Motivated for teaching? Associations with school goal structure, teacher self-efficacy, job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion Einar M. Skaalvik a, * , Sidsel Skaalvik b a NTNU Social Research, Norway b Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway highlights  We measured teacher perception of the school goal structure.  A learning structure predicted lower motivation to leave the teaching profession.  This association was mediated through higher self-efficacy and job satisfaction.  A performance structure predicted higher motivation to leave the profession.  This association was mediated through higher workload and emotional exhaustion. article info Article history: Received 29 November 2016 Received in revised form 3 June 2017 Accepted 5 June 2017 abstract We analyzed relations between teachers’ perception of the school goal structure, workload, self-efficacy, emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction, and motivation to leave the teaching profession. Participants were 760 Norwegian teachers from grade 1 to 10. Data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. We found two main routes to motivation to leave, one from the perception of a learning goal structure via teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction, leading to lower motivation to leave, and another from the perception of a performance goal structure via increased workload and emotional exhaustion, leading to higher motivation to leave. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Goal theory is among the most frequently investigated research topics in journals of learning and motivation (Gegenfurtner & Hagenauer, 2013). Most research on goal theory concerns stu- dents' goal orientation. However, some researchers have focused on students' perceptions of the classroom goal structure. The class- room goal structure may be perceived as signals that students receive about what is valued in the school or in particular class- rooms. Research consistently shows that students’ perceptions of a strong learning goal structure are associated with a number of adaptive beliefs and responsesdfor instance, intrinsic motivation (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2013), the feeling of belonging (Walker, 2012), positive relations with peers and teachers (Polychroni, Hatzichristou, & Sideridis, 2012; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2013), an acceptance of challenging tasks (Ames & Archer, 1988), effective learning strategies (Nolen & Haladyna, 1990), help-seeking behavior (Karabenick, 2004; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2013), and effort and persistence (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2013; Wolters, 2004). In comparison, a strong performance goal structure is associated with less adaptive beliefs and behaviorsdfor instance, less positive re- lationships with peers and teachers (Polychroni et al., 2012), the avoidance of help-seeking (Karabenick, 2004; Ryan, Gheen, & Midgley, 1998), lower levels of persistence (Wolters, 2004), and procrastination (Wolters, 2004). It is not only students who receive signals about what is valued in school. Teachers also receive such signals, which may be termed the “school goal structure.” However, despite the interest in class- room goal structure in student research, few studies explore teacher perception of the school goal structure and how it is related to the teachers' experiences of their work. Much of the recent teacher research has been concerned with teacher self-efficacy, job satisfaction, stress, burnout, and attrition. This research reveals that * Corresponding author. NTNU Social Research, Dragvoll All e 38, N-7491 Trond- heim, Norway. E-mail addresses: einar.skaalvik@svt.ntnu.no (E.M. Skaalvik), sidsel.skaalvik@ svt.ntnu.no (S. Skaalvik). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Teaching and Teacher Education journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/tate http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.06.006 0742-051X/© 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Teaching and Teacher Education 67 (2017) 152e160