Why on earth do you want to teach those kids? : insight into the initial and continuing motivation of teachers of children with EBD

ABSTRACT
This thesis aims to gain insight into the lives of teachers
of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD). Through collecting a sample of teachers' life
stories and analysing these stories in relation to the society in which they
are placed, I set out to provide some `real life' examples of why teachers embark upon a career involving problem pupils'.
The research I undertook centered around three key
questions:
a. How does the image a person constructs an
EBD teacher as having, affect their motivation to teach?

b. How have experiences of educational/ pedagogical challenges shaped their practice?

c. How does their view of what
it means to have EBD relate to the security, risk and challenge they associate with their work?

Answering these questions through the interviews and analysis of these interviews, the life stories told were able to give a personal and subjective flavour to my research.
It is through people telling their stories that we are able to gain personal insight into why people chose to focus on EBD education. A certain type of personality seems to fit
the image of an EBD teacher, but it is interesting to note how this personality is shaped by the policies and practices it comes into contact with.
Through the interview process and the transcription and analysis of these life stories, the impact of narrative research on both the researcher and the researched was
recognised.
The self-reflection which is promoted through this
research allowed the storytellers and myself to look inwards in gaining a better understanding of our motivation and our true selves.
The study provided me with a unique opportunity to
give voice to teachers within an EBD environment. These voices shed light on the mysterious motivation and
appreciation they have concerning the world of EBD
education