Twelve Years On ‐‐ a Longitudinal Study of Teacher Behaviour Continued

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Abstract
This paper is a further instalment of the study begun in 1965. The behaviour of a group of teachers was monitored at intervals over twelve years ‐‐ in 1965, in 1967, in 1972 and in 1977. In 1965, the year they entered teaching, data on the group were collected in the form of: (a) variables from an extensive series of psychological tests, (b) biographical variables,(c) college examination variables. In 1967, in 1972, and again in 1977, ratings of their own satisfaction and dissatisfaction with teaching were obtained, together with the ratings of their head teachers on various aspects of teaching ability. Analysis of the data revealed the continuing relationship between teaching ability and satisfaction, and the presence of unconventional personality characteristics amongst the more successful teachers. While the cumulative emphasis of the data was that practice makes perfect ‐‐ ‘teaching begets teaching’ ‐‐ there was distinct evidence of a fall off in performance between 1972 and 1977 amongst the highest rated group of teachers. The likely effects upon innovation and the professional development (or the lack of it) amongst these teachers are discussed in the light of the findings.

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