Do you think teachers are similar to coaches, pastors or something else? It depends on where you live
Across three countries, people agree that teaching is centered on the teacher-student relationship. But they don’t agree on which profession teaching most resembles.
Across the United States, England, and Australia, people agree that teachers are most similar to coaches when considering comparable professions. This conclusion emerged from a survey of over 3,000 individuals conducted between May 2025 and March 2026. While coaching was the most frequently chosen answer, it varied slightly across the three countries.
In England and Australia, respondents often compared teaching to nursing and social work, roles that involve caregiving and professional support. Conversely, U.S. respondents were more likely to liken teaching to being a parent or a religious figure such as a pastor or clergy member. Regardless of the country, the survey consistently revealed that teaching is primarily associated with a caring relationship between the teacher and the student.
This finding aligns with previous research on how people from different political backgrounds in the United States view teaching. The survey results suggest that, despite differences in education systems and cultural norms, people in these countries emphasized the importance of relationships in teaching. Interestingly, artificial intelligence did not feature prominently in people's descriptions of teaching, despite its significant role in current educational debates.
This absence highlights the disconnect between public perceptions and the ongoing discussions surrounding AI's impact on education.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
