NEWS – An update on the ‘Teachers like Us’ research project by Dr. Holly Joseph (Associate Professor of Language Education and Literacy Development, University of Reading) and Dr. Nasreen Majid (Associate Professor of Education, University of Reading)

Dr. Holly Joseph (Associate Professor of Language Education and Literacy Development) and Dr. Nasreen Majid (Associate Professor of Education) at the University of Reading are both co-leading a research project, entitled ‘Teachers Like Us’. This year-long project received internal funding (£750) from the BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) Steering Group at the University of Reading’s Institute of Education in November 2021.

The aims of the project are to understand the lived experiences of BAME students at secondary schools and what their aspirations are for the future. The research will explore whether they see themselves going to university and pursuing a career in teaching. A recent study by the UCL Institute of Education illustrated that 48% of English schools have no BAME teachers. This study hopes to understand whether students from a BAME background see teaching as a career path but see barriers in achieving this or they choose to go into other career paths because teaching is not a desirable profession for them.

The project is now live, and data is being collected via focus groups. The results will be collated and analysed with the support of a funded-UROP placement. Both Dr. Joseph and Dr. Majid hope to share the findings in the Autumn term. The results will shed light into this important area and understand the barriers faced by BAME students in pursuing a career in teaching.

 

To learn more about Dr. Joseph’s research interests, click here. She tweets at @drhollyjoseph.

To learn more about Dr. Majid’s research interests, click here. She tweets at @DrMajid_nasreen.