Problems of Novice Teachers: Challenges vs. Support

Abstract

Each year thousands of students (novice teachers) get a degree to start teaching. 30% to 50% teachers leave their jobs in the first five years of their carrier around the world. The novice teachers often appear to be in need of helpful feedback in their first years from experienced colleagues and administrators. The goal of this survey was to find out the problems that beginning teachers face in their first years of teaching, and investigate the support they get in these years from their colleagues and administrators. A conclusion is made that beginning teachers are not emotionally and practically ready to face the difficulties of teaching alone. Teachers are having challenges in their first years with classroom management, relational issues with colleagues, students and administrators. They are not getting enough support from their colleagues in the first years, when they especially need it.

Strategies to Improve Teaching Effectiveness of Beginning Teachers in a School Setting

“…He/she cannot enforce discipline among pupils/students because of the fear of disobedience or rudeness by pupils/students (Aitken & Harford, 2011), have difficulties in classroom management (Abdurrahman, 2016;Achistein & Barret, 2004;Lundeen, 2004;Melnick & Meister, 2008;Yalcnkaya, 2002). Also, pupils/students find it easy to disrespect a beginning teacher unlike an old teacher in a school.…”

“…Also, pupils/students find it easy to disrespect a beginning teacher unlike an old teacher in a school. They are often isolated in school (Abdurrahman, 2016;Fry, 2007;Hover & Yeager, 2004), have poor understanding of what is expected of them; are often given workload and extra assignments unprepared for; are not given supplies, materials or equipment to work (Matthews, 2011), and lack the support or help from the experienced teachers or supervisors (Veerman, 1984). Also, they have problem in designing the curriculum and implementing it in given time (Dunn, 2002), cited in Cantu Tijerina and Martinez Sanchez (2006), and in using specific techniques and addressing the needs of each student as an individual (Achistein & Barret, 2004;Lundeen, 2004;Yalcnkaya, 2002).…”

Novice Teachers’ Opinions on Students’ Disruptive Behaviours: A Case Study

“…Similarly, in previous studies conducted by Achinstein (2006), Amada (1994), Day, Stobart, Sammons, & Kington (2006), Mabeba & Prinsloo (2000), Ulvik, Smith & Hellege (2009) the students' disruptive behaviours were shown as the greatest challenge for novice teachers. Furthermore, many modern-day schools consist of numerous children who are psychologically unstable or disturbed and feel discouraged at school (Aitken & Harford, 2011;Karatas & Karaman, 2013;Koca, 2016;Ozturk &Yildirim, 2013;Sari & Altun, 2015). These children display a lack of self-respect and act indifferently toward activities in the classroom (Brandon, 2003).…”

“…Notwithstanding that existing limited studies on the challenges encountered by novice teachers at the beginning of the teaching profession, e.g. Erdemir (2007), Erkoc (2010), Karatas & Karaman (2013), Koca (2016), Korkmaz, Saban, & Akbaslı (2004) and Sarı & Altun (2015), said studies were conducted on disruptive student behaviours. Surveys on disruptive behaviours are usually focused on management skills of teachers in the classroom environment, e.g.…”