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Career Change Teachers in Rural Schools: A Recognition Theory Approach to Understanding Teacher Retention

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Title: Career Change Teachers in Rural Schools: A Recognition Theory Approach to Understanding Teacher Retention
Language: English
Authors: Hernan Cuervo (ORCID 0000-0002-2960-3652)
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education. 2026 54(1):74-88.
Availability: Taylor & Francis. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 15
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Preschool Education
Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: Career Change, Rural Schools, Teaching (Occupation), Teacher Persistence, Adjustment (to Environment), Barriers, Professional Identity, Foreign Countries, Motivation, Resources, Public School Teachers, Preschool Education, Elementary Secondary Education, School Culture, Teaching Conditions
Geographic Terms: Australia
DOI: 10.1080/1359866X.2025.2606702
ISSN: 1359-866X
1469-2945
Abstract: The appropriate staffing of rural schools has been an enduring challenge in Australia and internationally. Recruiting career changers into rural teaching has become an important policy initiative to redress this persistent challenge. It is often understood that individuals change careers into teaching due to labour, personal and altruistic factors. Yet, less attention has been placed on understanding why and how career change teachers stay working in rural schools, despite evidence of high attrition in schools outside the metropolis. In this article, drawing on data from life-history interviews, I examine career change teachers' trajectories in rural schools to identify the factors contributing to their retention. The data reveals that career changers found the transition to teaching difficult in the first years. Applying a recognition theory lens, I argue that a positive recognition of teachers' work by school and community members serves to counterbalance the challenges of the first years in the job and to constitute their professional identity as teachers. These symmetrical relations of recognition with students, colleagues and the community enhance their ability to build a sense of solidarity and satisfaction with work and to develop a formation of belonging to living in rural places.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1495958
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Career Change Teachers in Rural Schools: A Recognition Theory Approach to Understanding Teacher Retention
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hernan+Cuervo%22">Hernan Cuervo</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2960-3652">0000-0002-2960-3652</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Asia-Pacific+Journal+of+Teacher+Education%22"><i>Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 54(1):74-88.
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  Data: Taylor & Francis. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Change%22">Career Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+Schools%22">Rural Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+%28Occupation%29%22">Teaching (Occupation)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Persistence%22">Teacher Persistence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adjustment+%28to+Environment%29%22">Adjustment (to Environment)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+Identity%22">Professional Identity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Motivation%22">Motivation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Resources%22">Resources</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+School+Teachers%22">Public School Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Culture%22">School Culture</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Conditions%22">Teaching Conditions</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australia%22">Australia</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1080/1359866X.2025.2606702
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  Data: 1359-866X<br />1469-2945
– Name: Abstract
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  Data: The appropriate staffing of rural schools has been an enduring challenge in Australia and internationally. Recruiting career changers into rural teaching has become an important policy initiative to redress this persistent challenge. It is often understood that individuals change careers into teaching due to labour, personal and altruistic factors. Yet, less attention has been placed on understanding why and how career change teachers stay working in rural schools, despite evidence of high attrition in schools outside the metropolis. In this article, drawing on data from life-history interviews, I examine career change teachers' trajectories in rural schools to identify the factors contributing to their retention. The data reveals that career changers found the transition to teaching difficult in the first years. Applying a recognition theory lens, I argue that a positive recognition of teachers' work by school and community members serves to counterbalance the challenges of the first years in the job and to constitute their professional identity as teachers. These symmetrical relations of recognition with students, colleagues and the community enhance their ability to build a sense of solidarity and satisfaction with work and to develop a formation of belonging to living in rural places.
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      – SubjectFull: Teaching (Occupation)
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