Esta pesquisa situa-se no campo de estudos sobre Formação de Professores, tratando especificamente da Iniciação à Docência. Integra a pesquisa “Egressos da Licenciatura em Pedagogia e os desafios da prática em narrativas: a universidade e a escola em um processo interdisciplinar de inserção do professor iniciante na carreira docente”, do Programa Observatório da Educação CAPES/INEP, envolvendo UFMT, UFRGS e UER. O trabalho trata de minha vida acadêmica e profissional, enfocando as narrativas das experiências vividas como um projeto de autoformação. Tem por objetivo analisar meu processo de formação, procurando refletir sobre as histórias que minhas narrativas contam acerca do início da docência e assim compreender o que foi realmente transformador e significativo na constituição do ser-professora em início de carreira. O material empírico constitui-se de sete narrativas de memórias de momentos importantes de minha formação e início na profissão docente. Para refletir sobre minhas experiências, formulei a seguinte questão: De que maneira as narrativas expressas em memoriais de formação podem promover transformações e resultar em produção de conhecimentos de si, necessários à constituição da profissão docente? O aporte teórico do trabalho foi composto por autores que defendem a abordagem autobiográfica. Entre eles Elizeu Clementino Souza (2007, 2011), Maria Helena Abrahão (2011), Maria da Conceição Passeggi (2006, 2008) e Marie-Christine Josso (2004, 2010). O estudo tornou visível para mim mesma o compromisso social e político que caracteriza a minha atuação profissional nos diferentes momentos narrados. As transformações mais significativas foram aquelas em que o meu modo de agir foi questionado e minha compreensão momentaneamente desestabilizada. Ao final dessa trajetória, entendo que voltar-se para si mesmo é um movimento necessário ao desenvolvimento pessoal e profissional. Por situar-se no âmbito de memoriais de formação, minha pesquisa pode contribuir com a formação de professores em formação inicial que buscam compreender a constituição da identidade docente. / This research covers the field of study of Teaching Development,addressing specifically the Beginning Teachers area and is a part of the “Egressos da Licenciatura em Pedagogia e os desafios da prática em narrativas: a universidade e a escola em um processo interdisciplinar de inserção do professor iniciante na carreira docente” study, an Observatório da Educação CAPES/INEP program, encompassing UFMT, UFRGS and UER. This essay is about my academic and professional life, focusing in narratives of the lived experiences as a self-formation project. The main objective is to analyses my formation as a teacher, searching for reflections about the stories that my narratives tell about the beginning of the career and so help understanding what was really transforming or meaningful at the constitution of being a beginner teacher. Empirical material it’s build of seven narratives of memories and important moments of my own formation and first years of being a teacher. To reflect about my experiences, I developed the question: In which ways the narratives expressed in my formation memorials can promote transformations and result in production of self-knowledge, necessary for the constitution of teacher’s practice? The theoretical approach of the paper is composed by authors who defend the autobiographic studies. Between them are Elizeu Clementino Souza (2007, 2011), Maria Helena Abrahão (2011), Maria da Conceição Passeggi (2006, 2008) and Marie-Christine Josso (2004, 2010). The study made possible for me to visualize my social and political commitment which characterizes my professional performing in the different moments narrated. The most meaningful transformations were those who made me question my actions. At the end of that trajectory, I understand that turning into itself is a necessary movement for personal and professional development. Placing itself in the range of formation memorials, my research can contribute with those in teacher development who are reaching for the meanings of what constitutes the teachers identity.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-09-09Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:52:04Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 leone_nm_me_prud.pdf: 1937284 bytes, checksum: ac877d8ea5bc6c3552ef443a1b903e2a (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Este trabalho, vinculado à linha de pesquisa “Políticas Públicas, Organização Escolar e Formação de Professores”, teve por objetivo investigar as necessidades formativas de professores em início de carreira que atuam nos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental, em escolas públicas da rede municipal de Rancharia - SP, a fim de oferecer subsídios para a construção de projetos de formação contínua nos quais as necessidades desses novos docentes possam ser refletidas, discutidas e trabalhadas. Para tanto, procuramos responder às seguintes indagações: Como o professor dos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental vivencia o período inicial da docência em escolas públicas da rede municipal de Rancharia - SP? E, nesse contexto, quais são as suas necessidades de formação contínua? O referencial teórico assumido envolveu estudos sobre: formação de professores, desenvolvimento profissional docente, início da carreira docente e necessidades formativas. Esta pesquisa teve uma abordagem qualitativa, de caráter descritivo-explicativo. Os sujeitos participantes foram nove professores com até cinco anos de experiência no magistério que atuavam nos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental em escolas públicas da rede municipal de Rancharia - SP. A coleta dos dados da pesquisa foi desenvolvida em duas etapas. Na primeira, selecionamos como procedimento metodológico a aplicação de questionário ao conjunto dos professores iniciantes, com a finalidade de obter informações relativas aos dados de identificação desses professores e às experiências por eles vivenciadas no início da carreira docente. Já a segunda etapa compreendeu a realização de duas entrevistas semi-estruturadas de grupo, com quatro professoras iniciantes cada uma, por meio das quais buscamos esclarecer, aprofundar e complementar as informações obtidas no questionário. Os dados relativos ao perfil dos professores... / This work, linked to the research line “Public Policy, School Organization and Teachers Education”, aimed to investigate the training needs of teachers in early career working in the early years of elementary school, in public schools in the municipal Rancharia - SP, in order to provide subsidies for the construction of projects in which the training needs of these new teachers will be reflected, discussed and worked. To this end, we seek to answer the following questions: As the teacher of the early years of elementary school experiences the initial period of teaching in public schools in the municipal Rancharia - SP? And in this context, what are your training needs? The theoretical studies undertaken involved: teacher training, teacher professional development, early teaching career and training needs. This research approach is qualitative and descriptive-explanatory. The subject were nine teachers with up to five years of teaching experience who worked in the early years of primary education in public schools in the municipal Rancharia - SP. The collecting of survey data was developed in two stages. In the first, selected as the methodological procedure a questionnaire to all beginning teachers in order to obtain data regarding the identification of these teachers and the experiences they experienced in the early teaching career. The second step involved the holding of two semistructured group, beginning with four teachers each, through which we seek to clarify, deepen and complement the information obtained through the questionnaire. The data regarding the profile of the teachers were tabulated with the help of SPSS software and other information, were transcribed, organized, coded and analyzed from the perspective of content analysis... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Submitted by Juliane Raniro Hehl null (juraniro@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-09-22T14:23:34Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Juliane Raniro - Tese de doutorado.pdf: 2078934 bytes, checksum: 1857ab45b016abb5c21333110571a3cf (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by LUIZA DE MENEZES ROMANETTO (luizamenezes@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2017-09-25T19:54:12Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 raniro_j_dr_arafcl.pdf: 2078934 bytes, checksum: 1857ab45b016abb5c21333110571a3cf (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-25T19:54:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 raniro_j_dr_arafcl.pdf: 2078934 bytes, checksum: 1857ab45b016abb5c21333110571a3cf (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-11 / No trabalho com o Ensino Superior, em cursos de Pedagogia e de formação de professores apenas o enfoque do ensino e a mera transmissão de conhecimentos parece não ser suficiente para compor docentes preparados para a atuação pedagógica. Deve-se assim, refletir sobre até que ponto a universidade cumpre o seu papel e não se torna um espaço distante quando se pensa na formação e constituição integral de futuros professores. Como os profissionais formados em cursos de Pedagogia a distância, que são iniciantes na carreira docente analisam sua formação, reconhecem e relacionam os saberes da ação pedagógica ao exercício de sua profissão? Esta foi a questão de pesquisa que conduziu esta tese. Os objetivos estabelecidos contemplaram a caracterização dos egressos que realizaram Pedagogia EaD; a identificação e o reconhecimento de saberes revelados por professores iniciantes para atuar na sala de aula e a discussão sobre as possíveis contribuições para a formação docente dos cursos de educação online. Os principais apoios teóricos se pautam em estudos referentes à área de educação, no que tange aos saberes docentes, relacionados à formação e atuação de professores iniciantes, como Gauthier et.al. (1998); Guarnieri (1996, 2010); Gatti e Barreto (2009); Libâneo e Pimenta (2002); Tardif (2002) e outros autores da educação a distância como Almeida; Iannone e Silva (2011); Moran (2002) e Belloni (2009). A partir da análise qualiquantitativa, esta pesquisa trilhou um caminho envolvendo o uso de questionários aplicados em cinquenta e sete egressos e a realização de entrevistas semiestruturadas com sete professoras iniciantes, ambos de cursos de Pedagogia EaD. O mapa traçado neste estudo concluiu que o perfil dos egressos se caracteriza por sujeitos que já possuem idade acima de vinte anos, apresentam experiência na área de atuação e estão procurando um reposicionamento ou um reenquadramento no mercado de trabalho, sendo poucos os professores em início de carreira. A análise das entrevistas realizadas com as sete professoras iniciantes revelou os seguintes saberes da ação pedagógica: estudar constantemente, compreender práticas e conteúdos, conhecer e entender os alunos e as relações escolares, ser versátil, organizar-se, preparar rotinas, desenvolver a capacidade de planejar-se, falar e se comunicar com todos. Tais elementos são primordiais para o exercício da docência. Ao que tudo indica, as egressas iniciantes parecem dominar saberes relacionados a organização do trabalho e a estrutura das atividades, buscam aperfeiçoar-se nos saberes relacionados ao planejamento, à interação dos alunos, ao ensino, às medidas disciplinares e a quantidade de instrução. Na mesma direção do que foi coletado pelo questionário respondido pelos egressos, a percepção das iniciantes entrevistadas também deixa claro que, o curso de Pedagogia a distância propiciou saberes que as ajudaram a desenvolver a docência, porém afirmaram que os saberes foram mais desenvolvidos com a própria ação do trabalho, na prática, do que com o curso de formação inicial, o que fez com que a maioria delas não se sentisse totalmente preparada para lecionar. Tais apontamentos confirmam a hipótese de que o distanciamento do curso de formação inicial da real situação de sala de aula também se faz presente nessa modalidade de formação. A pesquisa procurou trazer referências para as licenciaturas em diferentes áreas de conhecimento e, também, para outros cursos de graduação a distância, visto que a integração de dimensões científicas e práticas devem fundamentar e não segmentar o desenvolvimento dos saberes docentes, aprimorando o caminho de formação de professores no contexto da realidade brasileira. / At the work with Higher Education, in Pedagogy School and teacher training, only the focus of teaching and the mere transmission of knowledge seems not to be enough to make teachers prepared for the pedagogical performance. Should be reflected on the extent to which the university fulfills its role and does not become a distant space when we think of the formation and integral constitution of future teachers. How do the professionals graduated in Distance Pedagogy Schools who are beginners in the teaching profession analyze your training, recognize and relate the knowledge of the pedagogical action to the exercise of their profession? This was the research question that led to this thesis. The established objectives contemplated the characterization of the graduates that realized Distance Pedagogy Schools: the identification and recognition of knowledge revealed by beginning teachers to work in the classroom and the discussion about possible contributions to the teacher training of Online Education Schools. The main theoretical support is based on studies in the field of education, in relation to the teaching knowledge related to the training and performance of beginning teachers, such as Gauthier et.al. (1998); Guarnieri (1996, 2010); Gatti and Barreto (2009); Libâneo and Pimenta (2002); Tardif (2002) and other authors of distance education as Almeida; Iannone and Silva (2011); Moran (2002) and Belloni (2009). Based on the quantitative and qualitative analysis, this research coursed a path involving the use of questionnaires applied with fifty-seven graduates and the conduction of semistructured interviews with seven beginning teachers, both of courses in Pedagogy EaD. The map delineated on this study concluded that the profile of graduates is characterized by subjects who are already over 20 years old, have experience in the actuation area and are looking for a repositioning or reframing in the labour market, with few teachers which are at the beginning of their careers. The analysis of the interviews accomplished with the seven beginning teachers showed the following knowledge of the pedagogical action: to study constantly, to understand practices and contents, to know and understand students and school relations, to be versatile, to organize themselves, to prepare routines, develop the ability to plan, talk and communicate with everyone. These elements are essential for teaching. In all probability, the beginning teachers seem to dominate knowledge related to work organization and the structure of the activities, they seek to perfect themselves in the knowledge related to the planning, the interaction of the students, the teaching, the disciplinary measures and the amount of instruction. At the same direction that was collected in the questionnaire answered by the graduates, the perception of the interviewed beginners also makes it clear that, the distance pedagogy course provided knowledge that helped them to develop teaching, but they affirmed that the knowledge was more developed with the own practice work than with the initial formation course, which meant that most of them did not feel fully prepared to teach. Such notes confirm the hypothesis that the distance from the initial formation course and the real classroom situation is also present on this formation modality. The research looked for to bring references to graduation degrees in different areas of knowledge, and also to other distance graduation courses, once the integration of scientific and practical dimensions should support and do not segment the development of teaching knowledge, improving the formation path of teachers in the context on the Brazilian reality.

Orientador: Yoshie Ussami Ferrari Leite / Banca: Leny Rodrigues Martins Teixeira / Banca: Emília Freitas de Lima / Resumo: Este trabalho, vinculado à linha de pesquisa "Políticas Públicas, Organização Escolar e Formação de Professores", teve por objetivo investigar as necessidades formativas de professores em início de carreira que atuam nos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental, em escolas públicas da rede municipal de Rancharia - SP, a fim de oferecer subsídios para a construção de projetos de formação contínua nos quais as necessidades desses novos docentes possam ser refletidas, discutidas e trabalhadas. Para tanto, procuramos responder às seguintes indagações: Como o professor dos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental vivencia o período inicial da docência em escolas públicas da rede municipal de Rancharia - SP? E, nesse contexto, quais são as suas necessidades de formação contínua? O referencial teórico assumido envolveu estudos sobre: formação de professores, desenvolvimento profissional docente, início da carreira docente e necessidades formativas. Esta pesquisa teve uma abordagem qualitativa, de caráter descritivo-explicativo. Os sujeitos participantes foram nove professores com até cinco anos de experiência no magistério que atuavam nos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental em escolas públicas da rede municipal de Rancharia - SP. A coleta dos dados da pesquisa foi desenvolvida em duas etapas. Na primeira, selecionamos como procedimento metodológico a aplicação de questionário ao conjunto dos professores iniciantes, com a finalidade de obter informações relativas aos dados de identificação desses professores e às experiências por eles vivenciadas no início da carreira docente. Já a segunda etapa compreendeu a realização de duas entrevistas semi-estruturadas de grupo, com quatro professoras iniciantes cada uma, por meio das quais buscamos esclarecer, aprofundar e complementar as informações obtidas no questionário. Os dados relativos ao perfil dos professores... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This work, linked to the research line "Public Policy, School Organization and Teachers Education", aimed to investigate the training needs of teachers in early career working in the early years of elementary school, in public schools in the municipal Rancharia - SP, in order to provide subsidies for the construction of projects in which the training needs of these new teachers will be reflected, discussed and worked. To this end, we seek to answer the following questions: As the teacher of the early years of elementary school experiences the initial period of teaching in public schools in the municipal Rancharia - SP? And in this context, what are your training needs? The theoretical studies undertaken involved: teacher training, teacher professional development, early teaching career and training needs. This research approach is qualitative and descriptive-explanatory. The subject were nine teachers with up to five years of teaching experience who worked in the early years of primary education in public schools in the municipal Rancharia - SP. The collecting of survey data was developed in two stages. In the first, selected as the methodological procedure a questionnaire to all beginning teachers in order to obtain data regarding the identification of these teachers and the experiences they experienced in the early teaching career. The second step involved the holding of two semistructured group, beginning with four teachers each, through which we seek to clarify, deepen and complement the information obtained through the questionnaire. The data regarding the profile of the teachers were tabulated with the help of SPSS software and other information, were transcribed, organized, coded and analyzed from the perspective of content analysis... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Esta pesquisa situa-se no campo de estudos sobre Formação de Professores, tratando especificamente da Iniciação à Docência. Integra a pesquisa “Egressos da Licenciatura em Pedagogia e os desafios da prática em narrativas: a universidade e a escola em um processo interdisciplinar de inserção do professor iniciante na carreira docente”, do Programa Observatório da Educação CAPES/INEP, envolvendo UFMT, UFRGS e UER. O trabalho trata de minha vida acadêmica e profissional, enfocando as narrativas das experiências vividas como um projeto de autoformação. Tem por objetivo analisar meu processo de formação, procurando refletir sobre as histórias que minhas narrativas contam acerca do início da docência e assim compreender o que foi realmente transformador e significativo na constituição do ser-professora em início de carreira. O material empírico constitui-se de sete narrativas de memórias de momentos importantes de minha formação e início na profissão docente. Para refletir sobre minhas experiências, formulei a seguinte questão: De que maneira as narrativas expressas em memoriais de formação podem promover transformações e resultar em produção de conhecimentos de si, necessários à constituição da profissão docente? O aporte teórico do trabalho foi composto por autores que defendem a abordagem autobiográfica. Entre eles Elizeu Clementino Souza (2007, 2011), Maria Helena Abrahão (2011), Maria da Conceição Passeggi (2006, 2008) e Marie-Christine Josso (2004, 2010). O estudo tornou visível para mim mesma o compromisso social e político que caracteriza a minha atuação profissional nos diferentes momentos narrados. As transformações mais significativas foram aquelas em que o meu modo de agir foi questionado e minha compreensão momentaneamente desestabilizada. Ao final dessa trajetória, entendo que voltar-se para si mesmo é um movimento necessário ao desenvolvimento pessoal e profissional. Por situar-se no âmbito de memoriais de formação, minha pesquisa pode contribuir com a formação de professores em formação inicial que buscam compreender a constituição da identidade docente. / This research covers the field of study of Teaching Development,addressing specifically the Beginning Teachers area and is a part of the “Egressos da Licenciatura em Pedagogia e os desafios da prática em narrativas: a universidade e a escola em um processo interdisciplinar de inserção do professor iniciante na carreira docente” study, an Observatório da Educação CAPES/INEP program, encompassing UFMT, UFRGS and UER. This essay is about my academic and professional life, focusing in narratives of the lived experiences as a self-formation project. The main objective is to analyses my formation as a teacher, searching for reflections about the stories that my narratives tell about the beginning of the career and so help understanding what was really transforming or meaningful at the constitution of being a beginner teacher. Empirical material it’s build of seven narratives of memories and important moments of my own formation and first years of being a teacher. To reflect about my experiences, I developed the question: In which ways the narratives expressed in my formation memorials can promote transformations and result in production of self-knowledge, necessary for the constitution of teacher’s practice? The theoretical approach of the paper is composed by authors who defend the autobiographic studies. Between them are Elizeu Clementino Souza (2007, 2011), Maria Helena Abrahão (2011), Maria da Conceição Passeggi (2006, 2008) and Marie-Christine Josso (2004, 2010). The study made possible for me to visualize my social and political commitment which characterizes my professional performing in the different moments narrated. The most meaningful transformations were those who made me question my actions. At the end of that trajectory, I understand that turning into itself is a necessary movement for personal and professional development. Placing itself in the range of formation memorials, my research can contribute with those in teacher development who are reaching for the meanings of what constitutes the teachers identity.

Esta pesquisa situa-se no campo de estudos sobre Formação de Professores, tratando especificamente da Iniciação à Docência. Integra a pesquisa “Egressos da Licenciatura em Pedagogia e os desafios da prática em narrativas: a universidade e a escola em um processo interdisciplinar de inserção do professor iniciante na carreira docente”, do Programa Observatório da Educação CAPES/INEP, envolvendo UFMT, UFRGS e UER. O trabalho trata de minha vida acadêmica e profissional, enfocando as narrativas das experiências vividas como um projeto de autoformação. Tem por objetivo analisar meu processo de formação, procurando refletir sobre as histórias que minhas narrativas contam acerca do início da docência e assim compreender o que foi realmente transformador e significativo na constituição do ser-professora em início de carreira. O material empírico constitui-se de sete narrativas de memórias de momentos importantes de minha formação e início na profissão docente. Para refletir sobre minhas experiências, formulei a seguinte questão: De que maneira as narrativas expressas em memoriais de formação podem promover transformações e resultar em produção de conhecimentos de si, necessários à constituição da profissão docente? O aporte teórico do trabalho foi composto por autores que defendem a abordagem autobiográfica. Entre eles Elizeu Clementino Souza (2007, 2011), Maria Helena Abrahão (2011), Maria da Conceição Passeggi (2006, 2008) e Marie-Christine Josso (2004, 2010). O estudo tornou visível para mim mesma o compromisso social e político que caracteriza a minha atuação profissional nos diferentes momentos narrados. As transformações mais significativas foram aquelas em que o meu modo de agir foi questionado e minha compreensão momentaneamente desestabilizada. Ao final dessa trajetória, entendo que voltar-se para si mesmo é um movimento necessário ao desenvolvimento pessoal e profissional. Por situar-se no âmbito de memoriais de formação, minha pesquisa pode contribuir com a formação de professores em formação inicial que buscam compreender a constituição da identidade docente. / This research covers the field of study of Teaching Development,addressing specifically the Beginning Teachers area and is a part of the “Egressos da Licenciatura em Pedagogia e os desafios da prática em narrativas: a universidade e a escola em um processo interdisciplinar de inserção do professor iniciante na carreira docente” study, an Observatório da Educação CAPES/INEP program, encompassing UFMT, UFRGS and UER. This essay is about my academic and professional life, focusing in narratives of the lived experiences as a self-formation project. The main objective is to analyses my formation as a teacher, searching for reflections about the stories that my narratives tell about the beginning of the career and so help understanding what was really transforming or meaningful at the constitution of being a beginner teacher. Empirical material it’s build of seven narratives of memories and important moments of my own formation and first years of being a teacher. To reflect about my experiences, I developed the question: In which ways the narratives expressed in my formation memorials can promote transformations and result in production of self-knowledge, necessary for the constitution of teacher’s practice? The theoretical approach of the paper is composed by authors who defend the autobiographic studies. Between them are Elizeu Clementino Souza (2007, 2011), Maria Helena Abrahão (2011), Maria da Conceição Passeggi (2006, 2008) and Marie-Christine Josso (2004, 2010). The study made possible for me to visualize my social and political commitment which characterizes my professional performing in the different moments narrated. The most meaningful transformations were those who made me question my actions. At the end of that trajectory, I understand that turning into itself is a necessary movement for personal and professional development. Placing itself in the range of formation memorials, my research can contribute with those in teacher development who are reaching for the meanings of what constitutes the teachers identity.

The problem of the study was to determine the effectiveness of an in-service education program as a means of providing qualified foreign language teachers for elementary schools. Specifically, the problem was concerned with a statistical comparison of the achievement of two groups of pupils. One group was composed of fourth-grade pupils who were taught Spanish by teachers who had had a maximum of three college hours in Spanish and who had participated in an in-service education program. The other group was composed of fourth-grade pupils whose teachers had had a minimum of twelve college hours in Spanish but had not participated in an in-service education program.

This qualitative study focuses on how beginning teachers attain skills to engage families in the educational process. Historical rationale, theoretical frameworks, and key research findings for family engagement training during the last three decades were reviewed, studied, and analyzed for themes. A review of scholarly literature is incorporated into this inquiry to provide a lens into the scope of existing family engagement research regarding the ways in which teachers are trained how to partner with families. This study also includes discussion and analysis of state and federal policies and mandated reporting to support new teachers in engaging families, the identification of theoretical frameworks that provide insight and rationale for teacher-family partnerships, and the inclusion of pre-service beginning teacher training focusing on partnering with families in the elementary school. Data for this case study includes beginning teacher training, interviews, document analysis, and anecdotal accounts, including teacher reflective journals. Utilizing case study and participant action research (PAR) methodology, the author identifies how providing professional development opportunities for beginning teachers supports increasing teacher-family engagement. The study focuses on beginning teacher training, as well as identifying attitudes and interactions with families, emerging patterns, and further research themes. Utilizing research in this case study, I set out to identify trends in the literature, research, and participant training modules to enhance training for beginning teachers in engaging families in the educational process.

Teachers all over the country are leaving the profession at an alarming rate and by understanding the attitudes and perceptions of both first- and second-career teachers as well as novice and veteran teachers on various areas of teaching, we can begin to identify better and more specific ways to mentor and support all teachers regardless of their age, stage, and life experiences when they enter the profession. The population of the study was limited to 677 kindergarten- through eighth-grade teachers in Sevier County, Tennessee. The study revealed that whether a teacher is novice, veteran, first-career, or second-career, there is no difference in their perceptions concerning the teaching career, no difference in their perceptions regarding the various aspects and challenges of teaching and no difference in their perceptions of how teachers are perceived by colleagues. One difference was found, indicating that novice and veteran teachers have a different perception of their mentoring experiences, with novice teachers rating their mentoring experiences as more positive than veteran teachers. The majority of teachers participating in the study was happy with their chosen career and would encourage others to enter the field. Findings indicated they shared ideas with colleagues and were willing to share in return. Most said that they felt they made a difference in their students’ lives. Student behavior and time were issues of concern to the teachers in the study. Some teachers pointed out that they sometimes were not able to teach because of a student's behavior and that recent problems in society and at home have made this issue worse. Some said the paperwork associated with teaching was overwhelming, and they had difficulty completing the necessary tasks outside of instruction within a normal school day. In spite of the problems, the majority of educators said they would do it all over again.

With almost half of all new teachers leaving the profession in the first few years, it is imperative that school systems find ways to support and retain these new teachers. Formal mentoring is a growing necessity. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the effectiveness of one school system's mentoring program. This study included 4 sets of mentor and mentee teachers. Each set consisted of a beginning teacher in her 1st year of teaching and an experienced teacher trained by the school system to serve as a mentor. This study was conducted in a rural East Tennessee School System. The qualitative interviews were conducted by meeting with the 8 participants. A list of possible participants was obtained from the central office (see Appendix A). An email was sent to each possible participant explaining the nature of the study (see Appendix B). An interview guide was used and participants signed the Informed Consent Form (see Appendix C). During the interview process, 3 commonalities were found among the 4 sets of teachers. These were the need for better training, common grade level assignments, and the overall positive experience of mentoring. All of the teachers interviewed indicated that mentoring was a positive experience. Allowing veteran teachers to reflect on and enhance their own teaching while guiding new teachers through procedures and routines is a win-win situation for all involved. This study found congruence with the review of literature. The study indicates that the mentoring program in this rural East Tennessee county to be a positive and beneficial endeavor. Recommendations for the program include extending the time for mentoring past the 1st year and striving to assign mentors to mentees within similar teaching assignments.