Chapter 6: Korean Americans in the Teaching Profession

Current research shows that most Asian Americans do not pursue a career in teaching. The purpose of this study was to examine a sample of 56 Korean American teachers, mostly from the Los Angeles area, who did become teachers. Through e-interviews, these individuals described the positive factors that motivated them to become teachers. The specific research questions in this study deal with the teachers’ perceptions of Korean American community views on teaching as a career, parents’ expectations, friends’ views, support from teacher networks, the influence of Korean American community institutions, and the increasing numbers of Korean American teachers.