Bedouin special-education teachers as agents of social change

This study probes the career motives of minority special-education teachers in the Bedouin Arab society of southern Israel. The results, obtained via in-depth interviews of teachers, show that the teachers aspire to become agents of social change in three spheres: In the external sphere, they aim for professional autonomy and independence within the Israeli Arab education system. The internal sphere includes a moral-awareness aspect of their society’s view of special education. The personal sphere includes a practical aspect, in which the teachers wish to upgrade their professional qualifications in order to cope better with challenges that they face in the field.

Research highlights
► This study examined career motives of Bedouin Arab special-education teachers in southern Israel.
► Results: teachers aspired to become agents of social change in three spheres.
► External sphere: professional autonomy and independence within the Israeli Arab education system.
► Internal sphere: moral-awareness of their society’s view of special education.
► Personal sphere: teachers wished to improve their ability to cope with challenges in the field.