"Learning Is not the Main Thing; The Main Thing Is to Be Human": Teacher Identity in Vocational Schools in Israel

Context: In light of previous studies, which emphasize vocational schools' singularity and their link to matters of social stratification (Shavit & Müller, 2000), examining teachers’ identity in these schools is of critical importance. This study, which engages in Israeli vocational school teachers' identity, poses two main questions: How do vocational school teachers define their role? How do these definitions and descriptions relate to educational stratification and social inequality? Methods: Seventeen teachers working in vocational schools in Israel were interviewed and were asked to describe their teaching role and teaching experience. The data were analyzed using IPA (Interpretative phenomenological analysis) principles. Findings: The findings revealed that teachers view vocational school students as "at-risk youth" and suffering from an array of emotional vulnerabilities. The school was described as a "residual space" for students who had dropped out of several "regular" schools. Consequently, the teachers described their work as requiring therapy and caring to a greater extent than teaching academic knowledge. Conclusions: For a deeper understanding of teacher identity, we propose distinguishing between types of educational care. The discussion addresses the implications of care ethics for educational stratification.