A study on childless elementary and junior high school female teachers’ conceptualization and realization of motherhood

• Main Authors: KUAN-JUNG TSENG, 曾冠蓉
• Other Authors: Chiao-Ling Yang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/09165828204223423285

碩士 === 高雄師範大學 === 教育學系 === 98 === The goal of this research is to study the conceptualization and realization of motherhood for childless elementary and junior high school female teachers. It also analyzes the interaction and interference between the roles of mothers and teachers. The research will present the ideology construction, future plan, and feedback between being a faculty and a mother from childless female teachers. It is hoped that the research will provide a rethinking path for childless female teachers on the conceptualization and realization of motherhood. The research uses qualitative semi-structured interviews as the main method and bases the samples on the research question. Ten childless female teachers from elementary and junior high schools are picked as the targets of research. Data analysis decodes theoretical, qualitative data to form the final structure. By interviewing relative research questions, conclusions are drawn by analyzing the participants’ thoughts: I. Image of motherhood: the only choice for family and workplace The core value of motherhood comes from the paternal family and the society still holds a stereotype image on female teachers. This deepens the link between being a teacher, a mother, and a female. Regardless being in a family or the job market, all women are pushed into the only choice that is socially expected – motherhood. II. Rational consideration: a tool to resist the maternal family The concept of motherhood is torn between the traditional gender division of labor and the modern relationship of equality and reciprocity. Sharing the responsibilities of caring and nurturing the young between the genders is simply not feasible. Therefore, the women tend to use rational considerations to disguise conservativeness and to resist marriage anxiety, reproduction responsibility, family shackles, upbringing labor, and the binding of household chores. III. Stereotype: key element in breaking the sex barrier Both the society and the female teachers hold stereotype images on gender characteristics. They tend to view the idea of a faculty as synonymous with being a mother. They also rationalize the choices different genders make in the workplace. The idea of elementary school teachers being female is set in stone and also affects the differentiation between gender-roles on teaching and upbringing. IV. Teacher’s professionalism: realization of the caring value of motherhood When the idea of motherhood infiltrates the role of an educator, female teachers finds self-fulfillment in turning the regrets of being childless into positive momentum in teaching. However, they also suffer from being exhausted and have to face the dilemma of being childless and being an educator at the same time. V. Ethical standards: hindrance on future motherhood plans The role of an educator is deeply rooted in social expectations. On the one hand, they have to uphold the highest ethical standards. This accelerates the pressure of giving birth. On the other hand, they are hindered by this very ethical standard and this limits the possibility for planning future motherhood. In conclusion, six aspects have come from the research in this intertwined circle of family, education, and society to provide for future research. The first is social support for family and work. Secondly, we need to break the gender-segregated upbringing ideology. Third, the caring value of teachers must be promoted. Fourth, we have to come face-to-face with the pressures teachers face. Fifth, the gender myth of the teacher’s role must be liberated and finally, we need to stress the urgent needs of communication routes in society. Keywords: childless, female teacher, faculty, motherhood