Begin with the End in Mind: A Phenomenological Understanding of How Teachers Conceptualize the Purpose of Education

Abstract

Educational reform efforts strive to improve the educational experience for students in the United States; however, there is no clearly articulated purpose for public education in the United States beyond making students “college and career ready,” an ambiguous and vague goal. Because of the undefined focus, teachers find themselves struggling to balance competing obligations to serve all the needs of students: academic, emotional, and social. Using a phenomenological research design, this study describes how 16 secondary teachers from a Midwest school district conceptualize the purpose of education and use it to guide decisions in their classroom. Data were collected through two in-depth, semi-structured interviews with each participant. Teachers have a complex purpose for education – to provide more for students than to simply transmit content. The common purpose that emerged among the participants was that education should prepare students to succeed beyond high school. Specific themes explain the challenges participants experienced in implementing their purpose and what alignment or divergence they perceived with the purpose of other educational decision-makers. Understanding what teachers believe to be the purpose of education has implications for other teachers, educational leaders, and teacher preparation programs.