Reasons Pre-service Teachers Choose Secondary Social Studies at Three Mid-West Institutions

Abstract

Why do pre-service teachers choose to teach social studies? Do they do so because of respect for an interest in the subject matter and profession? Or does the widely held perception that teaching this content is often linked to coaching lead some students to enter the field primarily to coach and view teaching social studies as a means to this end? In order to examine these questions, a survey was administered to preservice teachers in methods courses at Ball State University, Kansas State University, and the University of Northern Iowa. Analysis of student responses to this questionnaire indicate that advanced pre-service teachers are interested in the content and attracted by the importance of the profession rather than ranking the desire to coach as a significant motive in their choice of career.