that apply) a. Financial aid. 1:. Better grades. c. ‘nae moral support of my parents or husband or wife. d. be encouragement of someone already in that field. e. More informtion about other fields. f. mange in the attitudes of a close boy friend or girl friend. . Less involvement in social activities. h. Other (Explain) L If you answer Question 19, which of the factors you checked would be the £53}: most important factor in helping you get into the field you really prefer? (Write the letter here) 13. 1h. 15. 16. 17 . 18. 19. What would you estimte as the average yearly income of high school teachers in Michigan? At what level of the elementary school would you like to begin teaching? (check only one) Kindergarten. Grades 1 through 3 Grades it through 6. Grades 7 or 8. Don't know. Other (Explain) How important to you is it to begin teaching at the level you indicated in answering mestion 15 above? (check only one) It is very important; I would not teach at any other level. It is important; I would strongly prefer this but would teach at another level if this was all that was possible. I would want to teach at this level but would not mind too much if I had to start at some other level. It is not very important at all. How old are the mJority of pupils at the level checked in Question 15? Have you had any experience working with children of this age? Yes No If yes, describe the experience. Here are three different Jobs. If you had your choice, which would you take? A Job which pays a moderate income but which you were sure of keeping. A Job which pays a good income but which you have only a 50-50 chance of keeping. A Job which pays extremely well if you succeed, but one in which most people don't succeed. Supposeyouhadanextrathreehourseachweekandcouldchoose totake eitler some extra course of your own choosing, some added social activities, or recreational event, or use it for added study-"which do you think you would choose? (check only one) I‘d take the added course. I'd take the added social activity or recreational event. * I'd. take the Gtudy time. * u“ II (6) 97 22. there are many reasons why people choose a particular Job. Please rate each of the following Job characteristics in terms of its importance to you in your choice of teaching as an occupation. (check only one for each item a. throughu.) htremely Very Somewhat Not Job Characteristics Important Inportant Important Illnportant Work that: a. provides opportunity to use nw special. aptitudes and abilities.... b. offers freedom from pressure to conforminnwpersonal life........ c. absorbs w interests and holds wattentionOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO d. necessitates keeping up with new andbetterways ofdoingthe Job... e. offers an opportunity to be helpful to otherBOOOOOOOOIO000.000.0000... f. affords a chance to exercise lmrahipOOltOOOIOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOO g. offers me social standing and prestige in m commity.......... h. offers freedom from additional training requirements after 1. provides opportunity to work with people....................... .1. providesachance to earn enough money to live comfortably......... k. provides opportunity to be creative andoriginal 1. provides a chance to achieve recog- nition from others in nor profession. m. provides opportunity to control my ownworking conditions............. n. offers freedom from close super- fiaimOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. 0. provides opportunity to have inter- esting and intelligent people for cmmsOOOOO0.000000000000000000. p. provides opportunity to help an mv1m ChildOOOQOIOOOOOOOIOOIOO q. provides opportunity to help in the social developnentofchildren..... r. allows me long smer vacations.... s . offers working hours the same as the hours my children are away from home t. provides a chance to "go back to it,"——- m mmcelo0.0000000000000000. u. provides opportunity to work in a pleasant environment.............. .alllllll Which __tw_g of the above were the most important factors in your choice teaching? (list the appropriate letters.) , II (7) 98 23. what would you like to be doing three years after grachaation? 21km doyouexpectthatyouwillfirstcometothinkofyourselfasateacher ratherthanasastudent? I do now. During m assistant teaching. During m 11th year internship. During aw 5th year internship. After I am through the program. 25. mm of your favorite elementary school teacher. Now think of some specific incident in which this person was involved which illustrates the reason why you consider this person your favorite elementary school teacher. Describe the specific incident. a. v .. no-gv II (8) 99 26. Suppose the circle below represented the activities which went on in m 5% school. How far out from the center of things were you? ('me center of the circle represents the center of things in your high school. Please place the check where you think we were.) II (9) 100 28. Now suppose this same circle represents the activities in college. How far out from the center of things would you say you now are? 29. Finally-min the circle below, place a check where you would like to be. II (10) 101 mroummsms,smrioqunsnon35. 30. 31. 320 33- 3h. 35. 36. Your father‘s name Your mother's name Where was your father born? (City) (State or Country) there has your mother born? City) (State or Country) Please estimte your family's yearly income. What is your father's present occupation? (Specify as fans hanger, carpenter, dentist, etc.) If your father is not living, list his last occupation and then write deceased. By whom is your father employed? (Nam of company, self, etc.) How long has your father been employed at the present occupation? mat is your mother's present occupation? ‘If your mother is not gainfully employed, write housewife. If she is not living, list her last occupation, then write deceased. By whan is your mother employed? (Rania of company, self, etc.) How long has your mother been employed in her present occupation? Ifyourmotherisnotgainfullyenmloyedatpresent orifshewasnot gainfullyemployedatthe timeofdeath, wassheever gainfully employed? Yes No If yes, what did she do? II (11) 102 1:3. flaout how far did your mother go in school? (Lurk only one of the following.) _____No forml education; _____Attended grade school (grades 1 to 8) but did not finish; ”Completed grade school through grade 8; ______Attended high school (grades 9 to 12) but did not finish; Attended a vocational or trade school but did not canplete high school; Graduated from high school; Attended a vocational or trade school after high school graduation; Attended college but did not graduate; Graduated from college; Attended grammate or professional school but did not attain a graduate or professional degree; Attained'a graduate or professional degree. Mt. About how far did your father go in school? (Mark only one of the following.) _______1?o forml education; _____Attended grade school (grades 1 to 8) but did not finish; “meted grade school. through grade 8. “Attended high school (grades 9 to 12) but did not graduate; Attended a vocational or trade school but did not complete high school; Graduated from high school; Attended a vocational or trade school after high school graduation; Attended college but did not graduate; Grachiated fran colle ; Attended graduate or professional school but did not attain a graduate or professional degree; 1 Attained a graduate or professional degree. 1.5. 16. If you have any brothers, list Age If you have any sisters, list 554345 IPYOUAREMARRIED, In. 1.3. #9. 50. Occupation Occupation Occupation Occupation Occupation Occupation Occupation Occupation II (12) 103 What is your spouse's occupation? By whom is your spouse employed? (Name of company, self, etc.) How long has your spouse been employed at the present occupation? Please estimate your spouse's yearly income. “a GRN STRTE UNI V. IIIaIIIIIIZ IIIQIIIIIII IIIIIIII7I LIIIIIIIITIIIIIIIIIIII