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      Becoming a Teacher: An Investigation of the Transition from Student Teacher to Teacher

      Grudnoff, Alexandra Barbara
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      Grudnoff, A. B. (2007). Becoming a Teacher: An Investigation of the Transition from Student Teacher to Teacher (Thesis, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)). The University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10289/2647
      Permanent Research Commons link: https://hdl.handle.net/10289/2647
      Abstract
      This thesis seeks to gain greater knowledge of the process of transition and

      development that beginning primary teachers undergo over their first year of

      teaching. The research focus is on investigating and understanding this process

      from the standpoint of the beginning teacher. Of particular interest is an

      examination of how the teacher preparation programme, contextual features of the

      school, and participants' own beliefs and biographies influence and impact on

      their transition to teaching and their professional and identity development as first

      year teachers.

      This longitudinal study takes an interpretive approach to investigate the first year

      teaching experiences of 12 beginning teachers in 11 primary schools. The

      qualitative methodology used in this thesis shares characteristics with a case study

      approach and utilizes procedures associated with grounded theory. Data were

      gathered systematically over a year by way of 48 semi-structured, individual

      interviews, two focus group interviews, and 48 questionnaires, supplemented by

      field notes. The collected data were analyzed, coded, and categorized, and

      explanations and theory that emerged from this process were grounded in the data.

      The findings of this study have three broad sets of implications for the education

      and induction of beginning teachers.

      Firstly, they question the role that practicum plays in the transition from

      student to teacher. The findings suggest that the practicum component of

      teacher preparation programmes should be re-conceptualized and redesigned

      to provide authentic opportunities for student teachers to be

      exposed to the full range of work demands and complexity that they will

      encounter as beginning teachers.

      Secondly, becoming a successful teacher appears to depend on the quality

      of the school's professional and social relationships, particularly in terms

      of the frequency and type of formal and informal interactions that

      ii

      beginning teachers have with colleagues. While the major source of

      satisfaction and self-esteem came from seeing the children whom they

      taught achieving socially and academically, the beginning teachers also

      had a strong need for affiliation, which was enabled through positive,

      structured interactions and relationships with colleagues. The study also

      indicates that employment status influences the way that the beginning

      teachers view their work and themselves as teachers, with those in

      relieving positions displaying greater variability in terms of emotional

      reactions and a sense of professional confidence than those employed in

      permanent positions.

      The third set of implications relate to beginning teacher induction. The

      study points to variability in the quality of induction experiences and

      challenges policy makers and principals to ensure that all beginning

      teachers are provided with sound and systematic advice and guidance

      programmes which are necessary for their learning and development.

      While the study confirms the critical role played by tutor teachers in

      beginning teacher induction, it suggests that the focus is on emotional and

      practical support rather than on educative mentoring to enhance new

      teachers' thinking and practice.

      This thesis provides a comprehensive and nuanced view of how beginning to

      teach is experienced and interpreted. It paints a complex picture of the

      relationship between biography, beliefs, preparation, and context in the process of

      learning to teach. The study contributes to the literature on the education of

      beginning teachers. It highlights the need for developing a shared understanding

      amongst policy makers, teacher educators, and schools regarding the multiplicity and complexity of factors that influence the transition and development of beginning teachers.
      Date
      2007
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Name
      Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
      Publisher
      The University of Waikato
      Rights
      All items in Research Commons are provided for private study and research purposes and are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.
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