Rory Mc Daid

Global skilled labour migration has grown greatly in recent years (OECD 2024b) and increased teacher migration is part of this phenomenon. The advent of the global education industry (Lubienski, St...

In an era of large-scale and increasing cross-border mobility, a key question arises: how can we support migrant and internationally educated teachers (IETs) (Krause, Proyer, and Kremsner 2023; Sch...

In this conceptual paper, we argue that teacher diversity ought to be recognised as an essential component of equitable and inclusive learning environments in schools. Despite growing agreement regarding the desirability of greater teacher diversity, teachers’ social and cultural backgrounds have been underaddressed in learning environments research and in equity-related policies. Dominant discourses focus on technical aspects of curriculum, pedagogy, and school policy, often reducing teachers to a neutral (or homogeneous) group of highly trained, yet interchangeable professionals. The lack of attention to who the teachers are, and to the complex identity dynamics shaping learning and teaching experiences, constrains discussions and initiatives, hindering progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 and its commitment to deliver ‘inclusive and equitable quality education for all’. By leveraging conceptualisations of equity and inclusion, various learning, sociological, and social psychological theories, and insights from teacher diversity research, we offer a multi-dimensional interdisciplinary conceptual framework that illustrates the multiple ways in which teachers from underrepresented groups, that is, from working class backgrounds, migrant and minority-ethnic groups, the LGBTQI + community, and those with disabilities, can contribute to the creation of more equitable and inclusive learning environments. Following our justification for the critical role of teacher diversity, we explore the persistent homogeneity within the teaching profession, identifying majority-oriented school cultures as a principal barrier to genuine equity and inclusion for educators and students. Through this conceptual exploration, we aim to foster a greater emphasis on, and deeper investigation into, teachers’ backgrounds and diversity in learning environments research, and in policies and guidelines related to educational equity and inclusion.

This chapter reports on the experiences and opinions of minority ethnic children in two Irish post-primary schools regarding teacher ethnic diversity. Qualitative data were generated through six focus group interviews with 33 students, who had spent at least 6 months in the Irish education system and were in their last 3 years of post-primary school. The key findings include that, while the students were concerned about the issue of teacher ethnicity, they had a stronger focus on the quality of teaching and learning and the need for culturally responsive teachers, regardless of ethnicity. This latter point was particularly significant because, while the students generally reported positive experiences of education in Ireland, many recounted experiences of racism in their daily schooling. The authors conclude that, although increased teacher ethnic diversity is important, it is not a panacea to address such experiences.

In this chapter, we explore policy development and empirical research about teacher diversity over the last century in Ireland. We trace the journey from a primarily religious teaching population in the early decades of the Republic, to a predominantly ‘lay’ (non-religious) teaching body following the expansion of post-primary education in the 1960s, to the current day where we continue to observe a lack of diversity in the teaching population. Through our discussion, we highlight key developments in policy, and research findings from key empirical studies, culminating in the landmark development in teacher diversity policy through the Higher Education Authority’s Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH): Strand 1 (Equity of Access to Initial Teacher Education) (PATH1). We then briefly consider recent teacher diversity research in Ireland before ending with a summary overview of current PATH1 projects.

Following the discussion in Chapter 18 of key themes in the research on teacher diversity presented in this volume, in this concluding chapter, we reflect on the implications for education policy and practice. We reconsider and discuss barriers to teacher diversity across the career pathway, recognising, in particular, the persistent challenge of majority group normativity and privilege that permeates cultures and practices in schools and teacher education. To conclude the volume, we present our vision for the future and offer key principles and associated actions to guide the development of ethical approaches to teacher diversity.

This edited volume is about diversifying the teaching profession. It is unique in its inclusion of multiple dimensions of diversity; its chapters focus on a wide range of under-represented groups, including those from lower socio-economic groups, Black and minority ethnic groups, migrants, the Travelling community, the Deaf community, the LGBTQI+ community and those of mature age. The book includes contributions from Australia, England, Iceland, Portugal and Scotland, as well as a number of chapters from the Irish context, mostly emanating from projects funded under Ireland’s Higher Education Authority’s Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH): Strand 1—Equity of Access to Initial Teacher Education. The book also critically engages the rationale for diversifying the profession, arguing not only that representation still matters, but also that ultimately teacher diversity work needs to encompass system transformation to achieve a diverse, equitable and inclusive teaching profession.

The recruitment and integration of migrant or minority ethnic teachers has been identified as an important policy objective both nationally and internationally. Despite these clear policy aims, there remains a persistent lack of diversity in the teaching profession internationally and in Ireland. Migrant teachers currently residing in Ireland may provide some of this diversification. This chapter reports on data generated by an online questionnaire as part of a larger mixed methods research project devised to analyse the needs of migrant teachers in Ireland. Drawing on data from a sample of 240 migrant teachers, the results point to a rich reservoir of potential teachers currently residing in Ireland and identify some of the key barriers experienced by this population as they consider teaching as a career in Ireland.

In this chapter, we summarise and synthesise core ideas, arguments, and research findings from Sections I and II of this volume, across five key themes relating to motivation to teach, barriers to teaching, being an authentically present teacher, the impact of teacher diversity initiatives and absent voices and perspectives. Through critical interrogation of these themes, this chapter informs the ongoing development of the rationale for diversifying the teaching profession and establishes a research-led foundation to inform the future of praxis in the field.

In this introductory chapter, we commence by situating the drive to diversify the teaching profession within the wider policy context of widening participation in higher education and into the professions. Employing Childs et al.’s concept of ‘double equity’ (in and through admissions), we explicate why patterns of homogeneity in the teaching profession are problematic and posit our rationale for diversification. Next, we briefly explore teacher diversity policies and initiatives internationally, considering the groups who are prioritised, and problematising exclusionary approaches. We then briefly explore the main foci of teacher diversity-related research internationally, noting the emphasis on minority ethnic groups. Finally, in the last section, we preview the edited volume.