The Different Forms of Capital of Primary School Teachers

As Bourdieu states, an individual is characterized by three fundamental dimensions:

economic, cultural, and social Capital, and the overall constellation of individuals (the upper, middle, and popular classes combined) is such that its two principal axes are the volume of capital and the structure of capital. The last dimensions are evolution over time and their place in the social dimension. Hence, for this chapter, which comprises the use of the interviews with the teachers, I classify the results according to these three forms of capital, and I add inherited capital as was explained in relation to Bourdieu’s theories.

Each dimension can be characterized by volume and structure.

Thus, in this chapter, I refer to the volume and structure of capital. The structure represents the respective part of each form of capital and what they comprise. Each form of capital then has a greater or lesser volume. For example, it can be said that intellectuals often have a large volume of cultural capital and a low volume of economic capital. The opposite can be true when it comes to merchant, for example. Hence, in the end, they have global capital that is more or less important because of its volume.

1. Cultural Capital

Cultural capital can be defined in three forms. The embodied form is often defined by the cultural habitus, and relates more to the next chapter of this study as it is a form that is often transmitted and therefore relates to education and family. The second form is the objectified form which relates, as its name indicates, to the possession of cultural goods as well as to familiarity with these cultural goods. It is therefore a form that can be transformed into economic capital. The last form is the institutionalized form, which is mainly represented school titles. These three forms are not really defined in Distinction.

This is why, although I provide examples of each in these results, this chapter is not divided into three sections. However, I will remind the reader when a particular form appears.

Considering what is referred to as institutional cultural capital, in this study, all

respondents have the same level of education: a master’s degree, that is, five years of study following graduation from high school. The master’s degree obtained is that relating to the training of teachers, the MEEF.²

I had a first year of MEEF masters that I had at ESPE in Marseille. It means

“work teaching education training.” Then I had the second year of MEEF as part-time training, I was at university for two days and in school training with grade 5 students for two days. During this training we were paid. Only the second year of MEEF is compulsory. It’s a kind of mandatory training.

(Interviewee 1, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

It should be noted that today it is compulsory to have at least a graduate degree in order to pass the school teacher examination. It is also of interest to note that all of the interviewees had initially graduated with a language degree (English, Spanish, and Italian). This shows that the teaching profession seems to correspond with people with a

“literary” profile who are often associated with a higher cultural level than the others (in the French case). This is confirmed, for example, in the INSEE study (2003), which shows that 78% of new teachers at schools have a humanities and language major.

Then I went to university where I took English as my major. So, basically, I had FLE courses (teaching French to foreigners) because I wanted to be a French teacher but in an English-speaking country. But, finally, I very quickly dropped the idea because of the FLE class teacher, I could not stand her. And she was the only teacher so I knew it would be her until the masters, which would have been impossible to bear it. (Interviewee 2, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

2 To become a elementary school teacher, it is advisable, after a license, to follow the formation of the master MEEF specialized in the trades of the teaching of the education and the formation. (But it is also possible to follow any other first year of master). This training integrates in its courses oriented to the practice of the profession a preparation for the contest of recruitment of the teachers.

To teach at elementary school, they must have passed the PERC recruitment competition. This is an academic competition. The competitions are organized at the end of the first year of the master's degree.

Once in the competition, the laureates are appointed teachers of the trainee schools and assigned to

I had an Italian degree that I got with honors. I did it in three years at the faculty in Aix-Marseille. Then, I had the first year of MEEF at ESPE of Marseille. (Interviewee 5, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

However, it can be noted that the only man interviewed had a different educational background—he has taken scientific and non-literary subjects.

When I arrived in high school, I choose to specialize in science, I got my high school degree with honor pretty easily. After that I went on to a science degree at university, I did a neuroscience course. I got it with honors too.

(Interviewee 3, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

Within their profession, however, it can be noted that the volume of the cultural level does not imply a better position in the profession. Indeed, it is seniority that plays a key role in the profession of the teacher. One of the interviewees explains:

My goal at first was to have my place in a good national school, but national education in France it works with points, that is to say that you achieve points with seniority, if you are married (1 point), if you have children (2) and if you are handicapped (1,000 points). I’m not disabled, unfortunately. (Interviewee 2, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

Since the teachers selected for this study were all quite young, their seniority was relatively low, which means that a choice of school was not possible.

Personally, I prefer kindergartens, I find it more fun to teach very young kids.

I would like to continue in this kind of class and avoid grades 4 and 5.

Unfortunately I cannot choose the level of the class I want at the moment.

(Interviewee 4, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

2. Economic Capital

The incomes of young teachers interviewed ranged from 1,700 euros to 2,200 per month, or about 55,000 to 70,000 Taiwanese dollars. In France, such a salary is considered to be a low to medium one. Moreover, during the interviews, most of the interviewees complained that they were not paid well enough, especially relative to the work they provided in class.

I think that the profession of school teacher is a profession that is underestimated, that we believe to be easy and for “anyone.” Yet I do more than 35 hours a week, if we count the preparation of classes at home, corrections, projects set up in class. I also think that the salary is not enough for the job. (Interviewee 5, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

However, some interviewees are not so categorical about salaries, especially the youngest interviewee who still lived with her parents and whose everyday costs were lower.

It's my first year as a graduate, last year I was considered a trainee. I had a salary of 1,530 euros a month. And I was paid to be in a class for two days with grade 5s and coworker and two days at the ESPE where we have classes.

Now that I’m not a trainee anymore, my salary is 1,772 euros. But since that I am brigade (a substitute for an absent teacher), well, I have advantages.

Twice I had bonus which amounted to 700 euros. And then I also have travel expenses and risk taking so my salary and around 2100 euros per month. I'm only substituting. I do not have a class on my own. We receive a schedule every week to tell us where we are going. I have all the levels of the kindergarten section to grade 5. (Interviewee 1, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

Of course, as can be understood from this interview, the status of this young teacher is particular since she had no class assigned but was considered a brigade, a substitute for other teachers. This can vary from a day to several months, depending on demand. This allows her to receive bonuses that increases her wages. However, her base

salary remains 1,772 euros. Such an occurrence often happens for beginners in the profession who have no seniority in teaching and who can therefore not choose a class.

Most of the people interviewed were very young, as was wanted for this study, but, in consequence, it was difficult to talk with them about real estate. However, they all owned a car, which is quite essential in France and as a teacher.

I do not own real estate. I live at my mother’s house in the district of Bel de Mai in the 3rd district of Marseille. This district is often qualified as disadvantaged and poor. I have my own car, it’s a Suzuki Swift. (Interviewee 2, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

I live at home with my parents, however, I have a Renault Clio car.

(Interviewee 4, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

Two of the respondents (the two oldest) owned property or planned to move to a new property. One had a property he purchased with his wife, one that he considered modest though it still consisted of two bedrooms.

I am the owner of an apartment with two bedrooms and also a 1997 Renault Twingo car. (Interviewee 3, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

The other one has just bought an apartment and seemed quite proud of it. The apartment was not very big though quite sufficient for a single woman.

I just bought a 63m² apartment in Beaumont (Marseille). So yes, I’ll own it in the next few months. (Interviewee 5, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

However, note that despite their salaries, none of the teachers interviewed had considered plans to change the kind of work they did, and none of them seemed to denigrate the profession of teachers; on the contrary, they valued it.

Low wages, huge labor time, but my profession is a vocation for me. I will not give up my work for this reason. (Interviewee 4, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

3. Social Capital

When we refer to social capital, we talk about the relationships we have with the people around us. Here the opinions are mixed. Some people feel surrounded by many friends, others not. For example, interviewee 1 considered that she had a very important circle of friends, including other teachers:

I have a lot of friends. I have different groups of friends that I do not like to mix. Because I assume that all of these groups are different kinds of people.

So, I have my group of teacher friends but I also have a best gay friend. But I also have groups of friends from high school and university. (Interviewee 1, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

However, interviewee 3 though the opposite and even classified colleagues as simple acquaintances who, though, could still be used as social capital.

I would say at the level of friends, if I have a lot? Yes and no. In fact, I need a lot of time before considering someone as a friend. I can have a lot of acquaintances, like in my work, for example, but it's hard for me to see them as friends. (Interviewee 3, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

Their socialization with friends often from the same social class as that to which they think they belong.

I do not have poor friends but rather middle class and quite rich, from their family, but with various social backgrounds and different occupations. But I do not choose my friends for that. (Interviewee 2, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

I think my friends have the same social status as me, it's hard to be friends with someone who has nothing to do socially with you, just meeting them is hard, I think. Interviewee 5, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

None of the teachers spoke of political commitment and, on the contrary, they often confessed to having no interest in political matters.

I do not have a particular political opinion. (Interviewee 4, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

Just one of the interviewees issued an opinion on this; however, it was not a particular commitment to a party; rather, it was a commitment against a party that is often menacing in France today. (The extreme right is often associated with racism, very strong conservatism, etc.)

It’s not that I’m interested in politics, but let’s say I’m trying to find out.

Because I think that, despite everything, politics is quite important; I vote every time. Because for me it is not a right, it is a duty to vote. I do not have a favorite party in particular because I think they are all scammers. But Marine Le Pen and the FN would be the only party to which I will say NO because they have too many extreme ideas. (Interviewee 1, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

4. Inherited Capital

With regard to inherited capital, the interviewees are unanimous about their socio -economic origins. They all thought that they were from unpretentious middle-class families with average incomes and average education.

My mother is an EDF [Electricity of France] accounting officer, so I will say that we are part of the “average” class. She’s been a widow for 20 years so there was only one salary for three, her, my sister, and me. My sister is a caregiver in a hospital. (Interviewee 3, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

The parents of these teachers all have work that can also be described as

“average,” such as being high school teachers or nurses and clerks. There is some influence of the profession of the family member, a transmission from generation to generation.

It’s somewhat a family thing because my father worked in a high school, my grandfather was a steward in a school, and my grandmother was a teacher and then a principal and she ended her career as an inspector. My mother works in high schools. My other grandmother worked in my aunt’s high schools too. (Interviewee 2, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

5. Summary

In concluding this section, it is very clear from them background, salary and amount of capital that all these teachers belong to the middle class and seem to live accordingly.

They are all aware of this status and do not reject it.

I still think I belong to the middle class, as a national education official.

(Interviewee 4, one-to-one interview, December 20, 2018)

Finally, cultural capital does not seem particularly strong or is low in terms of volume and the responses received. The economic capital for the highest salaries is at the French average, since the average monthly salary reached 2,250 euros in 2015 (INSEE 2018). However, almost half of the interviewees had salaries that were below this at the time and, consequentially, had low economic capital.

Social capital is quite difficult to judge in terms of volume, especially since it is variable for everyone. However, it did not seem to have a very important place in the life of the teachers, akin to their lack of interest in politics. There has been some evolution or stagnation for some of them in terms of the social status of parents and theirs today.