Career stories of Israeli teachers who left teaching: a salutogenic view of teacher attrition

Many countries experience a high percentage of teachers who leave the profession before retirement. Most of the explanations, such as teacher burnout, adopt a pathogenic point of view which perceives attrition as a negative work outcome. In contrast, the qualitative project that this article is based on, which characterizes the career decision-making processes of 34 Israeli teachers, adopts a salutogenic perspective. This view allows for approaching attrition as a career decision which reflects the meaning teachers attach to their work. Drawing on a model which identifies three orientations toward work (job, calling and career), this article describes career stories of teachers who left teaching in order to illustrate how their work orientation shaped their decision.