Concerns of First Year Teachers in Selected Public Schools Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Chicago Loyola eCommons Loyola eCommons Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 1997 Concerns of F[.]
Loyola University Chicago Loyola eCommons Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 1997 Concerns of First-Year Teachers in Selected Public Schools Delores A Price Loyola University Chicago Follow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Price, Delores A., "Concerns of First-Year Teachers in Selected Public Schools" (1997) Dissertations 3660 https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/3660 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Loyola eCommons It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Loyola eCommons For more information, please contact ecommons@luc.edu This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License Copyright © 1997 Delores A Price LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO CONCERNS OF FIRST-YEAR TEACHERS IN SELECTED PUBLIC SCHOOLS A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND POLICY STUDIES BY DELORES A PRICE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS JANUARY, 1997 Copyright by Delores A Price, 1997 All Rights Reserved ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The help and assistance received from so many colleagues, professors and friends is gratefully acknowledged Of particular consideration are the contributions of Dr Max Bailey, dissertation director and advisor His expertise, encouragement and scholarly advice are immensely appreciated Sincere appreciation is extended to committee members, Dr L Arthur Safer and Dr Janis Fine for their service, time and contribution towards the completion of this research Gratitude and appreciation is extended to Valerie Collier for her help in preparing this dissertation for final print The help, contributions and encouragement of family, friends, and associates is also warmly acknowledged In particular, I thank those fifteen first-year teachers, eighteen veteran teachers and fourteen administrators, who enthusiastically supported my endeavor in conducting this research A special thank you is extended to my children: Nicole and Stacy whose encouragement and belief in me has given me the motivation to succeed Nicole, you were with me through the ups and downs and I gratefully share any and all rewards with you Stacy, you always told me that I iii could anything I put my mind to I love you both Finally, I am eternally grateful for the many contributions from my mom and dad, Mary and Joe Johnson and my sister, Annette Barnes iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii LIST OF TABLES vii Chapter I II III IV INTRODUCTION Purpose of the Study Research Questions Procedures of the Study Definition of Terms Limitations of the Study 15 15 16 18 19 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 21 Introduction Historical Perspective Expert and Beginning Teacher Differences Pre-Service Education Anxieties and Concerns of Pre-Service Teachers Problems of Beginning Teachers Classroom Discipline Stages of Beginning Teachers Reality Shock Recent Research 21 21 24 30 33 35 39 41 45 46 DATA AND ANALYSIS 48 Introduction Veteran Teacher Data Administrators Data Comparison of Current Study with Related Research 48 67 72 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 79 Summary Conclusions Recommendations Recommendations for Further Study 79 80 84 88 v 76 Appendix A INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 89 REFERENCES 92 VITA 96 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page First-Year Teacher Reasons for Choosing to Become Teachers 49 First-Year Teacher Areas of Concern 52 Strategies First-Year Teachers Use to Address Stressful Concerns 57 How First-Year Teachers Differ in Their Concerns Based on Gender and School Division 60 Are First-Year Teachers More Concerned With Self Than With Their Pupils? 62 How First-Year Teachers are Influenced by Mentors 63 First-Year Teacher Concerns as Perceived by Veteran Teachers 67 First-Year Teacher Concerns as Perceived by Administrators 72 vii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION I believe the impulse to teach is fundamentally altruistic and represents a desire to share what you value and to empower others Of course, all teachers are not altruistic Some people teach in order to dominate others or to support work they'd rather or simply to earn a living But I am not talking about the job of teaching so much as the calling to teach Most teachers I know, even the most demoralized ones who drag themselves to oppressive and mean schools where their work is not respected and their presence not welcome, have felt that calling at some time in their lives Herbert Kohl Teachers have been studied extensively throughout the last three decades But, in actuality, teachers have probably been studied in America since 1642 The Massachusetts Bay Colony of 1642 provides the earliest known description of educational supervision record This supervision developed through Massachusetts School Law, 1642, which reads (in part): This court, taking into consideration the great neglect of many parents and masters in the training up of their children in learning and labor, and other implements which may be profitable to the common wealth, hereupon order and decree that in every town ye chosen men appointed for managing the prudential affairs of the same shall henceforth stand charged with the care Herbert Kohl, Thirty Six Children (New York: American Press, 1968) of the redress of this evil 112 Had beginning teachers been queried about their concerns in 1642, no doubt their greatest concerns would have been in regard to their supervisors Salary was non- negotiable, pupil progress was steady and discipline problems were practically naught But, the attitudes and assumptions of their supervisors was that: "(1) Teachers were not to be trusted; (2) Supervisors had the right to intervene directly in the classroom; and (3) Supervisors were meant to be inspectors." Over the years, much has been learned about teaching and about teachers But, only, in the last four decades has the beginning teacher been encouraged to tell the story of what it means to be a first-year teacher This research sought to explore the world of fifteen first-year elementary, middle and high school teachers; specifically, seeking to understand their concerns At the advent, it was questioned why these men and women, as well as other men and women, entered the field of teaching Consequently, in beginning this research, the first question sought was: Why people become teachers? Is it the challenge,the excitement, the spotlight, or a potpourri of rewards and incentives? What does it mean to John C Daresh, Supervision as a Proactive Process (Prospect Heights: Waveland Press Inc., 1989) Daresh, 10 83 fifteen first-year teachers declared that discipline is their greatest concern First-year teachers were more concerned with self than with pupils Although they expressed a concerted interest in subject matter and pupil progress, self concerns were primary Only five teachers selected pupil progress as their greatest reward None mentioned lack of pupil progress as their greatest dissatisfaction in teaching While, discipline was cited by eight teachers as the greatest dissatisfaction In their first year of teaching, for the most part, teachers are attempting to construct professional identities and to bond with their mentors Ten of the fifteen teachers enjoyed meaningful relationships with appointed mentors Only one teacher professed to a less than satisfactory relationship with the assigned mentor Four of the fifteen sought out colleagues for feedback and support All fifteen actively attempted to form a successful network with their colleagues and peers In comparing the percentage responses of first-year teachers to that of veteran teachers, several conclusions were drawn Most significant was the probability that first-year teachers were too inexperienced to recognize that many of their problems with students, including academic learning, stemmed from their inexperience with managing classroom discipline Secondly, many had unrealistic 84 expectations of student learning and behavior Veteran teachers were much more aware of student behavior, by virtue of their experience, and of what actually constituted classroom discipline problems Only four of the fourteen administrators believed discipline to be the greatest concern for first-year teachers Administrators cited many concerns for first-year teachers Whereas, all eighteen of the veteran teachers cited discipline as the greatest concern for first-year teachers The administrators interviewed as well as administrators in general frequently not have the time to actively supervise first-year teachers Many of them rely on teachers, who serve as mentors to the first-year teachers, to keep them abreast of first-year teacher progress and concerns Some administrators not find the time to visit the first-year teacher beyond the required "two observation" periods For these reasons their perceptions of first-year teacher concerns may not be as realistic as veteran teachers or first-year teachers Recommendations First-year teacher face enormous challenges The change from university student to classroom practitioner and authority may be abrupt New teachers wear many hats They must be competent in their subject material and know how to teach it to their students; and additionally teach in such a 85 way that they facilitate and maintain a positive climate conducive to learning Although, possibly not apparent to these first-year teachers, it was apparent to the interviewed administrators and veteran teachers that even with being certified to teach, beginners are not necessarily proficient in teaching Beginning teachers need time, expert support and assistance to develop the mastery of their teaching performance As several studies indicate, there are distinct differences between beginning teachers and veteran teachers It certainly makes sense to allow for those differences by structuring programs that provide support for the beginning teacher The school district of this study, as well as individual building administrators, needs to ask, what beginning teachers need to succeed? As more and more state legislatures and school districts focus on the issue of how America teaches its teachers to teach, well thought-out teacher induction programs are needed If the student population continues to increase, in the next few years, a record number of pupils in history will enter the nation's schools They will represent the widest imaginable mix of cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds The nation will need an estimated two million new classroom teachers in the coming decade to maintain its educational programs While changes and improvements in teacher preparation ~ 86 are certainly needed; that, alone, is not enough When a school district creates teacher induction and staff development polices; local schools, directed by their local administrators must be prepared to breathe life into these programs through their own personal initiatives Largely, whether a first-year teacher succeeds or leaves the field, depends on her administrator and colleagues These first-year teachers sought opportunities to maximize the greatest amount of success in their first year Their school district should commit to more than one or two outlets for new teacher induction As teachers, they entered the field with expectations of making a positive difference in the lives of children For some, after one year of teaching, the hardcore reality of the toughness of teaching had stifled those feelings of being able to make a difference in student lives Additionally, after one year of teaching some began to question the belief that all children can learn and even questioned whether or not they had been adequately prepared for the real teaching environment During their first year of teaching, some of these beginning teachers had developed a severe decline in their enthusiasm and hopefulness Certainly, these and other first-year teachers would benefit from a well thought-out teacher induction program A good induction program would not only look at first-year teacher concerns, but address them through specific 87 remedies No matter how much orientation first-year teachers have prior to the beginning of the first school year, teaching children is an evolving skill Every beginning teacher needs some type of help and support from her colleagues Making the transition from student teacher or intern requires fore-thought, organization, diligence, trust and faith in one's own ability to make a difference Most of these first-year teachers have been able to reach out and seek help from veteran teachers But, they should be cautioned not to rely too exclusively on what veteran teachers say and What works for a veteran teacher may be quite different from what is realistically possible for a beginning teacher These beginning teachers should continually seek selfevaluation and set goals based on the outcomes It is vital that as evolving adults, they continue on the path to selfknowledge as well as seek to understand and know the students in their charge Administrators and veteran teachers should encourage these beginners to identify strengths and weaknesses and work to enhance and redress them Lastly, beginning teachers should continually engage in reflective thinking in measuring their teaching progress Sufficient time should be allowed in deciding if teaching is the correct career choice If it is decided that teaching is not the right choice, a quick and decisive exit should be 88 made from the field But, if there is a desire to continue to make a contribution that only she/he can make; hopefully, all of the resources needed to ensure success will be found Recommendations for Further Study Conduct a first-year teacher study using a larger sample of first-year teachers Future studies would gather data from a different A longitudinal study of first-year teachers with an city assigned follow-up period would compare first-year teacher concerns Mentors of first-year teachers would be interviewed APPENDIX A INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 89 90 FIRST-YEAR TEACHER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS What attracted you to the teaching profession? What is the most serious concern that you have experienced in your first year of teaching? What are other concerns that you have? Have you ever considered leaving teaching? If so, when and how often? Have you ever experienced concern about your safety or about the safety of your car? Do you now have or have you previously had a mentor? How was your mentor selected? a rewarding experience? Explain why or why not Has the mentorship been Elaborate Have you experienced stress about your job as a teacher? If so, in what way (s) and how often? If you've not suffered job stress, explain why Would you leave teaching, if you had a job offer of equal pay or better pay? What you like most about teaching and what you like least about teaching? 10 If you could choose your career all over again, knowing what you now know about teaching, would you still choose teaching as a career? Explain, why or not? 91 VETERAN TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATORS INTERVIEW QUESTIONS What you believe to be the greatest concern(s) that first-year teachers experience? What school programs, personnel, or coping strategies you believe to be most beneficial in helping the first-year teacher to have a successful first year? What you think provides the most satisfaction(s) for a first-year teacher? Why you think first-year teachers leave the field of teaching? REFERENCES Anderson, Lorin W., and Burns, Robert B Research in Classrooms: The Study of Teachers, Teaching and Instruction Oxford, New York, Beijing, Frankfurt, Sao Paulo, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto: Pergamon Press, 1989 Armstrong, David G., Henson, Kenneth T., and Savage Tom v Education: An Introduction New York: Macmillan, 1981 Berliner, D.C In Pursuit of the Expert Pedagogue Educational Researcher 15 (7) (1986): 1-23 ¥- Billups, Margaret "Jackie Vaughn: What Price Education?" 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The Elementary School Journal (February 1965): 235-246 / VITA The author, Delores Ann Johnson Price, is the daughter of Joe E and Mary L Johnson Her education was obtained in Evansville, Indiana public schools In June, 1969, Ms Price received the degree of Bachelor of Arts from the University of Evansville, with a major in Elementary Education In August, 1973, she received the degree of Master of Arts in Education from the University of Evansville In September, 1969, Ms Price accepted a position as a fourth-grade teacher in the Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation in Evansville, Indiana school counselor In 1986, she became a Then, in 1989, she accepted the position of Assistant Principal at Glenwood Middle School After serving three years as Assistant Principal, she entered into Loyola University Chicago's doctoral program After two years as a full-time student and graduate assistant, she returned to her former position as Assistant Principal After serving for one additional year, she accepted an elementary principalship with the South Bend, Indiana School Corporation, August 1995 She currently serves as principal of Lafayette Elementary School in South Bend, Indiana 96 APPROVAL SHEET The dissertation submitted by Delores A Price has been read and approved by the following committee: Dr Max A Bailey Associate Professor and Chairperson, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Loyola University Chicago Dr L Arthur Safer Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Loyola University Chicago Dr Janis Fine Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Loyola University Chicago The final copies have been examined by the director of the dissertation and the signature which appears below verifies the fact that any necessary changes have been incorporated and that the dissertation is now given final approval by the Committee with reference to content and form The dissertation is therefore accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy ... developing concerns of small groups of prospective teachers and to reexamine the findings of other investigators in the hope of discovering what teachers are concerned about and whether their concerns. .. teaching in education courses (3) The findings about beginning in- service teachers are similar to those about pre-service teachers Both pre-service and new in- service teachers had principal concerns. .. Dollase''s research indicated that seventy percent of beginning teachers could use a "helping hand" during the first four months of teaching His study indicated that most beginning teachers needed