A study examined how female elementary school teachers look upon their work, what they value and criticize about their occupation, and how they negotiate their work interests with sex role and family expectations. Research took the form of a case study, and qualitative research methods of participant observation and indepth interviewing were used to collect data over an 8-month period at an elementary school in the northeastern United States. One other school was also studied for a shorter period of time for contrasting purposes. This report centers on the discussions of four major themes which emerged from the data: (1) teachers' understanding of the nature of their careers; (2) importance of autonomy in their work lives; (3) their need for a sense of community among colleagues; and (4) their methods for resolving conflicts. The findings suggest that current understandings of teachers' lives have been limited by stereotypical assumptions about the nature of women. (Author/JMK)