Investigating New Teachers’ Experiences: Easing the Transition through Professional Development

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Recommended: Reflection on professional development as a teacher

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...

... middle of paper ...

...lp new teachers?

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.

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