Aguiting, Chase

Ologenio, Nixie
Pe Benito, Karina
Wong, Wongy
HW8: KJ Analysis
The results presented aim to outline the factors that lead one into teaching. Data was analysed
using the KJ analysis method, with five themes, each containing two or three categories, being surfaced:
(1) perceived personal benefits, (2) interest and competence, (3) desire for social change, (4) external
influences, and (5) social environment in the workplace. Under perceived personal benefits are the
categories of lifestyle, and convenience in time. In interest and competence, the categories listed are
interest in teaching, interest in school and learning, and skills for teaching. Under desire for social change
are desire to make a positive change, dissatisfaction with the education system, and need for teachers. For
external influences, the categories included are role models, family of educators, and past experiences
with teaching and children. Lastly, under social environment in the workplace are love for working with
children and students, and love for working with people. These are shown in Table 1.
Table 1

Factors that Lead Individuals into Teaching

Category
Perceived Personal Benefits
Convenience in Time
Lifestyle
Interest and Competence
Skill
Interest in School and Learning
Interest in Teaching
Desire for Social Change
Need for teachers
Desire to make a positive change
Dissatisfaction with the current education system
External Influences
Role models
Family of Educators
Past experiences with teaching and children
Social Environment in the Workplace
Love for working with children and students
Love for working with people

The first theme, Perceived Personal Benefits, reflects the individuals perceived external gains
or rewards when the individual opts to become a teacher. Participants had expressed their choice to be
affected by the Convenience in Terms of Time. Participant No. 282 stated that they liked the idea of
time off during holidays and summers. Other participants also expressed their choice to be affected by
the certain kind of Lifestyle attached with being a teacher or an educator. For example, Participant No.
250 said that what had led them into teaching was, the life style it affords.

The second theme, Interest and Competence, reflects that one's capacities are considered when
thinking of an occupation. additionally, it also reflects that what one finds enjoyable to do becomes part of
the decision making process for choosing a profession because, perhaps, interest aids the person in
fulfilling their job. There are three factors classified under this theme. Firstly, Skill means the ability to
perform certain tasks. Participants indicated their skillfulness in many different aspects. For example,
Participant No. 204 claimed to be good at making complicated topics simple to understand. Some
participants gave more specific skills like Participant No. 256 who mentioned that musical talent was
one of the major features related to his or her decision. Secondly, Interest in School and Learning was
included in this second theme because many of the respondents expressed their want to share their love
of reading, or love for math and problem solving (Participant 178, 206). Lastly, participants made
remarks about their Interest in Teaching. Participant No. 240 simply stated that a love of teaching was
partly a factor.
The third theme, which is the Desire for Social Change, reflects that the outcomes of what a
person's job is and its implications on a group/community/society are important determinants of
profession. Some participants had mentioned that a factor to their becoming educators was in order to
Satisfy the Need for Teachers. Participant No. 176 stated that, [in] the early 1970s, there was a need for
teachers. Participants also stated their Desire to Make a Positive Change, especially in the lives of their
students. An example of this is how Participant No. 217 said, teaching was a profession where I could
make an impact. Other participants also expressed their Dissatisfaction with the Current Education
System, like how Participant No. 372 talked about how they also had some very poor teachers.
The next theme is External Factors. This theme reflects that ones decision or choice to go into
teaching may be influenced through outside or external factors. Factors such as past experiences or
exposure to positive education-related people, things or experiences help determine profession. This
theme looks at Role models, Family of educators, and Past experiences with teaching and children as
possible factors that may have influenced individuals to take up teaching as a profession. Under External
Factors is the presence of Role Models in the life of the individual early on. These could either be
previous teachers, or educators who had inspired them. Participant No. 222 said, My teachers that I had
going through school led me into teaching. I had several good teachers throughout my schooling. Also
under External Factors is the background of having a Family of Educators. Participants stated that having
family members like their mothers of their fathers as educators had influenced them to make the decision
of becoming teachers, similar to what Participant No. 253 said: [My] mother and father were both
teachers. Lastly, under External Factors is having Past Experiences with Teachers and Children.
Participant No. 231 stated that one of the factors that led him or her into teaching was his or her previous
job as an aide at a junior high school.
The last theme, which is Social Environment in the Workplace, reflects that individuals are
affected by the kind of environment in their workplace. If the individual is comfortable in the
environment or enjoys the company he or she is surrounded by, then that could strengthen their choice for
a certain profession. Subsumed under the Social Environment in the Workplace is the individuals Love
for Working with Children, where Participant No. 233 states, I think there is something very special
about being able to watch a child grow in knowledge. I am amazed at young minds. Also subsumed
under the Social Environment is the individuals Love for Working with People, referring to other people

in the workplace besides the students. Participant No. 319 mentioned, [the] desire to be a principal and
the connection with students and staff.
In sum, there are five major themes seen in the data in response to the question, What are the
major factors that lead you into teaching? It is seen that there are a multitude of reasons why individuals
choose to become educators, and the reasons are also taken from different dimensions. For example, some
individuals made that choice due to influences from the external environment, while some made the
choice due to their preferences. While it is difficult to make encompassing assumptions and conclusions
from the data, it is apparent that there is a breadth in factors as to how individuals became educators.

Appendix

Factors for Becoming a Teacher