הגורמים המשפיעים על הצטרפות לתכנית להכשרת מצטיינים להוראה – חקר מקרה

This article examines the factors influencing individuals to enroll in a prestigious teacher education program for excellent students. The high standards are reflected in the candidate's outstanding academic records, as well as in scholarship and in an accelerated academic track. Twenty-four students, the entire graduating class of the program, were interviewed in two in-depth interviews, and a four-stage analysis of their stories was conducted. The findings reveal four interconnected factors relating to the students' motivation and decisions to enter teaching. Three of the factors are the "facilitating factor", the "perception of the desirable", and "extrinsic rewards". The fourth and most influential factor is the belief that a teaching career boosts self esteem. The findings suggest a target population worthy of recruitment to teacher education programs in general and teaching programs for liberal arts subjects in particular