Teachers' guiding role - On the tension between reflexivity and reproduction

Abstract

In Sweden, study and career guidance is the responsibility of the whole school, which also includes teachers. However, research concerning the role of teachers in study and career guidance is limited if one compares it with the existing research on the role and work of study and career counselors. The overall aim of this article is to provide a deeper understanding of how teachers in a Swedish municipality view their role in guiding students in their future study and career choices. The results show that teachers believe that they must be neutral, objective, and not influence students in their life choices even though they are at the same time aware that not all students have (equal) opportunities to be reflexive and to make choices that are independent of class affiliation. This indicates that teachers have limited possibilities to support their students and to equalize class reproduction in society.

Keywords

• School
• Teachers
• Study and career guidance
• Individualization
• Class reproduction