Attitude of senior pupils of psychology and pedagogy classes to the teaching profession: results of a sociological survey
Abstract. The article examines the attitudes of senior pupils towards the teaching profession. Theoretical approaches to understanding social attitudes and the influence of this phenomenon on the choice of a future profession are analyzed. The article presents the results of an empirical study aimed at identifying the level of prestige of the teaching profession and the components of the prestige of the profession according to senior pupils. Based on the data obtained, conclusions are made and regional support measures are described that contribute to increasing the prestige of the teaching profession. The results of the study demonstrate the pluralism of opinions expressed by senior pupils. On the one hand, respondents recognize the social significance of the profession. On the other hand, they note such barriers as low income, high psychological tension and increased responsibility for their students. The results of this study correspond to the trends presented in the achievements obtained by other researchers. The practical significance of the paper lies in obtaining up-to-date data on the attitude of students of psychological and pedagogical classes towards the teaching profession. The findings can be used in educational policy, career guidance work and programs for the development of human resources in the education system. The significant number of respondents’ answers, which revealed difficulties in defining their own preferences or the absence of a clear position, as revealed by the survey, indicates, as the authors believe, the inadequacy of career guidance work and at the same time determines its prospective directions.