Success - what is it? What does it depend on? Teachers opinions on success

The article deals with problem of teachers' success source definitions and elements which could help to achieve success. There was made assumption that description of main used categories which - in teachers view - help people in achieving success and comparing this description to the rest of society point of view, could be useful in understanding teaching strategies as well as been a source of interesting sociological knowledge. Analysis of data from the Polish General Social Survey between 1992 and 2002 shows that teachers, similar to the rest of society, see success sources mainly in individual abilities and activity (ambition, hard work). At the same time an increasing importance of factors is noted that could be associated with social stratification - mainly family income and parents' education level.