Between gate-keeping and support: teachers’ perception of their role in transition

Abstract

This article discusses how teachers perceive their role in supporting and guiding students in transitions. Do teachers see themselves more as gatekeepers or as supporters? The analysis draws upon qualitative data collected in Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and Finland. Based on the analysis of teachers' interviews, we developed three constellations of how teachers perceive their role in relation to supporting students: support focused on employability, support focused on access and opportunities, and support focused on students' well-being. We found that teachers tend to find a balance between all three constellations, but also that the education system (differentiated vs. comprehensive), patterns of collaboration with other youth professionals, and labor market conditions all influence their role.

Principals’ and Mentors’ Shared Responsibilities in Induction of Beginning Teachers

“…Induction refers to the new teacher's transition from novice to professional; it is a systematic process (embedded in a healthy school climate) that meets new teachers' personal and professional needs (Bickmore & Bickmore, 2010;Bullough, 2012;Cuconato et al, 2015). Induction is aimed at improving the performance of beginning teachers, ensuring that capable novices remain in the teaching profession.…”

Professional linkages at the transition to school: Boundaries and linked ecologies

“…While much research has investigated transitions to school, relatively little consideration has been given to educators’ perceptions of their professional roles and identities at this time. Drawing on a study of secondary school teachers (Cuconato et al., 2015) we consider three professional identities for educators as they engage in transition to school work.…”

“…Key roles for educators who enact this identity at times of transition to school involve promoting holistic approaches to education and helping children and families manage change. While each of these identities is described separately, Cuconato et al. (2015) emphasise the context dependent nature of these, and the notion that professional identity is fluid, rather than fixed.…”

Who knows? Youth work and the mise-en-scene: reframing pedagogies of youth participation

“…In developing this argument and understanding the role of the youth workers, we have been drawn too to explore the connections between the researcher's role and that of the youth workers. We therefore turn now to a brief discussion of the gatekeeper role (Stone, 1992;Cuconato et al, 2015) in a reflexive turn which then informs the final discussion of the role of the youth worker, who operates also in a somewhat liminal space.…”