Motivations to become a teacher in Finland, Sweden, and the United States

Abstract

How does the motivation to become a teacher vary across countries? We conducted an exploratory study among aspiring teachers in three countries to explore the possibility of detecting differences in teacher motivation across education policy contexts. Using the FIT-Choice Scale developed by Watt and Richardson (2007), we found that participants in Finland and Sweden expressed different impressions of and attractions to the teaching profession. A sample from the United States revealed further differences still. Between-country differences were significant. Using these results, we suggest further comparative analyses regarding policy and the motivations of teacher candidates.