Abstract:
This study presents information gathered during personal interviews with dynamic and
capable teachers in the areas of preparedness for teaching, teaching concerns, survival
skills and strategies, and how these teachers support themselves and others in the teaching
profession. The data are related to Purkey and Novak's work on invitational education
and connections are made to Combs' perceptual orientation. Potential participants were
gathered through personal recommendations from their colleagues. All teachers
recommended were approached and asked for voluntary participation. Of those who
agreed to participate, 6 were selected based on gender and years of experience. There
was a male and female participant at each of the following career levels: early, mid, and
late. The 4 major survival skills that became apparent were the ability to believe in
oneself and others, to act decisively upon that belief through personal and professional
goal-setting as well as accessing resources, to actively seek opportunities for interaction
with other professionals, and to celebrate personal and professional successes.
