PREDICTING TEACHER COMMITMENT

An empirical investigation was made of a model for predicting commitme nt to teaching, as measured by the extent to which teachers expressed an unwillingness to change careers. Predictor variables included perso nal variables as well as job-related factors. Data are reported from 1 75 teachers who had completed their preservice training at an Israeli teachers college over a ten-year period. Results indicated that only j ob satisfaction could directly predict commitment. Other factors, such as professional self-image, abilities, gender, job advancement, and p upil grade level were indirectly related, generally through their rela tionship with satisfaction. Teaching experience was unrelated to other variables in the model. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.