The prestige of the teaching profession in the perception of teachers and former teachers

Teaching is ranked as a prestigious occupation in national opinion polls. However, teachers themselves, when asked about problems at work, reported low wages and the lack of respect from students. The discrepancy between research findings about the social hierarchy of the profession and the perceptions of teachers themselves raises questions about the factors influencing the social image of the teaching profession. This article describes the influences on teachers’ social position, based on individual interviews with current and former teachers.