Auburn University College of Education and Christopher Newport University researchers highlight purpose behind teaching in new national survey

Auburn University College of Education Associate Professor David Marshall, left, and Christopher Newport University Associate Professor Tim Pressley are pictured.

At a time when headlines frequently focus on teacher burnout, Auburn University College of Education Associate Professor David Marshall and Christopher Newport University Associate Professor Tim Pressley are helping reframe the national conversation — spotlighting the enduring purpose that continues to drive educators across the country.

Through a national survey led by Marshall and Pressley, responses were recently gathered from nearly 600 teachers across the United States, asking a simple but powerful question: Why do you teach?

The findings, which also informed a recent co-authored op-ed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, reveal a profession grounded not only in challenges, but in deep personal motivation and commitment to students, subject matter and community. While teachers openly acknowledged concerns about workload, student behavior and administrative demands, their responses ultimately pointed to something more lasting: a clear sense of purpose.

“Spend a few minutes on social media or reading education news, and you’ll find no shortage of stories about teacher burnout,” Marshall and Pressley noted in their op-ed. "Teachers are frustrated by student behavior. They are overwhelmed by paperwork and administrative requirements. Many feel underappreciated, and some are leaving the profession altogether. Much of that is true."

But the answers Marshall and Pressley collected in their recent survey painted a remarkably hopeful picture. After reviewing the responses, four central themes emerged, offering deeper insight into what continues to inspire educators despite widely documented challenges.

"Much of the public conversation about education focuses on curriculum, testing, funding, technology or politics,” their op-ed stated. "Those issues matter. But for many teachers, the work is still fundamentally about people and communities. The challenges facing the profession are real. In the same survey, teachers reported concerns about student behavior, workload, administrative burdens and a host of other issues. Yet, what stood out most was not frustration. It was a purpose."

For some teachers, the motivation begins with a passion for their subject area — whether mathematics, science, literature, music or another field of study — and a desire to share that enthusiasm with students. These educators see teaching as an opportunity to introduce students to disciplines that have shaped their own lives, bringing content to life in meaningful and lasting ways.

Others pointed to relationships with students as the driving force behind their work. These teachers emphasized the importance of daily interactions, mentorship and the ability to support students as individuals — not simply as test scores or performance metrics, but as young people with unique strengths, challenges and potential.

Marshall and Pressley noted that "One elementary teacher from Indiana put it simply: 'I teach because I love working with kids and helping them learn.’"

A third group described their role in terms of broader impact, recognizing education as a profession centered on preparing the next generation. For these educators, teaching extends beyond classroom instruction to include helping students develop the knowledge, critical thinking skills and character needed to succeed as adults and contribute meaningfully to society.

Finally, many respondents connected their work to a sense of community. Teachers described their role as a way to give back, often inspired by educators who shaped their own lives, and as a form of public service that strengthens schools as essential institutions within their communities. For these individuals, teaching is not just a career, but a commitment to investing in the places and people around them.

One teacher from Florida wrote in the survey, "I want to be the resource for my community that I had growing up."

Together, these themes highlight a profession that, while challenged, remains deeply rooted in purpose. The findings suggest that even amid ongoing concerns, many teachers continue to find meaning in their work through the relationships they build, the knowledge they share and the impact they have on future generations.

The findings underscore a more nuanced view of the profession — one that acknowledges both its challenges and its purpose, and one that reinforces the importance of supporting educators in ways that sustain that sense of purpose over time.

“This is good news not just for schools, but for all of us,” Marshall and Pressley stated in their analysis.

The survey builds on a growing body of research led by Marshall and Pressley, whose collaborative work continues to inform national conversations around teacher experiences, policy and practice, offering research-based insights that elevate both the challenges and the enduring motivations of today’s educators.