THE ROLE OF MENTORING IN PROFESSIONAL SOCIALIZATION OF NOVICE TEACHERS
Journal Title: Problems of Education in the 21st Century - Year 2018, Vol 76, Issue 3
Abstract
Entering teaching profession is considered as the most determining stage in a teacher’s professional life. The aim of this research is to explore opinions of novice teachers in Latvia about the role of mentoring in their professional socialization. The following research questions were defined: (1) what difficulties novice teachers faced during their in-service experience? (2) what support novice teachers needed when they started teaching? (3) what the role of mentoring in teachers’ professional socialization is? Qualitative research design was developed for the research. Empirical data were obtained during the focus group discussion with ten teachers representing Council of young teachers (in age below 35) of the Latvian Trade Union of Education and Science Employees, nine semi-structured interviews with novice teachers, and interview with a mentor. Novice teachers face teaching reality which often differs from perceptions about the profession developed during the studies at university. The research shows that teachers from the sample faced following challenges during their first years of in-service: establishing teacher’s authority and self-positioning as a teacher, time management, problems with discipline in a classroom, lack of skills to develop curriculum and lesson plans, difficulties in communication with parents. During socialization novice teachers learned their responsibilities and acquired specific knowledge; appropriate support such as mentoring reduced level of stress and uncertainty while novice teachers adapted to school during the period of transition from pre-service period to in-service period. In relation to mentoring, novice teachers expected that a mentor would introduce them to school traditions and internal rules and would advise on discipline in a classroom as well as would help to develop curriculum. Policy makers should focus on teachers’ support guidelines at national level, which would allow schools to ensure the most appropriate environment for novice teachers so that they would like to continue their careers in teaching profession.
Authors and Affiliations
Līga Paula, Aiga Grīnfelde
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP432986
- DOI -
- Views 135
- Downloads 0
SOME FEATURES ABOUT THE ISSUE OF FALSIFIED EDUCATION
The phenomenon of falsification is becoming more and more interesting and relevant. This phenomenon is related to all educational areas. Such important areas as quality of education, management and funding of education,...
SCIENTISTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON THE NATURE OF NANOSCIENCE AND ITS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
Some level of understanding of and about nanoscience and nanotechnology (NST) has been suggested as being relevant in up-to-date scientific literacy for all. Research scientists working in these fields are central in cur...
MISCONCEPTIONS AND “LEARNING DOCTORS”
We all talk about scientific issues such as plants, genetically modified organisms, air-water-environmental pollution, and education etc. in everyday life. But such small talks are not as simple job as it was thought, be...
MOTHER TONGUE LEARNING IN THE ESTONIAN NEW HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM
This article considers the content and structure of the new State Curriculum for high schools in Estonia, in which drafting the authors participated. The curriculum was applied in 2011/2012 academic year, and has being p...
DIFFICULTIES OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN THE ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY
Experimental work supposes a unique opportunity to learn procedural contents. However, the conditions and constraints to learn procedures have not been sufficiently discussed or investigated in a laboratory environment....