This thesis aims to gain insight into the lives of teachers of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD). Through collecting a sample of teachers' life stories and analysing these stories in relation to the society in which they are placed, I set out to provide some `real life' examples of why teachers embark upon a career involving problem pupils'. The research I undertook centered around three key questions: a. How does the image a person constructs an EBD teacher as having, affect their motivation to teach? b. How have experiences of educational/ pedagogical challenges shaped their practice? c. How does their view of what it means to have EBD relate to the security, risk and challenge they associate with their work? Answering these questions through the interviews and analysis of these interviews, the life stories told were able to give a personal and subjective flavour to my research. It is through people telling their stories that we are able to gain personal insight into why people chose to focus on EBD education. A certain type of personality seems to fit the image of an EBD teacher, but it is interesting to note how this personality is shaped by the policies and practices it comes into contact with. Through the interview process and the transcription and analysis of these life stories, the impact of narrative research on both the researcher and the researched was recognised. The self-reflection which is promoted through this research allowed the storytellers and myself to look inwards in gaining a better understanding of our motivation and our true selves. The study provided me with a unique opportunity to give voice to teachers within an EBD environment. These voices shed light on the mysterious motivation and appreciation they have concerning the world of EBD education