Denial and Distortion of Instrumental and Intrinsic Value in the Teaching of Science and English: its impact upon fifteen Year 10 teachers

This article focuses on the impact of schooling on teachers through an exploration of the teaching of Science and English to Year 10 pupils in a metropolitan area in the north of England. Data was collected from 15 case studies through semi-structured interviews with the teacher, a lesson observation, and a post-observation interview with a sample of pupils. The analysis revealed a denial of intrinsic value, and the distortion of instrumental value contributing to the mortification of the teachers’ substantial self. Denial, distortion and mortification are not found in all the case studies, but to a significant extent in 11 of these. The four exceptions were all teachers of English. If teaching is to be an attractive occupation and retention of staff is to be improved, particularly for science teachers, then issues of intrinsic and instrumental value need to be addressed along with the debilitating effects of mortification.