Views from the trenches: beginning teachers’ perceptions about their professional development

Abstract

This paper explores the perceptions of primary and secondary school teachers who are currently in their induction phase (i.e. their first three years after graduation). It reports the views of approximately 300 teachers about their professional development. The methodological approach adopted was a questionnaire survey followed by in-depth interviews of around 18 teachers. The results clearly indicate the type of support that beginning teachers in particular need at the start of their teaching career. It provides feedback as to what the education authorities and schools need to focus on in order to support beginning teachers. The essential link between pre-service and continuing professional development is explored and identified as key to quality improvements at the school level.

How Can Schools Support Beginning Teachers? A Call for Timely Induction and Mentoring for Effective Teaching

“…The beginning teachers in this study were focused on varied aspects of teaching and learning but also spoke frequently on induction about the school culture and infrastructure. They noted in their responses broad and specific teaching practices that could advance their assimilation into the new educational environment, noted in other studies (e.g., Beck, Kosnik, & Rowsell, 2007), which also includes classroom management and access to resources (see also Bezzina, 2006: Marable & Raimondi, 2007Parker, 2010).…”

Beginning teachers’ perceptions of their levels of pedagogical knowledge and skills: did they change since their graduation from initial teacher preparation?

“…The quality of a teacher's experience in the initial years of teaching is critical to forming positive attitudes to teaching as a career (Bezzina 2006). Perceptions of inadequacies in knowledge and skills may develop into the sense of disappointment and powerlessness reported by novice teachers (Elliot and Sinlarat 1999).…”

Developing student teachers’ professional identities – An exploratory study

“…It is essential therefore for initial teacher preparation programmes to adequately prepare student teachers to deal with the realities of school culture so that the early years of teaching can be turned into a positive experience where teachers are enabled to grow and develop their skills (Gratch, 2001 [17]; Kelchtermans & Ballet, 2002 [20]). As Bezzina (2006) [2] described it, the 'transition shock' caused by the beginning teachers' realisation about the discrepancy of the real world of teaching and the feeling of lack of preparation for many of the demands that teaching brings can lead to a state of paralysis that renders teachers unable to transfer to the classroom the skills they learned during teacher education. As a result, many beginning teachers become disillusioned, frustrated, lost, and start doubting their career choice and choose even to leave the teaching profession early (Delgado, 1999 [13]).…”