Perceptions of the Teaching Profession from Past to Present: A Metaphorical Analysis

Abstract

This study, aims to reveal pre-service teachers’ metaphorical perceptions regarding the concept of “teaching” and to identify the positive and negative characteristics they observed in teachers with whom they had interacted. The study was designed using a qualitative research model, and data were collected from 105 pre-service teachers through open-ended questions. The metaphors produced by the participants were analyzed through content analysis and categorized under three main themes: “concrete person,” “concrete object,” and “abstract object.” The findings reveal that pre-service teachers perceive teaching as a guiding, nurturing, directing, and inspiring figure. Furthermore, drawing from their past experiences, participants emphasized individual attention, communication skills, and energetic attitudes as prominent features of their favorite teachers, while injustice, aggressiveness, and indifference were highlighted as negative traits of less favored teachers. Due to the predominance of female participants, emotional attributes stood out, suggesting that perceptions of the teaching profession may vary within a gendered context. The results indicate the necessity of fostering empathetic, fair, and supportive teacher qualities in teacher education programs.