SPECIFICITY OF SELF-REALIZATION OF TEACHERS WITH VARIOUS LENGTH OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Self-actualization and self-realization in modern psychology are considered as the most important indicators of a person’s successful development. At the same time, some studies show that teachers with increasing teaching experience are experiencing more problems with psychological health and self-realization. This article presents the results of an empirical research aimed at establishing the specifics of the self-realization of teachers at different stages of professional activity. A total of 137 teachers (77 women and 59 men) aged 27-60 years took part in the study. According to the length of their pedagogical activity three groups were singled out: the first included 46 teachers with experience from 5 to 10 years, the second group was presented by 46 respondents with an experience of 11-20 years and the third group included 45 teachers with an experience of 25-35 years. As a working hypothesis, it was suggested that the group of teachers with the experience of 11 to 20 years would reveal a more optimal implementation of self-realization, since these teachers have sufficient experience and knowledge on the one hand, and on the other hand they still have some motivation for professionalization and activity. The diagnostic methods included the Multidimensional Questionnaire of Personality Self-Realization (MQPSR) by S.I. Kudinov, the author’s questionnaire “Self-assessment of satisfaction with professional activities” and a free association test. There were revealed some differences in the hierarchical structure of the components of selfrealization in the groups of teachers with different professional experience. It was found that the most optimal self-realization is characteristic of the teachers with 11-20 years of work experience in comparison with other groups. The greatest difficulties in self-realization were revealed in the group of teachers with a work experience of 25-35 years. The results of the questionnaire and the associative test showed that higher satisfaction with professional activity is observed in the first two groups of teachers with experience from 5 to 20 years. At the same time, in the third group of teachers with more than 25 years of work experience there is a tendency to dissatisfaction, and in some cases, extreme dissatisfaction with pedagogical activity. The received results help us to understand some patterns in the successful self-realization of teachers at different stages of their professionalization and can form the basis for the development of psychological support programs.