Researchers have reported that by the year 2010, two million teachers will be needed in classrooms across the country. The shortage has been attributed to population increases and a rise in the number of teacher retirements. Other researchers contend that the shortage is due to rising attrition rates among new teachers. They claim that new teachers become dissatisfied with teaching due to poor working conditions. As a result, new teachers have prematurely departed the teaching profession in alarming numbers which has placed the educational system at large in a state of crisis. This dissertation examined the factors which impacted the working conditions of beginning teachers and their enculturation into teaching and school cultures. Novices' experiences before and after teacher education training included the influence of significant individuals prior to entry into teaching and their interactions with the principal, veteran teachers and students. The process of induction served as a means to facilitate or impede the enculturation process. Data gathered and generated for this qualitative study included survey, interview and observation. Through participants' shared experiences, both positive and negative factors influenced their enculturation into teaching and the school culture. As prospective teachers, significant individuals were a positive influence on new teachers' decisions to enter teaching and their educational perspectives. As new teachers, findings revealed four negative factors which hindered their enculturation process. First, the veteran-oriented school culture was unsupportive and prevented the school community from adequately addressing new teachers' needs during induction. Second, although new teachers expressed concerns about classroom management, discipline and student achievement in their interactions with students, these concerns did not have a significant negative impact on their enculturation. Third, new teachers' interactions with veteran teachers lacked collegiality and prevented the types of collaborative exchanges necessary to promote professional growth. Fourth, the empathy expressed for the new principal restricted opportunities for interactions and subsequently lowered new teachers' expectations of the principal's ability to provide support. The principal's inexperience and novice-status sanctioned the negative veteran-oriented culture which dominated the school environment, thus, limiting the impact of new teacher induction and impeding the enculturation of beginning teachers.

According to the U. S. Department of Education (National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, 1996), U.S. public schools will hire an estimated two million teachers within the decade. The experience of the beginning teacher is a stressful one with more than 40% of new teachers choosing to leave the profession during the first three years. One promising practice to address this problem is mentoring, an expert teacher helping the beginner one-on-one. The heart of mentoring is the mentor/mentee relationship. This study investigated the nature of the beginning teacher/mentor relationship and the forces that affected that relationship. The methodology was a cross-case analysis of three pairs of mentor/mentees at the elementary level. The data were collected from focus groups, teacher interviews, observations, email responses, and document review. Data were analyzed using a constant comparative method examining emerging themes across all three cases. Trustworthiness of the research was fostered through multiple sources of data, practice interviews, oversight by peers and committee, participant review, and description of themes in the participants' own words. The data revealed that the mentor/mentee pairs developed very strong relationships grounded on reassurance, collaboration, reciprocity, friendship, problem solving, multi-layered support, and informal structures for getting together. Positive forces affecting the relationships included personality of the participants, perception of mentor role, closeness of age, proximity of classrooms, and common teaching assignment. Time constraints acted as a negative force that presented many challenges addressed by mentors and their mentees in very unique ways. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this case study is to gain the perspectives of four non-Maori beginning teacher on meeting the needs of Maori children in the mainstream classroom. The participants all graduated from the Christchurch College of Education Rotorua regional primary programme that I work within. Specific practices, strategies and professional development opportunities found effective in meeting the needs of their Maori learners by these beginning teachers are sought and discussed. The findings of this study confirm the importance of building relationships and getting to know each Maori child as an individual. Establishing and maintaining routines appropriate for Maori children and their learning became evident as did the power of the arts curriculum to engage Maori in their learning. The quality of teacher training in New Zealand to prepare beginning teachers to teach Maori has been questioned over the past decade. Within this case study the impact of pre-service wananga on these non-Maori beginning teachers to empower themselves to teach Maori children in the mainstream classroom was clearly expressed. It is hoped that the findings of this study could contribute, even in a very small way, to New Zealand's goal to improve the quality of teaching for Maori in the mainstream classroom.

The purpose of the present investigation was to determine what professional and personal problems elementary-school teachers face during their initial years of teaching and how they cope with or solve these problems. Beginning teachers abandon the teaching profession at alarming rates causing grave financial burdens to school divisions, schools, and tax payers. The phenomenon has also contributed to the current teacher shortages in particular subject areas and certain geographic locations. Many teachers who left the profession before their fifth year of professional teaching reported the problems associated with teaching as primary reasons for their exodus. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with six in-service elementary teachers. The interviews were conducted in three parts. All of the six participants were between their fifth and tenth year of teaching, and they all taught at the elementary level. The results indicated that they had problems with (a) personal issues and life experiences, (b) school curricula, (c) children with special needs, (d) differentiation of instruction, (e) discipline, (f) workload and time management, (g) parents, (h), student poverty and students' home issues, (j) relationships with students, (k) teacher training, and (l) administration. The participants coped with these problems by using pattern matching indicating that their own life experiences and backgrounds had significant roles in their problem-solving processes. Recommendations are made for preservice and beginning in-service teachers to focus on their educational experiences and biographical information to recall relevant information that will help them to cope with and solve professional problems. / Ph. D.

This case study research explores the experiences of five beginning teachers within four Catholic secondary schools in Australia. The research employs a qualitative approach framed within an interpretative paradigm, drawing on perspectives of symbolic interaction to interpret interview and journal data. These perspectives are used, in conjunction with a conceptual framework derived from the relevant literature, to interpret the experiences of five new teachers against the relevant data. The literature typically investigates the stages of teacher development, where the first year is often seen by researchers as a survival year. Key literature themes include the development of self image and the impact school culture has on beginning teachers. There are two other features less often present in the literature but central in this research. One is the life history of the beginning teacher. A second, which is the major notion employed in this study, is that of professional identity and specifically how identity develops once the novice teacher is immersed within the school organisation. Each teacher was interviewed several times during their first year and each kept a journal. The discussion includes matters of comparison and contrast between the five teachers’ experiences. The symbolic interactionist framework seeks to identify the meanings individuals construct of their experiences. These meanings are located from the journal and interview data gathered. Each text is examined both independently, in relation to other texts and in the light of the conceptual framework. A key procedure is to identify critical events which are then analysed and connections made to the experience of other teachers and literature themes. The key findings of the research include developing a new model for understanding the experience of beginning teachers. The research suggests that the current literature on beginning teachers is limited. It neglects beginning teacher individuality and in particular agency and competency and centrally the dynamic and complex interaction between culture and identity. This research seeks to add significantly to the beginning teacher literature.

The purposes of this study were to explore the actual condition of beginning teachers¡¦ job-related problems and induction needs, as well as to analyze the relationship between beginning teachers¡¦ problems and induction needs. In order to achieve the aims, the use of questionnaire was mainly conducted through the study, with complement of semi-structured in-depth interview. A total of 322 questionnaires were sent to the 49 junior high schools in Kaohsiung County, and 224 questionnaires were collected back. The effective return rate was 70¢H. The collected data was described, analyzed through descriptive statistics, F-test, One-Way ANOVA and Pearson¡¦s Product-Moment Correlation. Furthermore, the qualitative interviews with 8 beginning teachers were analyzed to know more about beginning teachers¡¦ job-related problems and induction needs. Conclusions derived from the present study are as following: 1.The degree of problems perceived by the beginning teachers in junior high school was moderate, and the most difficult part for them was ¡§teaching and classroom management¡¨. What made beginning teachers in junior high school feel most difficult were the low achievement of students, the paradox of school management, and the difficulty in maintaining the classroom-discipline. 2.In the analysis based on background variables, the degree of problems perceived by the beginning teachers in junior high school was significantly different among teachers of different school size, but not significantly different according to gender, teaching experience, position, educational background, teacher internship program, and school location. 3.The most urgent induction needs for beginning junior high school teachers was to increase the knowledge about teaching and classroom management such as the techniques for managing problem behaviors, the effective strategies for organizing class procedures, and the teaching skills to enhance teaching effectiveness. 4.Beginning teachers hopes the above knowledge could be inducted in the ways of arranging seminars, communication with expert teachers ,and classroom observation on them. 5.In the analysis based on background variables, the degree of induction needs perceived by the beginning teachers in junior high schools was significantly different among teachers of different school size. Furthermore, the induction ways of beginning teachers in junior high schools were significantly different among teachers of different gender, teaching experience, and school size. 6.There were significant positive correlations between the whole problems and induction needs of beginning teachers in junior high school. The higher problem level which the beginning teachers perceived on the whole job problem, the more urgently they feel in needs of induction.

Teacher attrition, particularly of beginning teachers, is concerning. Extensive research has been conducted on teacher attrition and teacher characteristics; however, less research exists on teacher retention and related teacher belief systems. This study examined the beliefs of a particular subset of teachers - teachers who have stayed in the profession in their first 3-5 years (N = 67). It explored if and how initial and current beliefs about students buffer the challenges teachers face in their entry years in the profession, if these beliefs change across time, and if these beliefs vary across grade level and school-level socioeconomic setting (SES). This study also examined a subset of teachers (n = 21) to explore how preservice teacher and classroom observation data can inform teachers’ beliefs about student learning in their first years of teaching. Results indicated that teachers’ beliefs about students become more integrated across time and demonstrate growth in expertise in teachers’ beliefs about students. Also, teachers held more positive perceptions of students over time in addition to a greater emphasis on the importance of preparation, completion, trying another way when you struggle, finishing strong, and having a plan when you are done. Grade level differences in beliefs existed in the first year, but disappeared across time. Further, no significant differences in beliefs about students across school-level SES were present as teachers entered the classroom and did not change as they adapted to these settings. The positive and more coherent beliefs that teachers held in their third, fourth, and fifth year of teaching (as compared to their first) suggest that these beliefs help them cope in their first five years in the profession.

As teachers begin their careers they develop a psychological contract with their organization (Rousseau, 1995); beginning teachers have expectations about what supports will be available and what they will give the organization in return. To ensure that the most effective teachers are working in classrooms it is important to identify and provide the necessary induction supports that beginning teachers need to reach their potential and ensure that they are flourishing in our schools. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among rural Saskatchewan beginning teachers’ perceptions of their psychological contract with their organizations, the induction supports received, and beginning teacher flourishing in schools. The main objective of this research was to answer the following research questions: 1) How do rural beginning teachers describe the actual induction supports they are receiving from their organizations? 2) How do rural beginning teachers perceive and understand the reciprocal elements of the psychological contract with their organizations? 3) How do rural beginning teachers perceive their flourishing in schools? 4) What relationship exists among beginning teachers’ perceptions of their psychological contract, induction support provided and beginning teacher flourishing in schools? A mixed methods approach was used. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 110 beginning teachers in 21 rural Saskatchewan schools divisions using the Supporting the Psychological Contract toward Flourishing (SPCF) survey. Rural Saskatchewan beginning teachers acknowledged receiving positive induction support in the areas of: administrative support, procedures and protocols, consultation with experienced teachers, support with collegiality and belonging, resources, and professional development. They required more support with mentorship, levels of extra-curricular involvement, classroom management, and first year meetings. Beginning teachers perceived that they were strongly committed to their organization and that their employer was generally fulfilling their obligations to them as employees. Beginning teachers in elementary schools, and in some cases K-12 schools, felt better support than those in middle/ high schools. Beginning teachers perceived a low degree of flourishing as they began their careers; however, after one year, they experienced growth. Finally, relationships were noted among beginning teachers’ psychological contract and induction, their psychological contract and flourishing, and between induction and flourishing. Implications for theory and practice are presented regarding beginning teacher induction constructs, gender and type of school influences, and the relationship among induction, psychological contract, and flourishing. Future research is required in the areas of beginning teacher induction, psychological contract, flourishing and the relationship among all three concepts.

Approximately 25% of beginning teachers leave the profession after the first year, and 50% have left by the end of their fifth years. The purpose of this study was to provide an opportunity for beginning teachers to identify and prioritize their problems and to state their solutions to those problems. Three research questions guided this study, which extended the research on perceived problems begun by Veenman and Ganser: (a) What are the perceived problems of beginning elementary education teachers?, (b) How do Veenman?s (1984) ranked list and Ganser?s (1999b) ranked list of 24 perceived problems compare with the problems identified in question one?, and (c) What are the beginning elementary education teachers?proposed solutions for success?. The stratified random sampling technique was used to choose participants, who were beginning teachers who graduated from Mississippi State University (MSU) and Mississippi State University?Meridian Campus (MSU-M) during the years of 1996-2000. All but one of the 103 participants were female; 95 were Caucasians; six were African-Americans; one was a Native American; and one participant was classified as ?other? Seventy participants were graduates of MSU, and 33 were from MSU-M. This descriptive study included qualitative and quantitative research methods using questionnaires and interviews. A pilot study was conducted; however, the results were not used as part of the data for the main study. The top perceived problem was a sense of being overwhelmed. The second major problem was time, which included: (a) burden of clerical work, (b) heavy teaching load resulting in insufficient preparation time, and (c) taking up money and other morning activities. The third major problem was students?needs. Participants felt accountable for dealing with slow learners and for dealing with problems of individual students. Participants offered solutions primarily for improving teaching conditions and for making changes in teacher education programs. Recommendations included: (a) providing support systems for beginning teachers, such as mentors, (b) conducting studies of graduates each year to find strengths and weaknesses of the program, and (c) replicating this study in other Mississippi universities and in other states.

This qualitative study described the development and implementation of a professional support program for beginning teachers in a school division for the 1997-98 school year. The community members including mentor teachers, principals, and central office staff, supported specific needs in a structured program to assist beginning teachers to learn how to teach. The study involved 25 beginning teachers with no years of experience who were paired with mentor teachers from their elementary schools. The study focused on the experiences and perceptions of the beginning teachers and mentors in the program building process. Phase one description includes components of program planning and development including design, collaboration, and resources. Identified beginning teacher needs, professional support community needed to provide support for the beginning teachers, program contents, and a timeline of activities, complete the description. The description of phase two of program delivery includes specific activities for beginning teacher meetings, recommendations for school-based activities between beginning teachers and mentor teachers, mentor teacher meetings, and connections to school principals. Methodology included a combination of questionnaires, participant observation and field notes from program planning meetings, beginning teachers meetings, and mentor teacher meetings, research journal, and collection of documents. Text was created from these methods looking at larger themes and issues that emerged to allow for an understanding of beginning teachers and what is involved in their necessary support. This study suggests that there are several key program essentials for providing support for the beginning teachers. Program essentials include: (1) building program awareness;(2) establishing goals; (3) determining beginning teachers' needs; (4) having a broad-based program participation; (5) preparing participants for their support roles; (6) identifying benefits to program participants; and (7) providing a program structure. A program structure includes: (1) a kick-off of the program and orientation for beginning teachers; (2) a recommended school-based activity schedule of times and topics for a collaborative relationship between beginning teachers and mentor teachers; (3) beginning teacher meetings held three times during the year for beginning teachers to meet together; (4) and mentor teacher meetings for mentor teachers to meet together. Time is an important issue for beginning teacher support with time needed to plan and develop the program and to build trust among program participants. While mentor teachers find the process of supporting beginners satisfying, they also appreciate receiving tangible benefits such as stipends, release time to work with beginning teachers, and program training. These rewards provide verification of the school division's valuing of the enterprise. An ongoing program evaluation system contributed to program planning decision making and assessment of program effectiveness. With a support program designed to meet individualized needs, beginning teachers feel supported and appreciated in their first year of teaching. In addition, a school division gains an understanding of what is needed to build support and community building for the beginning teachers and how to assist the mentor teachers as they support the beginning teachers. / Ed. D.