Investigating New Teachers’ Experiences: Easing the Transition through Professional Development
Some people are born to teach, and know early on that it is their destiny. Others arrive in a classroom through a different, sometimes not so deliberate path. Whatever the path, deliberate or not, teachers are leaving the profession. Recent research highlights teacher turnover as a central challenge facing public schools (Anderson, L & Olsen, 2006). There are myriad reasons for the current revolving door in schools; from difficulty managing the classroom, shortage of resources, time management, and an insurmountable amount of paperwork, to ineffective or non-existent support systems. One such support system that would address many of the issues plaguing new teachers and possibly prevent new teachers from leaving is offering on-going meaningful professional development.
The purpose of professional development is to provide teachers with the knowledge and skills to improve student achievement (Payne & Wolfson, 2000). It is common for school districts to provide professional development opportunities for teachers. However, many professional development classes are not carefully structured or purposefully directed toward new teachers. Effective professional development should be school focused while remaining relevant to teachers by addressing their specific needs and concerns (Ganser, 2000).
Review of Literature
Grossman & Thompson (2004) conducted a longitudinal study of ten teachers. Over a period of three years, these teachers were interviewed and observed numerous times each month. The study concluded that new teachers are still developing. Educational philosophies are still being developed and they are still learning how to t...
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5. What elements of professional development would be most helpful?
Works Cited
Anderson, L. & Olsen, B. (2006). Investigating early career urban teachers’ perspectives on and experiences in professional development. Journal of Teacher Education, 54(4), 359-377.
Bickmore, D, Hart, L & Bickmore C. (2005) Interdisciplinary teaming as an induction practice. NAASP, 89(644), 30-53.
Grossman, P. & Thompson, C. (2004). District policy and beginning teachers: A lens on teacher learning. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 26(4), 281-301.
Lang, S. (2004). Separating rhetoric from reality: Supporting teachers in negotiating beyond the status quo. Journal of Teacher Education, 55(3), 141-152.
Young, P. (2007). How elementary principal’s beliefs and actions influence new teachers’ experiences. Educational Administration Quarterly, 37(2), 250-290.
166-173). Linda Darling-Hammond (2000) discusses how teacher education has changed and how it has affected our education system (p. 166). The author also notes how even the most intelligent people found it hard to prosper in the field without the right skills and preparation (Darling-Hammond, 2000, p. 166-173). In the article, she presents how post baccalaureate programs are carefully structured, versus alternative routes which can be no more than backup employment options. Darling-Hammond (2000) also addresses how it becomes difficult for aspiring teachers to learn both subject matter and pedagogy (p.
Warford, Mark. 2011. The zone of proximal teacher development. Teaching and teacher education. 27 (2), 252-258.
Professional development activities focused on this initiative continued throughout the school year as well as the sharing of successes during faculty meetings. Pressure was put upon teachers who did not adapt to the new vision. The principal would observe in those teachers’ rooms more frequently and hold additional conferences with them. Eventually, a couple of the “NoNo” teachers retired. By following the Eight Step Process of Successful Change (Kotter and Rathgeber, 2006), our school victoriously integrated
"Through their experiences in the classroom, workshop or workplace and the feedback received from learners, peers and through appraisal, teachers will hear messages about their subject expertise (P1) and their skills and knowledge as a teacher (P2). The process of reflection and planning should produce continuing professional development that is highly individualized; featuring activities that respond to the teacher understands of the currency of their practice". (Davies,
I can help my teachers be professional learners by using observation and evaluation processes, like those found in Danielson’s model, to promote self-assessment, reflection on practices, and professional conversations with them. The Framework can help me have honest, reflective conversations with the teachers about their instruction and I can use it as a guide to help all involved in professional development decisions. In other words, I can use such teacher evaluation models to promote active engagement and encourage professional growth in all
Tillman, L. C. (2005). Mentoring new teachers: Implications for leadership practice in an urban school. Educational Administration Quarterly, 41(4), 609–629. doi: 10.1177/0013161x04274272.
377-378). Research has demonstrated that effective professional growth and development for teachers provides opportunities for teachers to practice new skills and approaches to working in the classroom, establishes a clear link between educational theory and school-specific practices, affords teachers adequate time to discuss and reflect on knowledge received and produced and gives teachers ongoing support in implementing new knowledge and teaching practices (Jenson, 2002, p. 493; Opfer & Pedder, 2011, pp. 384-385; Robinson, Myran, Strauss, & Reed, 2014, p. 144). An analysis of the intersection between frameworks for professional learning and development and conceptions of knowledge does not possess the utility of an analysis and subsequent understanding of the necessary features of effective professional learning and development. Focusing a discussion of professional learning and development on this intersection distracts from opportunities to understand the features of effective professional learning and development, which would provide teachers with the capacity to seek out, engage in and construct effective professional growth activities, thereby providing teachers with the resources to be able to improve their professional practice, independent of the framework of professional learning and development selected (Opfer & Pedder, 2011, p.
Traditionally, teacher development typically occurs through trial and error in the isolated confinements of each teacher’s classroom with some periodic whole-group professional development (Goddard & Goddard, 2007). Within the past few decades, many schools and districts, including ours, have considered and experimented with Professional Learning Communities (PLC) as an alternative framework in guiding a more efficient development program for their teachers. PLCs are focused on enhancing student learning through developing teacher practices. The concept of PLC relies on using structured collaborative sessions amongst teachers within the school to build internal capacity. Through PLCs, teachers critically reflect on current practices, brainstorm solutions, and obtain help and advice from others in a supportive growth-oriented environment over an extended period of time (Vescio, Ross, & Adams, 2008; Nelson, 2009; Scher & O'Reilly, 2009; Bolam, McMahon, Stoll, Thomas, & Wallace, 2005). The theory of change guiding PLCs holds that by providing teachers with targeted support from within the school community, as oppose to hiring additional outside experts, professional developments can become for efficient. Implementation of effective PLCs requires intentional effort, school-wide and possibly district-wide restructuring of teacher schedules, and additional resources. For schools considering implementing PLCs, it is important to understand the logic of action and the benefits of PLCs as it relates to teacher improvement and increased student achievement.
Hargreaves, A., & Dawe, R. (1990). Paths of professional development: Contrived Collegiality, Collaborative Culture, and the Case of Peer Coaching. Teaching and Teacher Education. 6(3), 227-241.
Professional development is critical to success in a teacher’s career. Teachers need to be opened to continuing their education and consistently reflecting on lessons and interactions with students. At the expert stage of teaching, “the teacher’s practice is characterized by fluency, automaticity, and efficiency” (Garmston,1998). In order to achieve this level of teaching practice, the educator must continue to learn new teaching strategies, understand the curriculum, recognize students and their differences, and conduct self-reflections. A teacher who is dedicated to professional development and wanting to improve their teaching, will make a stronger impact on students. I believe that I am in the Proficient level of performance according to the Framework for Professional Teaching Practices (Danielson, 1996).
The knowledge that teachers gain from year to year is invaluable, however, when asked to change features in their teaching they feel insecure and resist. Smith (1998) states that the difficulty in getting many teachers or their administrators to change their attitudes and their ways is not that they are ignorant, but that they are insecure. Many feel overwhelmed with the risk of trying something new and the fear of producing low results due to lack of training and implementation with fidelity. Educators are always being evaluated before they feel comfortable with the techniques, instructional strategies, or even how to develop a systematic approach for implementation.
...ng with and honoring all students whether it is intrinsic or extrinsic, professional development should be adequate.
Amanulla & Aruna’s (2014) study showed a positive relationship between teacher efficacy and professional development. The relationship indicates that increase in teacher efficacy will cause an increase in the professional development of
...o expand knowledge of subject matter is through read books, journals, and magazine, participate in professional development activities and attend conferences. The value of participating in professional associations and organization helps teacher to move towards expertise to become engaged, active, and passionate and connect to their students (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). As the teacher enhance and grow in the professional development can have a greatly impact on student learning, “Expert teachers know more than novices and organize that knowledge differently, retrieve it easily, and apply it in novel and creative ways” (Garmston, 1998). Therefore, there is such a significant value of participating in professional development through joining association or organization to help teacher to grow in expert in teaching and making an impact on student learning.
Being a teacher is not an easy task as many people could think. To be a teacher does not only imply to know the subject to be taught, it also includes being willing to constantly improve oneself integrally, as much as updating the resources and materials one uses in teaching. Reflecting and analyzing over and over again the best way to teach to learn and how to make students to extend what has been learned. The many hours spend in the classroom will never be enough to plan lessons, prepare materials, review pupils tasks and exams, as well, all the administrative requirements one has to cover for whatever institution we work. Besides all this a good teacher, a professional one, will have to find the time to keep preparing to improve oneself.