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Why Is It Difficult to Stay in the Profession? The Life Course of Early-Career Teachers in Rural China

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Title: Why Is It Difficult to Stay in the Profession? The Life Course of Early-Career Teachers in Rural China
Language: English
Authors: Guo Jincheng (ORCID 0009-0000-5965-1308), Sun Haoquan (ORCID 0009-0004-2157-7404), Yang Jin (ORCID 0009-0005-3896-2883), Bai Xiuli (ORCID 0009-0009-1717-035X)
Source: European Journal of Education. 2026 61(1).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 11
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Rural Schools, Teacher Persistence, Faculty Mobility, Teaching Experience, Beginning Teachers
Geographic Terms: China
DOI: 10.1111/ejed.70509
ISSN: 0141-8211
1465-3435
Abstract: The retention of young teachers in rural schools has been a topic of global concern, and the educational inequality between urban and rural areas has heightened the need for a group of high-quality young teachers to enter rural education. Drawing on Life Course Theory, this paper examines the lived experiences of young teachers in rural China to explore potential strategies for improving their retention in the teaching profession. A total of 10 highly educated young rural teachers were identified through snowball sampling. The results showed that their self-orientation in rural schools was closer to that of a supervisor, accompanied by feelings of isolation at work, low career achievement, deprivation of private time due to work outside teaching, and confusion about future career development. Overall, this paper provides a perspective on rural education from the perspective of young rural teachers and reveals future research trends in rural teacher education.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1497866
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Why Is It Difficult to Stay in the Profession? The Life Course of Early-Career Teachers in Rural China
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Guo+Jincheng%22">Guo Jincheng</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5965-1308">0009-0000-5965-1308</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sun+Haoquan%22">Sun Haoquan</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2157-7404">0009-0004-2157-7404</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yang+Jin%22">Yang Jin</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3896-2883">0009-0005-3896-2883</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bai+Xiuli%22">Bai Xiuli</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1717-035X">0009-0009-1717-035X</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22European+Journal+of+Education%22"><i>European Journal of Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 61(1).
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: 11
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+Schools%22">Rural Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Persistence%22">Teacher Persistence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Faculty+Mobility%22">Faculty Mobility</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Experience%22">Teaching Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Beginning+Teachers%22">Beginning Teachers</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1111/ejed.70509
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  Data: 0141-8211<br />1465-3435
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The retention of young teachers in rural schools has been a topic of global concern, and the educational inequality between urban and rural areas has heightened the need for a group of high-quality young teachers to enter rural education. Drawing on Life Course Theory, this paper examines the lived experiences of young teachers in rural China to explore potential strategies for improving their retention in the teaching profession. A total of 10 highly educated young rural teachers were identified through snowball sampling. The results showed that their self-orientation in rural schools was closer to that of a supervisor, accompanied by feelings of isolation at work, low career achievement, deprivation of private time due to work outside teaching, and confusion about future career development. Overall, this paper provides a perspective on rural education from the perspective of young rural teachers and reveals future research trends in rural teacher education.
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        Value: 10.1111/ejed.70509
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 11
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Rural Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Persistence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Faculty Mobility
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teaching Experience
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Beginning Teachers
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      – SubjectFull: China
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      – TitleFull: Why Is It Difficult to Stay in the Profession? The Life Course of Early-Career Teachers in Rural China
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            NameFull: Sun Haoquan
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            NameFull: Yang Jin
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            NameFull: Bai Xiuli
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              Value: 61
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