Development of novice teachers’ practical theory: Which factors are at play

• Published in: Tímarit um uppeldi og menntun
• Main Authors: Hauksdóttir, Hildur, Steingrímsdóttir, María, Svanbjörnsdóttir, Birna María B.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Icelandic
• Published: Menntavísindasvið Háskóla Íslands 2018
• Subjects: novice secondary school teachers; practical theory; mentoring; school culture; nýir framhaldsskólakennarar; starfskenning; leiðsögn; skólamenning; Iceland
• Online Access: https://ojs.hi.is/tuuom/article/view/2878; https://doi.org/10.24270/tuuom.2018.27.7

The objective of this research was to shed light on new teachers’ practical theory and experiences in upper secondary schools in Iceland. Also, to indicate which factors are important regarding the development of their practical theory, what kind of support is practical and what role school culture might play. The study was conducted among eight new upper secondary teachers from schools in the capital area, as well as towns outside the capital area. The group included five women and three men, all of whom had taught more than one year but less than three years. The participants’ schools were very different in size and structure. Qualitative methods were used in data collection based on semi-structured interviews conducted in the beginning of the year 2016. The main findings suggest the new teachers’ practical theory is dynamic and developing relatively rapidly during the first two or three years of teaching. Firstly, student interaction seems to be of importance in shaping the teachers’ practical theory as it often calls for reflection and reassessment. Secondly, as months pass, the teachers gain more composure, resilience and sense of self-efficacy. They learn to rely on themselves and play it by ear, thus maybe abandoning their initial or fixed ideas of the profession. The findings also reveal that very few new teachers are met with an induction plan of any sort or formal support. Only one teacher out of the eight interviewed followed an organised induction plan. The first year was tumultuous for the new teachers, saddling them with a heavy workload and a long workweek. The teachers found it difficult to separate work from their personal lives. The new teachers in this research expressed their need for mentoring and formal support to help them improve their teaching skills. Co-workers were helpful but almost all support was dependent on the new teachers’ own initiative. This does not mean that informal support was of no value to the new teachers. Where available it certainly was, according to the research. The ...